Battle of the doors: hinged vs sliding – which is right for your office?

Selecting a door for offices in a commercial building can impact the overall functionality of your property. Offices can be used for collaborative discussions and private meetings, requiring the door to be functionally versatile. Two of the most popular options for offices are our aluminium hinged and sliding doors. 

The hinged vs sliding door debate is quite old and common in our industry. Both options are excellent and provide similar benefits, however, they have a few key differences that can make all the difference for our clients.

Aluminium hinged doors are doors with large glass screens and robust, customisable aluminium frames. Each door panel is hinged at one opposite side, allowing the door to open wide like a conventional swinging door. At our company, we offer aluminium hinged doors in both single and double configurations, giving business owners the freedom to select their preferred size. Our double configuration is what most people refer to as ‘French doors’.

Aluminium sliding doors are made up of a large glass screen and aluminium frame. This configuration slides into itself rather than swinging open, allowing for a neat and tidy appearance. A-tech Australia offers an array of functional choices including fully floating or a combination of floating, folding or hinged entry, making it extremely easy to find an option that suits your every need.

We know that most people are familiar with both of the above configurations, however, we think that an explanation of each product will help to provide clear contrast and aid our clients in making the decision that’s best for their property.

What do commercial offices need from a door?

Every commercial office is built differently. Depending on the size of your business as well as its physical location, you may require different features from your door. Here are few things to consider before selecting between an aluminium hinged or sliding door:

• The square meterage of your office as well as your overall commercial space.

• The usage of your office – will it be for private meetings only or will it serve as a collaborative space for large groups? The nature of your business will also dictate this. 

• Your corporate culture – does your team primarily work individually or is there frequent open communication?

• The location of your office entryway – does it open out to a natural, outdoor environment or into a large closed-off indoor space?

Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all option. These questions are key in determining whether the features of each door suit your office.

Natural light

Both options are fantastic for allowing natural light into your office space. Hinged and sliding doors have beautiful large glass screens which allow copious amounts of natural light into one’s office if it is located partially on the exterior of a building. If your door is located indoors, it is still helpful for bouncing light around the room and overall, creating a more illuminated and airy space.

Space

If your office is cramped, short on space and cluttered, aluminium sliding doors should be your choice. Sliding doors neatly slide into themselves and don’t take up any extra space when they are open, allowing you to maximise your office space.

Hinged doors swing open like a regular door. While this may not sound problematic, in a cluttered or small space, opening the door can become challenging, especially if you need the door open for a prolonged period of time. Unlike the sliding door, the glass screen panel takes up additional and valuable space.

Energy efficiency

This point generally applies to office doors that open to the outdoors. Most offices nowadays are worried about the energy efficiency of their office. Sliding doors have a much tighter seal than hinged doors and are generally able to keep the cold or hot air inside much more effectively than aluminium hinged doors. Hinged doors often have a tiny gap between the edge of the door and the frame that allow air to escape, rendering them less energy-efficient than sliding doors.

 Versatility 

If your office environment requires a door option that can accommodate private meetings as well as collaboration with other members of your team then opt for a sliding door. Sliding doors allow you more flexibility with your office by creating a private space for serious meetings and facilitating a collaborative environment when open.

Sliding doors are excellent for companies that often need both types of environments. Generally, we recommend them for marketing agencies, media agencies and other companies that require collaboration among teams. As hinged doors facilitate private meetings best, we suggest them for law firms, counsellors and medical offices.

Whether a hinged or sliding door is right for you is dependent on your office and business needs. If you need help determining which is appropriate for your space, get in touch with our team.