To Infinium and beyond

Craig Miller, managing director of AluFoldDirect, talks about Infinium, the minimal frame sliding glazing system that’s the latest addition to the Everything Aluminium range for installers.

Bringing as much natural light into buildings as possible is no new trend, but the design options and glazing products that are available to help installers deliver this are changing.

The consistent feature is wide expanses of glass, to blur the lines between the inside and the outdoors and frame a stunning view or allow unrestricted access to a beautifully landscaped garden. For some homeowners and self-builders, a pair of bifold doors just isn’t enough. They want more. More light. More view. More glass.

There are a host of material options out there, but for high-spec projects that need less frame and more glazing, aluminium sliding doors are the optimum choice. With fewer panes or door sashes, there are fewer sightlines to disrupt the view beyond. Plus, aluminium offers slimmer frames, so where there are sightlines, they aren’t big and bulky.

This is why the domestic aluminium market has seen such positive growth over the last few years and why it’s showing no signs of stopping. With energy efficiency benefits equalling that of PVCU, aluminium has become the material of choice for homeowners wanting to bring maximum light into homes. Low maintenance with incredible strength and longevity, aluminium is the ideal choice for self-builders and renovators who want to live the ‘Grand Designs’ or ‘Amazing Spaces’ dream.

With buying trends changing and so much information readily available to homeowners online, they are doing their research and demanding even more from the glazing they choose for their homes. That’s where offering Infinium can make home improvement companies stand out from the crowd.

Infinium is the minimal frame glazing system that takes framing a view to stunning new heights.

To meet the modernist, architectural dream house designs that are so popular with homeowners, the frame and sash are fully concealed to offer wall-to-wall glass. Infinium has the slim sightlines of just 21mm, so views can be framed with absolute minimum interruption. A flush threshold and fully concealed hardware finishes the look.

The double track system is available in configurations with up to four door sashes, with each sash size up to 3,000mm wide and 3,500mm high. The tall, wide-span panes create a frameless glass wall that’s the perfect design choice for home design that needs a seamless connection from the inside living space to the outdoors. To bring nature in, but keep the elements out, Infinium glazing has double thermal breaks, U-values as low as 1.0W/m2K, and can be fitted with double or triple insulated glass units.

The practicalities of having large, heavy panes of sliding glass are taken care of with specially designed aluminium rollers that give the doors effortless glide. For an even easier user experience, the custom-made motorised lock and sliding system opens and closes the doors at the touch of a button. This isn’t just style – it’s a superb combination of technology and engineering.

Infinium glazing can only be manufactured by approved fabricators and fitted by certified installers. It’s a great bit of kit and precision is absolutely essential to get it right on site first time. Not only does this ensure a straightforward experience onsite, but it also gives peace of mind to architects, project managers and homeowners.

To get certified, installers are invited to a free, one-day training course at AluFoldDirect HQ in Blackburn, where we have just opened our Aluminium Installer Training Academy. Our aluminium installation experts will guide fitters through the process of installing Infinium with hands-on training in a purpose-built rig.

Infinium is available now and you can see the first showroom door at our Aluminium Glazing Design Centre.