Increase accessibility with zero threshold sliding doors

Luxury glazing using large sliding doors or bi-folding doors is being used more than ever to create beautiful, light-filled spaces and connect a home with the outdoors. And with accessibility a key consideration for homeowners, there are certain features to look out for when choosing a bi-fold door or sliding door.

A low, flush or ‘zero’ threshold is a must for full accessibility and ensures that your home is future-proofed for years to come. But there are also other features that allow everyone to enjoy the space in the here and now.

Low and zero threshold sliding doors

Low or flush thresholds offer full accessibility for people with limited mobility who use wheelchairs or wheeled walking frames, or those with prams, pushchairs or shopping aids. They remove the barriers between the indoors and outside, such as a step or upstand, making the whole living space more easily accessible for all.

The elimination of barriers also has an impact on the appearance of the space and is particularly desirable for a minimal design. Visually, a low or flush threshold adds to the overall effect of a seamless transition between the indoors and out. Floors run in to each other, creating a real sense of the home continuing out on to the patio. Just like infinity pools which give the impression of water extending to the horizon, low and flush thresholds offer an uninterrupted view from your home across your garden and beyond.

A flush threshold offers a seamless view towards the outside

Automated options

Automated glazing systems eliminate another barrier to use and allow ease of operation for people with limited vision and mobility, older people and those with disabilities. Sensors, wall switches and smart technology can all be incorporated into glass door systems.

Other considerations

One thing to consider when looking at accessibility is the roll-over capacity of your floor track. Simply put, the more force required to get over an obstacle, the lower its roll-over capacity. So-called low, flush or zero thresholds can actually vary widely in their roll-over capacity. Roll-over testing can be carried out to assess how easily a wheeled aid can cross the floor track of a particular door system.

Also worth looking out for is DIN 18040-1 and DIN 18040-2 certification. Although these standards typically apply in buildings used by the public, they still give a good indication of the accessibility of the door system.

Another consideration for sliding doors and bi-folding doors with a flush threshold is how they fare in all types of weather. Any drainage also needs to be flush to allow for barrier-free entry and exit.

Solarlux

Solarlux is leading the way in creating glass systems with accessibility in mind and allow for a seamless transition between the inside and out. At Solarlux, flush floor tracks can be fitted with all bi-folding and sliding doors in both triple and double glazed specifications.

As the inventor of the original bi-folding door, Solarlux has been refining its design for four decades. The company’s premium bi-folds offer five different threshold solutions each for inwards and outwards opening to fulfil any accessibility, design or functional requirement. The flush threshold on Solarlux bi-folding doors can withstand any weather and works with both outward and inward opening doors.

Even better, the technology that allows for wheelchair accessible bi-folding doors is also applied to their sliding doors. This includes the super-size Cero sliding door and all the doors installed with their Wintergarden glass extensions.

Solarlux’s barrier-free floor rails have durable stainless steel runners and castors for barrier-free access to your indoor and outdoor spaces. Illuminated floor tracks are also available, and the 3s impact protection can be fitted with LED lights and concealed cabling. This lighting not only adds ambience to your living space but ensures it is easier to navigate for people with impaired vision.

The accessible floor tracks in Solarlux glass door systems have passed roll-over tests carried out by the German testing institute, ift Rosenheim. The test assesses how easy it is to roll different wheeled aids across a threshold. Three floor tracks each from the Ecoline and Highline bi-folding doors, which are also used in Solarlux’s Woodline, Combiline and Megaline models, along with the floor tracks used in the Cero  I and II sliding windows, were certified for their roll-over capacities following testing.

Combining flush thresholds with essential features

Solarlux’s low and flush thresholds are as flat as possible without compromising the essential features of a bi-folding or sliding door such as anti-burglary protection. In addition, Solarlux offers some of the best air and weather permeability on their thresholds in the market.

Corner thresholds

In opening corner configurations, Solarlux sliding and bi-fold doors can be fitted with low or flush thresholds for wheelchair accessibility.

Ease of use

Solarlux bi-folding and sliding doors are engineered to precision, ensuring ease of use. Even an over-sized Cero sliding door up to 400kg can be moved manually with just one finger. Automated options are also available for additional easy operation for sliding doors up to 1,000kg.