Door Style · The Largest Sliders We Build
Lift and Slide Doors
A handle‑lifted sliding mechanism that glides sashes up to 2.8m double‑glazed and 3m triple. The spec when you want a single‑leaf wall of glass. Made in Westmeath.
Lift and slide doors are the heavyweight version of a sliding door — engineered to handle very large sashes that a standard slider can’t. A single sash can run up to 2.8m tall double‑glazed, or 3m tall triple‑glazed, and still glide one‑handed.
The trick is in the handle: turn it 180° and a mechanical cam lifts the entire sash a few millimetres off its weather seal. With the seal disengaged, the weight transfers to low‑friction rollers and the sash glides smoothly. Return the handle to the closed position and the sash drops back onto the seal, locking against the frame. Wright Windows manufactures lift‑and‑slide doors at our Milltownpass factory, in 2 to 6 leaf configurations.
- 3m Sash Height (Triple)
- 2-6 Leaf Configurations
- Stainless Steel Rollers
- Made in Westmeath
The Numbers
Headline Spec
(Double Glazed)
(Triple Glazed)
Max Per Frame
To Lift Sash
How They Work
Turn the handle. Lift the sash. Glide.
In the closed position, the sash sits down on a continuous weather seal around the frame, locked and airtight. Turn the handle 180° (vertical down) and a mechanical cam in the bottom rail lifts the sash a few millimetres off the seal. The weight transfers from the seal onto low‑friction stainless steel rollers, and the door glides one‑handed.
Slide to the open position. Return the handle to horizontal. The sash drops back onto the seal, the multi‑point gear re‑engages, and it’s locked again. The mechanism is what makes the very large sashes possible — without the lift, friction against the seal would be too high for a 200kg+ sash to move comfortably.
Why Lift & Slide
Key Benefits
- Up to 3m sash height. Triple‑glazed sashes up to 3m tall, double up to 2.8m — bigger than any standard slider.
- Engineered for heavy sashes. Cam‑lift mechanism removes seal friction for one‑handed sliding of 200kg+ leaves.
- Best‑in‑class airtight seal. Sash drops onto continuous compression seal in closed position.
- 2 to 6 leaf configurations. 2‑track or 3‑track frames; sashes can be specified to stack one or both sides.
- Stainless steel rollers. Salt‑air corrosion resistance — specified by us as standard.
Available Materials
Lift & Slide, in Aluminium
Lift‑and‑slide gearing is engineered around thermally‑broken aluminium — the strength to weight needed to support a 3m sash. uPVC and timber lift‑slide systems don’t exist in this size range.
Best Suited For
Where lift & slide wins.
- Contemporary new builds with full‑height patio elevations and very large sashes.
- Architect‑designed homes where standard sliders don’t go big enough.
- Coastal properties where stainless steel rollers and aluminium frame matter.
- Triple‑glazed PassivHaus builds wanting the highest‑performance airtight seal.
- Replacement of existing patio openings where the original glass was undersized.
Recent Work
Lift & Slide Project Gallery
Lift & Slide FAQ
Common Questions
What does the “lift” in lift and slide actually do?
A mechanical cam in the bottom rail, controlled by a 180° turn of the handle, physically raises the sash a few millimetres off its weather seal. With the seal disengaged, the sash glides on low‑friction rollers instead of dragging against compression rubber. That’s how the system handles a 3m sash one‑handed.
When should I choose lift & slide over a standard sliding door?
Whenever your sash height is above ~2.4m or you want triple glazing. Below that, a standard slider does the job — it’s less hardware and slightly cheaper. Above 2.4m, the weight of the leaf starts to demand the lift mechanism for usable operation.
Are lift and slide doors energy efficient?
Yes — arguably the best seal of any sliding system. When closed, the sash drops onto a continuous compression seal around all four edges, with full sealed engagement. Modern thermally‑broken aluminium lift‑and‑slide with triple glazing meets PassivHaus thermal targets.
How many leaves can I have?
2 to 6 leaves, in single‑track, 2‑track or 3‑track frames. 2‑leaf is the smallest typical configuration (one sliding, one fixed). 6‑leaf is the largest single‑frame run — bigger spans use multiple frames side by side.
Ready to quote your lift & slide doors?
Visit our Milltownpass showroom to operate the mechanism in person, or request a free no‑obligation written quote.
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