Buying Cortizo Sliding Doors

Cortizo Sliding doors offer modern patio doors designed with the latest technology, engineering and slim sightlines. However, buying Cortizo products in the UK can confuse the homeowner as well as the installer. In this article, we provide information and a review about Cortizo as a system as well as their range of sliding doors.

Information about Cortizo Sliding Doors

Cortizo is a substantial systems company. The Cortizo name is very well known, especially in Europe and globally. The entire product range covers not just sliding doors. You will also find windows, residential doors, curtain walling and panel systems. Also available are balustrades and even PVCu products.

For sliding doors, there are 12 different models, although just two are widely available for homeowners and installers. These are the Cor-vision Sliding door and the Cor-Vision Plus sliding door. More recently, the Cortizo 4700 offers a more conventional flat styling alongside Origin, Smart Systems and Aluk sliding doors, but with better brand perception amongst some.

Both the Cortizo Cor-Vision and Cor-Vision plus models use the structurally bonded method of upper-tier sliding doors. The bonded glass and the slim interlock are two features making Cortizo doors popular. Another is their contemporary look and the many ways to customise them.

Generally, these cutting-edge doors come only as an inline sliding door without a lift and slide option. You also get insulated aluminium profiles, a durable powder-coated finish and quality locking systems.

Where you can use Cor-Vision sliding doors

You will find these doors mainly marketed at the new extension market. However, we’ve seen many installations of these doors, replacing old patio doors.

As a result, these doors are ideal for both replacement and new projects. Their slim lines, low thresholds, square and modern appearance make these suitable if you want a minimalist and latest-generation product.

With two up to six panels, depending on the configuration, these fine European doors work well in both modern and traditional houses. Cortizo doors also have the option for a recessed track or low threshold that you can integrate into a new extension.

Understanding Cortizo sliding doors

Finding information about Cortizo doors is difficult when obtaining consistent information about the product. This is because many major manufacturers use the Cortizo system but rebrand it. The number of suppliers selling this brand under a different name appears to outnumber those selling as Cortizo doors. It’s the same for folding sliding doors in this system, too.

Buying Cortizo sliding doors.

Before discussing where to buy Cortizo sliders, please ensure your chosen installer has the expertise. The installation of these doors takes work. While the homeowner probably won’t care much about product complexity, they will when the product doesn’t operate correctly.

Good manufacturing and precise installation by a company familiar with this product are essential to the long-term reliability of large, structurally bonded, slimline glazing systems. These are not easy doors to work with for the installer, so check out if your chosen firm has the training and expertise. We also advise never to buy these doors on a supply-only basis for your builder to fit.

Cortizo sliding doors are available through many professional suppliers and installers. To help you buy these doors correctly, we must again stress that you won’t find a ‘standard specification’ product – as so many versions and brand names of this door exist. However, we list below some things to consider and questions to ask of your Cortizo sliding doors provider.

Cortizo sliding doors rebranded.

Here are just some popular brand names all using the same Cortizo sliding door but rebranded:

• Origin Global with their OS-20 Artisan Sliding Door.
• Arkay Windows using the Infiniglide name.
• Architectural Vision Systems using several Cortizo products.
• Slimline Aluminium under the SL20 Classic range.
• Perfect Crystal using the PC20.
• Home Hub Group using the Serenity brand name.
• Sieger Systems with their Slim Sliding Door
• DWL Slimline 20 Sliding
• John Knight Glass selling the Knight Line product

Who makes the best Cortizo sliding doors?

The above manufacturers are all excellent and you’ll find some great doors from them and their network of approved installers.

However, there are some manufacturers and installers that go the extra mile with how they provide Cortizo sliding doors to both professional installers and homeowners.

There are Cortizo sliding doors available with the best possible rollers running on superior steel tracks, better than any standard Cortizo doors. There are those models with such impressive sealing and one of the best transitional movements.

Cortizo doors with the unique flush stacking design

The Sunflex SVG 20 and similar ID Systems EDGE 2.0 are, in our view, superior doors to the Cortizo. Whilst not styled the same, the way Sunflex has achieved a door with a 20mm mullion but one that looks better internally is remarkable.

Another unique feature of Sunflex SVG20 or SVG30 doors is their flush stacking design. Flush stacking is actually available on Cortizo sliding doors but virtually all Cortizo manufacturers choose not to offer this option. But you can get in touch for details of manufacturers or installers that do.

Checklist helping you with Cortizo doors

There is nothing wrong with buying a rebranded Cortizo slider. Go with a good manufacturer and professional installer, and you’ll get a reliable and well-made new door. We also know companies such as Architectural Vision Systems offering a steel-look version of the Cortizo door.

Therefore, and as with any substantial investment in glazing, do your research or contact us for help and advice. What you will get with Cortizo Sliding Doors are exceptional sliders and a contemporary, highly-engineered product. The slim lines, quality glass and excellent components create a door of excellent proportions with smooth slide action. Dig a little deeper and you may even find a Cortizo Cor-Vision and Cor-Vision plus with unique features only a few are capable of creating.

Finally, the 20mm interlock and slimline sliding doors remain heavily marketed. Remember it’s only two or three panel doors truly benefitting from a slim mullion. Four panel doors meeting in the middle always look thicker.

Cor-Vision Sliding Doors.

The Cor-Vision product is more popular. First of all, is the slimline 20mm mullion – arguably its best feature. Available from one up to six sashes and with single, double or triple tracks, the Cor-Vision provides a slimline sliding door for most residential projects. There is also an open corner version. Also, with the design, it’s possible to fix these doors giving a near frameless appearance. For new extensions, these doors can also slide into a wall pocket, disappearing when fully opened.

For door sizes, these doors go up to around 2.5m wide and up to 3m high. While these are the stated figures, some manufacturers offer these or reduced sizes. The reasons for this vary but mainly down to handling, transport or cost. Generally, this model goes up to 320kg, enough for most patio door sizes.

You will find this door typically double glazed with laminated or toughened safety glass. With glass thicknesses up to 30mm, these doors only come double glazed. Triple glazed requirements mean moving to the Plus model.

With most models of the Cor-Vision, you get a five-point lock integrated within a recessed handle. All doors come tested and designed by Cortizo for the suitable air, wind and water weather ratings.

The Cor-Vision Plus sliding door

The Plus version is broadly the same but differs in several areas. First of all, is the mullion. At 25mm it’s slightly thicker but a small difference bearing in mind the large sizes used for most patio doors. The profile thickness of the doors is greater too, for structural integrity as this door comes capable of much bigger sizes.

Then you get the glass up to 54mm thick, meaning triple glazing options when needed.

It comes with the same number of panel options. Tracks are limited to one or three. This means you get the option of a single slider and fixed pane, three and four panel options. You also get the same five-point lock. This model also offers an automatic sliding action when used with suitable automatic door gearing. This version is really only suitable for new extensions. The automatic gearing needs concealing in the structure above with most automatic versions.

Technically, the Cor-Vision Plus goes wider and taller and with greater weight capability. Individual sliding panels go up to 4m wide and 4m tall with a maximum weight of up to 400kg.

Why Cortizo doors aren’t always the slimmest

With the marketing messages around slim sliding doors being all about the sightlines. Cortizo might not necessarily be the slimmest.

You must remember that the 20mm desirable sightline is only at the mullion, which whilst 20mm on the face is actually 226mm deep! This sightline projects into your room. The Sunflex SVG20 gives you the same 20mm face sightline but none of the bulk at the back and looks the same whichever angle you look at the middle mullion from.

It’s the same for the Cortizo side frames with a sightline of 105mm to the glass line and 59mm or more at the top frame. So never assume these are the slimmest sliding doors or that you get the same minimal sightlines all around. You don’t and Cortizo sliding doors aren’t always the slimmest.

Do also bear in mind that many showrooms showcase Cortizo doors hidden into the structure to make them look minimal and slim. Most installations don’t have this. If you are replacing old doors with the Cortizo or you are fitting your doors into the wall to hide the frame (new extensions only), prepare to get doors thicker at the surrounding frame than what you saw in the showroom or in a brochure.

Security on Cortizo products

This is where you need to do your research carefully. The Cortizo website doesn’t mention any specific security tests for this door. Now, this does not mean your new Cortizo product is easy to break into. And we’ve never heard of anyone doing so up to now.

We’ve also done a search on the Secured by Design Website and there’s no mention of the manufacturers we know having an SBD license for the product. Our advice to you is to speak to whoever is quoting you. Ask specifically about their product rather than the Cortizo system generally.

Most of the suppliers we’ve checked out offer their doors with the standard Cortizo lock enhanced with a high security cylinder.

Colour Options with Cortizo

Once again, we stress that every Cortizo sliding door supplier probably offers different colour and personalisation options. For instance, Origin only offers the same colour inside and out. Other suppliers may offer dual colours, anodised and even wood-effect finishes.

However, every door should come with a certified and guaranteed powder coated finish, applied to the relevant industry standards.

• Check what locking systems, door cylinders and handles come with your doors.
• Cills and accessories, as well as ancillary profiles, may vary from supplier to supplier.
• For new build extensions and renovations, establish whether a trickle vent is available – not every door comes with this option.
• Remember the full choice of colour options won’t be available with every product.
• There is nothing wrong with buying a door under a different name. Most professional suppliers will happily declare it’s a Cortizo System.
• Remember these doors are the same or thicker at the surrounding frame, like regular doors unless you are hiding the frame in the structure.
• Guarantees on these doors vary from supplier to supplier.
• The low or flush threshold comes with these doors but check with the supplier for drainage of water.

We love these products and suggest you consider them alongside other modern patio doors. However, just like all structurally bonded doors, they differ from conventional sliders where the glass goes in the door at the property. These doors must be factory glazed as part of their production process.

Well made and correctly installed, you’ll benefit from minimal aluminium profiles, expansive glass panels, lots of natural light and a great new living or kitchen space. You can also contact us for more information and where to buy these sliding doors in your area. Use our contact form and get in touch today.

Alternatives to Cortizo Sliding Doors

The market for slimline sliding doors is varied, but Cortizo does dominate the market somewhat under the many different brands it’s sold under.

For those wanting an alternative, we recommend taking a look at the following alternative and in some cases better options. Some of these are more expensive and our suggestions here are not about price.

Sunflex SVG20.

There are numerous reasons why the Sunflex SVG20 sliding door is another solution to a Cortizo and a better one technically and aesthetically. Slim looks with none of the complexity.

First of all it’s substantially slimmer front to back. You get the same 20mm face dimension on the mullion with none of the protrusion as you look at the mullion from the side. Overall the door set is slimmer as a unit, front to back whether you go with a double or triple track solution.

Another advantage is a much simpler construction and design. These doors are structurally bonded at the mullion only, easily done on site by the Sunflex installer.

Another significant benefit of these is the option for lift and slide opening, pocket sliding doors, open corner and steel-styled. Their icing on the cake is their ability to also stack open completely flush. Brilliant doors all round.

Sunvista Sliding Doors

Using the same bonded design, Sunvista sliders are slightly slimmer but better designed. Neater stacking, a better threshold that doesn’t gather as much dirt, open corner, pocket sliding and a wonderful steel-look option. These doors technically are more advanced in our view and visually sleeker and more attractive than Cortizo. Of course, aesthetics are subjective.

Cero sliding doors by Solarlux

The engineering and design of Solarlux Cero Sliding Door makes it one of the best sliders. Phenomenal design, engineering, sliding action and it looks simply stunning. Made in Germany and available through Solarlux dealers, its price won’t be for everyone. And it’s only suitable for new openings rather than replacement door projects.

Solarlux Cero sliding doors offer better and more consistent sightlines with mullions protruding far less than Cortizo doors. HardwdareEven better, the flush handle with Cortizo is simplistic blending in with the contemporary nature of these doors. Cero doors offer an all-in-one design and like Cortizo an integrated handle within the door profile. One downside of any slim sliding door is the depth of the frame. Here too, Cero doors look neater, despite their similar depth to Cortizo with a double or triple track.

Importantly for aesthetics, Cero sliding doors offer a more symmetrical look. This symmetry is their best feature as you look at the doors face-on. When inset into the structure, the entire door set has the same sightlines all around. The locking system is more minimalist, the soft-close action superb and the performance of the doors is excellent. Cortizo sliding doors are a great product, however, do take a look at Solarlux’s Cero slider as well. The design, engineering and operational differences are obvious. The Solarlux brand also speaks for itself. Cero may turn out more expensive. That said, it’s a better brand and an incredible sliding door.

Maxlight Sliding Doors

Like Sunvista, Maxlight doors come with the same structurally bonded construction from a very good manufacturer. They’re not cheap but they do look great and they’re really well made too.

Maxlight give you two options for slight lines at the sides of the door set. The slimmer side means having the lock at floor level on the bottom rail profile. This is functionally awful for most users having to get right down to floor level just to lock/unlock their doors. Or you can go with a thicker side profile housing the lock in the familiar location at the side and a reasonable height.

Other brands to consider alongside these alternatives include the Italian Metra System available from Express Bifolding Doors. You can also consider Reynaers Hi-Finity doors. The sliding door from Maxlight in London and Greenways Ultraline are another two product to consider too.

As always our advice is don’t be obsessed with 20mm mullions! You get a better, more functional, greater options and arguably a better user experience long term with standard sliding doors. They’re also cheaper too. Get in touch for product suggestions here.

For large patio door openings at four metres or more, the bolder thicker sightlines of contemporary sliding doors with more aluminium look great and there’s no need to obsess with getting the slimmest lines when bold aluminium profiles give you really distinctive doors rather than a minimal look.

We see frequent examples of Dutemann Glide-S, Reynaers, Schuco, Visoglide and other dry-glazed sliders that shouldn’t be discounted just because they don’t have a 20mm mullion!

And remember. Unless the doors are being fitted into the structure, the slimline look only applies at the mullion. The surrounding frame is always thicker than 20mm so don’t expect to get a slimline door all around.