Sliding & lift-and-slide

Parallel sliding (inline) sashes run in one plane with rolling hardware; sashes stay behind the same sight line. Lift-and-slide (LS) sashes lift a few millimetres, travel with low effort, and drop to compress gaskets and shootbolts. Pick LS when glass weight, acoustic goals, or weather class are demanding; pick inline for economy and shallow pocket depths, subject to span limits.

Typical use cases

• Living-to-terrace connections, winter gardens, and amenity levels with step-free thresholds (Part M alignments to agree).
• High-rise with wind-driven rain exposure—lift-slide compression helps reach higher water test classes (project-dependent).
• Stacking runs with two-, three-, or four-track frames; one pocketed panel in front of a fixed (subject to system limits).
• Acoustic and security upgrades in noisy or exposed streets—use laminated outer or inner plies, multi-point, and keep-out interlocks as tested.

Hardware & operation

Carriage assemblies with tandem rollers, stainless or coated tracks, and optional soft-close. Lift-slide gear is rated to sash mass and the cycle count for the building use class. Anti-lift pins and hook keeps engage when closed; electric drives can be pre-engineered in some lines. Handles and flush pulls follow customer ironmongery schedules but must not compromise tested routes.

User maintenance

Debris in the track is the #1 call-out. We detail removable brush seals, drainage holes, and clean-out access; cleaning intervals match environmental exposure.

Thresholds & interfaces

Choose among:

• Rebated cill with interior fall to manage driving rain, compatible with the floor build-up and external paving falls.
• Level threshold / accessible detail with ramped landings, thermal break, and DDA-compliant transitions—agree nosing and upstand with flooring contractor.
• Heated cill or integrated gutter where snow and ice are design criteria.

Interface with the curtain wall or overhead canopy must prevent water tracking behind the head—transom baffles, drip edges, and sealant back-stops are placed on the outer line.

Weathertightness & load

The declared air, water, and wind classes apply to a sample built exactly like the test specimen—edge distances, perimeters, and fixings included. Uplift on large panes in corner apartments may govern hardware and clamping, not the table copy alone. Dynamic loading from adjacent doors (slam events) is considered in the gear selection and soft-close choice.

Glazing in sliders

Sashes are heavier: triple units, acoustic laminates, and oversize IGU are common. The combined mass drives roller count, track depth, and the need for team lifts or glazing robots on site. Maximum panel size and glass type must match the issued schedule and test configuration—do not scale beyond without written approval from the system house.

Indicative data

Documentation for procurement

Shop drawings show stack, pocketing, mullion splices, and the horizontal joint at floor finishes. A hardware matrix lists each opening by tag with handedness, security level, and finish. O&M includes user guidance, maximum sash mass for manual operation, and when to re-tension or replace rollers.