A steel lift-and-slide door for wide openings and heavy glass.
Illustrative photo of steel-framed glazing: not a Windows Guy project and not a Janisol product.
Photo
Overview
Janisol lift-and-slide is Jansen's heavy-duty sliding door in thermally broken steel: the leaf lifts off its seal, slides, and presses back on the gasket when closed. I quote it for large openings where a steel face matters more than the lightest possible frame. The reference configuration I priced is a 234 x 96 in element in four panels that weighs about 1,955 lb, shipped with the glass loose, so lifting equipment and the floor structure are part of the plan from the first drawing.
This is real steel. The slim aluminum systems on my steel-look windows page are a different product: lighter, with a steel-inspired profile. See the real steel windows and doors guide for how the two compare.
Key Highlights
Ideal For
Wide terrace and garden openings on custom homes where the steel proportion is part of the elevation and the structure and installation team can handle heavy panels.
Consider an Alternative When
Aluminum lift-and-slide systems when weight, price or published thermal data lead the decision. They are a different material with lighter panels and are covered in the aluminum systems.
Material
Steel profiles, powder coated, with glass-fibre-reinforced plastic thermal break
Leaf depth
3.15 in (80 mm)
Frame depth
7.28 in (185 mm)
Leaf face width
3.35 in (85 mm)
Glass thickness
1.0 to 2.24 in
Hardware
Heavy-duty lift-and-slide hardware; leaf weight limits confirmed per project
Elements
Multi-leaf arrangements, with or without fixed panels
Reference configuration
234 x 96 in, four panels, about 1,955 lb, quoted
Documentation
European (EN) test data; not a US rating. Confirmed per project
Jansen publishes performance classes for this door; they are lower than the classes of Janisol HI. The quote documents the class for your size, and large openings in high-wind areas need a US-style review that I raise at the start.
A sliding door is not the required egress door in most code paths. The architect confirms egress for your jurisdiction.
European test classes are not NFRC ratings.
Multi-leaf arrangements, with or without fixed panels. The reference quote is two fixed side panels with two sliding centre leaves.
A raised thermally broken threshold, or a barrier-free sill. Drainage and flashing are reviewed on a section drawing for your wall build-up.
Double glazing in the reference quote. Large panes near the floor need safety glazing; I confirm the type per project.
Large elements ship disassembled with the glass loose. I give your crew the weights and a handling note in advance.
Quoted configuration
These drawings come from a quote I prepared for a US project. The drawing shows the exterior view; the section shows the profile build-up. Sizes, glazing and weights are as quoted. Nothing here is described as built or installed, and names and prices are not shown.
234 x 96 in (5944 x 2438 mm)
Four panels, two fixed and two sliding, each with a 2 x 4 divided-light grid, matte black powder coat.
The element I quoted is 234 x 96 in in four panels. Limits depend on the glass weight and hardware, so I check your sizes against Jansen documentation before I promise anything.
The door sits on a thermally broken threshold, either raised or barrier-free. Drainage and flashing depend on your floor and wall build-up, so I review them on a section drawing for your opening.
Plan lifting equipment and a floor structure that carries the load: the reference element weighs about 1,955 lb and the glass ships loose. Your local team installs; I send weights and a handling note with the shop drawings.
In most code paths a sliding door does not count as the required side-hinged egress door. Check with your architect; I can pair it with a hinged steel door in the same family.
Related Systems
Send your drawings and I will come back with a priced package for your openings, with the weights and handling notes.