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Choose around the clear opening you need and the space available for panels. Sliding doors travel along tracks; folding layouts gather panels together. Check the actual system layout before choosing.
| Consideration | Sliding doors | Folding / stacking layouts |
|---|---|---|
| Panel movement | Panels slide along tracks and overlap in the selected arrangement. | Connected panels fold or gather at the selected side or sides, depending on the system. |
| Space beside the opening | No hinged swing into the room; consider track layout and clear opening. | Allow space where panels fold or park, including nearby furniture and paths. |
| Day-to-day use | Consider which panel provides the normal entrance and how wide it opens. | Check how daily access works when the full set stays closed. |
| What to confirm | Track and panel layout, opening direction, handles, locks and threshold. | Panel count, folding direction, parking space, access panel and threshold. |
Compare usable space, not only frame width
The overall frame width does not tell you how much space is clear when the doors are open. On a sliding arrangement, panels occupy part of the frame unless a particular design provides another parking arrangement. Folding panels also need a place to collect.
Ask for the proposed layout to show the open and closed positions. Include furniture, steps, outdoor walkways and nearby walls. A wider opening is useful only when the available space supports the way the system operates.
Think about an ordinary day as well as a fully open patio
You may open only one panel most of the time. Consider carrying shopping, letting people through and reaching handles without moving furniture. Check how the selected door locks and how it will be operated from each side.
The threshold needs discussion alongside the finished indoor and outdoor levels. Share photographs of the sill and paving and ask how the proposed system suits the position. Avoid choosing a threshold detail from an inspiration photograph without checking the actual site.
Choose the glass and finish with the configuration
Large glazed doors affect the view, daylight and privacy of adjoining spaces. Tell JCB about strong afternoon sun, close neighbours or a preference for an uninterrupted view. The appropriate glass needs to suit both the application and the room.
Frame colour can match the windows or provide contrast. Confirm the final finish and glazing before manufacture. Dark glass does not automatically provide privacy at night when the inside is brighter than outside.
Clarify what the supplier means by stacking
Different systems use sliding, folding and stacking terminology in different ways. A reference image or sketch is helpful, but the quotation should identify the actual arrangement. Ask how the panels move, where they park and which opening you use for daily access.
JCB offers sliding, folding, hinged, stacking and custom-built aluminium door configurations. Share the opening width and height, location and intended use so the practical options can be discussed.
Prepare a useful door enquiry
Discuss manufacture timing, installation scope and applicable aftercare terms alongside the design. A sliding or folding system should be selected for the confirmed opening and requirements.
- Show the opening
- Include width, height and photographs from inside and outside.
- Explain how you use the room
- Identify daily access, furniture, outdoor paths and the clear opening you want.
- Identify the work
- Say whether the opening already exists and whether removal or building changes are involved.
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