Are timber and alu-clad sliding doors right for homes in the Scottish Borders?
These are the points a surveyor will go through with you when you choose timber and alu-clad sliding doors for a home in Scottish Borders:
Where the back of a Scottish Borders home faces south and takes full sun, choosing alu-clad keeps the timber protected and cuts out the re-coating that strong sunlight makes necessary.
For a listed building or a house in a conservation area in the Scottish Borders, check with the local planning authority before choosing any new door; timber frames are often closer in character to the original joinery.
- Wood is a natural insulator, so timber frames feel warm to the touch in winter and help keep condensation off the inside face of the frame.
- Engineered timber is laminated from several layers with the grain opposed, so frames resist the twisting and warping that solid timber can suffer as the seasons change.
- An alu-clad exterior shields the wood from rain and sunlight, so the outside needs only washing while the inside keeps a natural timber finish.
Guide prices for timber and alu-clad sliding doors in the Scottish Borders
Guide prices are the same across the Scottish Borders: the fitted price depends on the size, system and specification, not your postcode. These figures are for a standard 2.1 m high door, fitted, including VAT and removal of an old door of similar size.
| Overall width | Typical panels | Guide price (fitted, inc VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 m | 2 panels | £5,095–£6,195 |
| 2.1 m | 2 panels | £5,995–£7,395 |
| 3.0 m | 2 panels | £7,495–£9,095 |
| 4.0 m | 3 panels | £9,095–£11,095 |
Every size is on the timber and alu-clad sliding doors page.
Daylight and glass in the Scottish Borders
Sun angles matter for big glazed doors. Around the Scottish Borders, midday sun reaches about 58° in summer and drops to about 11° in winter. That low winter sun is free heat through south-facing glass; high summer sun is easier to shade with a roof overhang, and solar-control glass helps where there is none.
Towns we cover in the Scottish Borders
We survey and fit timber and alu-clad sliding doors in 8 towns across the Scottish Borders, including the EH45, TD1, TD11, TD14, TD5, TD7 postcode districts.
Approvals in Scotland
Scottish building standards still apply to a replacement door even where no warrant is needed, so the door must meet the energy and safety glazing requirements. If the opening is being formed or widened, a building warrant is required before work begins.
Questions about timber and alu-clad sliding doors in the Scottish Borders
Do you fit timber and alu-clad sliding doors in the Scottish Borders?
Yes. We survey and fit timber and alu-clad sliding doors in Scottish Borders and across the Scottish Borders, including Duns and Eyemouth. Start with a guide price online or call us, and we will arrange a free survey for a new or replacement door.
How much do timber sliding doors cost?
Timber and alu-clad sliding doors start from a guide price of £5,095 for a 1.5 m two-panel door, fitted, inc VAT, at standard 2.1 m height. A 2.4 m door is a guide £6,495–£7,995, and a 4.8 m four-panel door is around £10,395. Species, cladding, finish and glass all affect the figure, and the final price is fixed in a written quote after survey.
What is the difference between timber and alu-clad sliding doors?
The difference is the outside face: a timber sliding door is wood inside and out, while an alu-clad door has a powder-coated aluminium shell fixed over the exterior timber. Alu-clad needs only washing outside and comes in any RAL colour; all-timber needs periodic re-coating but keeps a natural wood look on both faces. The inside is timber either way.
How often do timber sliding doors need treating?
Timber sliding doors need the outside re-coated every few years, depending on how exposed the elevation is and which finish system is used; doors facing full sun or coastal weather need attention soonest. Alu-clad doors avoid this, needing only an occasional wash outside. Inside, timber only needs wiping and an occasional refresh of the lacquer or oil, and a clean track protects the rollers.