Lift-and-slide doors
Turn the handle and a heavy glass panel lifts a few millimeters onto its rollers and glides with one hand. Turn it back and the panel drops onto its gaskets and locks. It's the sliding door for big glass and tight seals.
How it works
A standard slider rides on its rollers all the time, with weatherstrip rubbing along the sill. A lift-and-slide separates those two jobs. When the handle turns down, a gear lifts the panel off the gaskets. When it turns up, the panel's weight presses down onto the seals.
That compression is why lift-and-slide doors usually test with much lower air leakage than standard sliders in manufacturer data, and why they can carry very tall, heavy insulated glass.
The panel can also be dropped at any point along the track. Leave it open a few inches for air and it's locked in place.
What we check on every install
- Header deflectionWide openings need a header that won't sag under load. A sagging header pinches the top of the panels.
- Level sillThe track sill has to be flat along its whole length. We shim and support it continuously.
- Sill pan and drainageChannels and weep holes that carry water back outside, and a pan under the sill.
- Flush or raised thresholdFor a flush threshold the sill is recessed into the subfloor, which is planned before flooring.
- Handling heavy panelsPanel weights are checked in advance so the crew and equipment match.
Questions we hear
Lift-and-slide or multi-slide?
If sealing and very tall panels matter most, lift-and-slide. If you want the most panels moving and a fully open wall at a lower cost per foot, a multi-slide often fits better.
Can the door be left partly open?
Yes. Drop the handle anywhere along the track and the panel stays put and locked.
Why is my handle getting hard to turn?
The gear or rollers need service, or the panel has dropped out of adjustment. Don't force it.
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