Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/807489
A PR IL 2017 | 37 Doors much easier than a full-fledged renovation. "We just pop in modular walls, we're not redoing your floors," says Stein. "On Tuesday, you don't have a gym area in your home, and on Wednesday, you do." Whether you want to show off the door or hide it away, there's a sliding option out there. "The greatest demand right now is for pocket door hardware," says Pete Van Hartingsveldt, architectural product group manager for Häfele Canada, noting the popularity of the Häfele Slido Classic pocket door kits. Barn door applications also continue to be popu- lar, though the name of the style doesn't necessarily reflect the diverse options. "It doesn't always mean it's antique hardware – just that it's exposed. So we're seeing more contemporary and modern versions of this." On the flipside, Häfele has seen big interest in its Häfele's Slido Design 80M floating door where the hardware is hidden away. "It's like a barn door style, except the hardware is totally invisible," says Van Hartingsveldt. Hardware is mounted to small sections of the wall, and additional parts are attached to the door itself instead of the track. Häfele's framed Aluf lex sliding door system is designed in such a way that clients can choose sepa- rate panels within the door: panels of glass, wood, mir- rors, Ecoresin or other materials are all options for a totally custom look. Milgard's new Essence series now features a sliding French glass door designed with feature wood interiors and durable fibreglass exteri- ors. And technological upgrades like The Sliding Door Company's patented wheel lock safety system make the experience of using these doors that much more pleasant. "The wheels are literally locked in there," says Stein. "In Canada, there's so much cold and heat, and expansion and contraction, that maintaining this consistency is a real benefit." L O V E T H E L O O K "Restaurant trends tend to influence housing trends, and ultimately the housing style trends are some- thing that dictates the front door style as the door that will pull it all together," says Nadiger. She points to Masonite's 2017 housing trends (Industrial, Classic, Transitional, Craftsmen, Modern, Modern Farmhouse, or Urban Eclectic) as key influencers of the current esthetics of the door industry. "The front door is a statement of style like fashion," she says. Customers continue to want to customize their fin- ishes, from exterior colour options to door trim and hardware. But these days, it isn't necessarily that any of these elements match. "Previously, homeowners would have vinyl windows and vinyl patio doors because they were the same material. But now, homeowners will have painted vinyl windows and a wood door," says Martinez. "They are more comfortable with mixing materials to make certain aspects of their home shine." From residential projects, offices and hospitals to his latest project updating some Hampton Hotels, Lynden Door sales director David Plenkovich has noticed a trend in door finishes that connects these very different spaces: "White, white and more white," says Plenkovich. "It's being promoted at all levels of building construction; barn doors painted white, mirrored doors painted white." Light woods are also increasingly popular, with consumers preferring white oak to walnut or dark cherry. His theory? The light, bright finish fits with the desire for clean looks and simplicity of design. It also might just have something to do with our increasingly small square footage. "White reduces the effect of clut- ter and gives the impression of openness or expansion of physical space," he says. "It started in cabinetry and moved into the door realm." That being said, not everyone wants to keep things simple. "Ninety percent of sales are our regular door, but we're also seeing this movement into mixing like mate- rials, and materials that are totally unlike each other. I think it's kind of cool," says Plenkovich. "I'm seeing peo- ple mixing natural wood with other different products – like wood veneer with a white painted stripe down the middle. It's almost like an 'anything goes' design." But it's not just about looks; quality counts too. "Consumers want a sliding door that operates smoothly every time," explains Martinez. "They want a door that will last and that has timeless design." C U S T O M C O O L "Everybody's really learning about customizability," says Reynolds. "We're seeing more statement pieces that still have that contemporary look." He points to options like glass garage doors with frosted texture or with a dark tint for privacy as examples of what his company's garage door product line is capable of. Tim Suderman, senior sales associate for Diamond Doors, agrees that he's seen an uptick in interest in unique designs. "Every year, more of our customers are looking for a custom and unique door that suits their needs and is different than the average neighbours' overhead sectional door." Diamond Doors' new bi-fold door features a top- mounted drive design that keeps hardware safely out of reach, along with a customizable frame design that makes installing polycarbonate translucent panels, full-glass glazing or Hardie Board panels a breeze. The frame layout itself is customizable as well, something architects have praised, says Suderman. "They love that we're willing to think outside the box for unique mounting methods and designs." Diamond Door's multi-wall Polycarbonate panels have also proved to be an excellent tool for customizing doors, featuring a 60 percent transparency and high U-value. "It main- tains an R-value that is similar to a standard triple pane glass window. These panels also have a UV pro- tective coating that increases their life expectancy and is a very cost-effective solution," says Suderman. E N E R G Y S M A R T Reynolds is noticing a continued trend around sus- tainability, with customers wanting a higher R-value from their product. "It's a bit counterintuitive in a way," he notes. "Consumers want that glass and to open up spaces and be customizable, but they also want energy- saving insulation." Companies are coming up with cre- ative products to increase insulation. The Steel-Craft doors are two-inch thick products with triple-pane U glass, for example, while All Weather's one-piece sills are made with neoprene gasket material and no caulk- ing to keep heat in. Building codes also are always reshaping what the market is producing. B.C.'s adoption of the North American Fenestration Standards (NAFS) ensures that all exterior door and hardware systems comply with wind and water penetration, and thermal effi- ciency ratings that in the past have only applied to the window industry. "It is going to be a major factor in our industry as only certain hardware, weather-strip and door glazing systems will be in compliance with NAFS, and only through accredited suppliers that have the ability to test label rated systems," says Longhi. T H E N E X T G E N E R AT I O N Though there's plenty of exciting developments within the industry, sometimes it takes an outsider to truly push the envelope. Case in point, the VanAir door, developed by two UBC students working on a year- end project with the goal to help alleviate stuffy class- rooms. Their new door, which Lynden Door stepped up to help mass-produce, has a channel built right into the door (no more ugly grates). The design allows for air- flow while still keeping sound from transferring, but Plenkovich thinks the success of the product might also be helped by its sleek modern look. "It has got- ten a lot of traction and a lot of it has to do with how it looks. Functionality is cool, but once you start looking for it, you actually see how ugly air-transfer usually is, so this was an amazing alternative." "Manufacturers are providing integrated access control systems – both hardware and software – to enhance the security and simplicity of building man- agement," says Mike Longhi, senior VP of McGregor & Thompson Hardware. "Today, more commercial door hardware is manufactured and sold with an electrical interface connection than not, which means our people have had to adapt to this . . .and it's not always easy." While once upon a time a hardware upgrade meant swapping a curved lever for a ball knob, today it could involve European mortise-style locks, integrated secu- rity and remote access control appearing in residen- tial offerings. It can be a little astounding to realize how dramati- cally the options can change year to year for something as simple as a door, but also incredibly exciting to have a market full of functional, beautiful pieces for design- ers to play with. "We're always laughing and saying doors are 'wooden rectangles,' but I truly am amazed by the complexity of some of these designs," laughs Plenkovich. "There are a lot of styles in our industry that frankly need to go away, so it's fun to see these new options out there." A Triple-pane frosted glass from Steel-Craft Door Products. The Schlage NDE Series wireless lock available through McGregor & Thompson.