The line between inside and outside has never been thinner. Modern aluminum door systems — folding, sliding, and pivot — can create openings up to 12 meters wide with panels that glide on tracks engineered to 100,000-cycle durability.
Folding Doors: Maximum Opening
Fenestra Systems top-hung bi-fold doors support 2–12 panels with individual panel widths up to 1.2 meters. The top-hung design means no bottom track — just a flush threshold for seamless wheelchair access and clean architectural lines. The head track is engineered to L/720 deflection, ensuring smooth operation even with panels weighing up to 80 kg each.
Sliding Doors: Effortless Movement
Lift-and-slide systems support panels up to 400 kg with a 22mm low sill option. The lift mechanism raises the panel off the weather seal during operation, eliminating friction and ensuring smooth movement regardless of panel weight. Multi-track configurations allow 2, 3, or 4 panels to stack behind a fixed panel, creating openings up to 75% of the total width.
What Specifiers Should Check
When evaluating door systems, look for: track material (stainless steel, not aluminum), roller bearing type (sealed ball bearings, not plastic bushings), sill height (22mm or lower for accessibility), and drainage design (pressure-equalized, not gravity-only). Ask for cycle test data — 100,000 cycles minimum is the benchmark for commercial-grade hardware.
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