Comparison of sliding door systems – Smart Slide vs HST vs PSK

In this article you can find a comparison of sliding door systems for your client’s patio, and read something about new Smart-Slide system available on market since last year.

Here you can compare the prices and find out which sliding door system is worth to recommend to your client, so that you will get profits and satisfied client. You will also check which sliding door can provide that in the future you will have less complaints and less often go to services.

Aluplast smart-slide sliding door Sliding door & HST PSK tilt & sliding door
material PVC PVC PVC
easy opening easy easy can be problematic
dimensions for the comparison 2680 x 2400 2680 x 2400 2680 x 2400
height of threshold after installation 60 mm practically non - thershold 70 mm
tightness high average high
Uw value Uw = 1.30
W/m2*K
Uw = 1.28
W/m2*K
Uw = 1.30
W/m2*K
weight 137,7 Kg 243,9 Kg 178,9 Kg
risk of complaints After proper installation, there is no risk of damages After proper installation, there is no risk of damages HIGH e.g. problem with improper usage.
High risk of damage of trolleys and rails because of its impurity
price for a size of 2680 x 2400- two sashes 942 EUR 1378 EUR 718 EUR

Aluplast Smart-slide – What is it and how it works?

Smart-slide is a new generation of sliding patio doors. How does smart-slide door work?

It’s easy: If you twist your handle up, a sash will move away a bit from the frame, so that you can move it towards the other sash (often immovable) without using much force. 

It makes you sure that any of your clients, won’t have any problems with opening the door.

Check the list of Smart-Slide Doors

See how smart-slide works.

Pros and cons of smart slide doors (for you):

+ pros

  • They are failure-free (you will have fewer complaints)
  • They are easy to use, so you will not have to waste time commuting to the customer or taking calls from him with basic questions.
  • You can install them easily (also during renovation)
  • They are definitely lighter than the others and your back will feel it
  • They have almost all the functions of HST doors and are cheaper than them (you will earn 30% more)

cons

  • They do not tilt, so they will not be a good choice when your client cares about it.
Smart slide is light

Smart Slide are lighter than other systems from our comparison.

Smart slide are easy in use

They are easy in use and trouble-free!

Smart slide do not tilt

You can't tilt it!

Pros and cons of smart slide doors (for your client):

+ pros

  • A good choice when you don’t want to overpay (they have the same features as HST and are cheaper)
  • They will have no problems opening and closing them (they are easy to use)
  • They will not have drafts and will not hear wind whistling – the door is tight

cons

  • They have a high threshold (lower than the PSK), but it can be an obstacle for people in wheelchairs or for small children.
Smart slide is tight

Smart Slide are tight!

Smart Slide is cheap

Good choice when he doesn’t want to pay too much.(they have are very similar to HST doors, but are cheaper)

High treshold

Smart Slide have high threshold.

Lift and slide window door – How HST works?

HST doors are a premium, high-quality product intended for a client with a more affluent wallet. HST is more expensive than smart-slide by almost 50%, and twice as expensive than PSK. The maximum size of one HST door sash is 3 m wide by 2.7 m high in white color.

Check a list of HST patio doors

 

See how lift and slide door works.

Pros and cons of HST doors (for you):

+ pros

  • They have a high price and you will earn more
  • They are easy to use (you will have fewer complaints)

cons

  • They are heavy, which makes you and your employees much more tired during transport and assembly
  • The assembly is much more complicated (you need to know point zero when measuring)
HST are expensive

They are expensive, so you will earn more!

HST is easy to use

HST is easy to use!

HST is heavy

They are heavy!

Pros and cons of HST doors (for your client):

+ pros

  • Will not slip – the door is practically thresholdless
  • They will have a brighter interior
  • HST are larger than the other doors
  • It will save space in the living room, which will allow the way the door opens

cons

  • They may have problems with their operation – the door is heavy
  • It has a high price (it is almost 50% more expensive than smart-slide and twice as expensive as PSK)
HST has low treshold

He won’t slip – it’s a practically non – threshold kind of sliding doors!

HST is big

HST is bigger than other doors.

HST is heavy

You can have problems with usage – doors are heavy!

HST is expensive

HST are expensive (50% more expensive then smart – slide and twice as expensive as PSK).

Tilt and slide window door – How PSK works?

We can make PSK on any PVC profile. They differ from an ordinary window mainly in the type of fittings. Thanks to them, after turning the handle from the closed position, you can extend the sash into the room, and then you can move it to the side. You can also open the door.

Check a list of PSK doors

 

See how tilt and slide door works.

Pros and cons of PSK doors (for you):

+ pros

  • You will buy them cheaper (they are twice cheaper than HST)
  • They are a good choice for a customer with a low budget
  • They are easy to install

cons

  • There is a high risk of complaint
  • If your customers haven’t had contact with them before, they may have a problem with service.
PSK is cheap

You will buy them in lower price

PSK are not trouble-free

There is a big risk of many complaints.

Tilt and slide window door – How PSK works?

We can make PSK on any PVC profile. They differ from an ordinary window mainly in the type of fittings. Thanks to them, after turning the handle from the closed position, you can extend the sash into the room, and then you can move it to the side. You can also open the door.

Check a list of PSK doors

Learn about top-ranked aluminum lift&slide doors

PSK is cheap

You buy them in a low price

How to open it?

Client can have problems with opening the door

High treshold

PSK has high treshold!

SUMMARY

To sum up our comparison of three sliding systems, we can easily point out a winner.

Why do we think that smart – slide doors is the best choice for you? 

According to debesto.com expert you should definitely recommend smart – slide to your client, due to their easy usage.

They are the lightest of all three compared systems, so you during transport and installation and your client when using it, won’t get tired too fast.

Smart-slide is very similar to HST, but it’s cheaper. So if your client doesn’t care about big glazings, this kind of sliding doors is suitable for him.

There is a one exception. Smart-slide won’t be a good idea, if your client absolutely wants to tilt his doors, because they don’t have this function.

However, if your client has a low budget and tilt isn’t as important for him, and he is considering buying PSK, try to recommend him smart-slide instead. Difference in price isn’t as high (about 20%) and smart-slide has a lot more advantages.

Why you should sell and install smart-slide sliding door?
Benefits for your company:

Door is failure-free -You will have less complaints

Smart-slide sliding doors is easy and comfortable in use. There is technically nothing to break down. If you will install it in a right way, you won’t have to make any complaints. It will save money and time.

Door is light – You can install it easily

To make our comparison even more clear for you, all sliding doors here have the same size 2680 x 2400. It turns out that smart-slide is four times lighter than PSK and almost two times lighter than HST. As you can see smart-slide system is the lightest from all of them.

Easier work for fitters

Its a good news for you. Smart-slide door is light, so that your workers will have less weight to carry and assembly will be easier for them.

Every member of your family will open the door easily.

Aluplast Smart Slide

Smart-slide is two times lighter than HST ones.

SUMMARY

To sum up our comparison of three sliding systems, we can easily point out a winner.

Why do we think that smart – slide doors is the best choice for you? 

According to debesto.com expert you should definitely recommend smart – slide to your client, due to their easy usage.

They are the lightest of all three compared systems, so you during transport and installation and your client when using it, won’t get tired too fast.

Smart-slide is very similar to HST, but it’s cheaper. So if your client doesn’t care about big glazings, this kind of sliding doors is suitable for him.

There is a one exception. Smart-slide won’t be a good idea, if your client absolutely wants to tilt his doors, because they don’t have this function.

However, if your client has a low budget and tilt isn’t as important for him, and he is considering buying PSK, try to recommend him smart-slide instead. Difference in price isn’t as high (about 20%) and smart-slide has a lot more advantages.

Why you should sell and install smart-slide sliding door?
Benefits for your company:

Door is failure-free -You will have less complaints

Smart-slide sliding doors is easy and comfortable in use. There is technically nothing to break down. If you will install it in a right way, you won’t have to make any complaints. It will save money and time.

Door is light – You can install it easily

To make our comparison even more clear for you, all sliding doors here have the same size 2680 x 2400. It turns out that smart-slide is four times lighter than PSK and almost two times lighter than HST. As you can see smart-slide system is the lightest from all of them.

Easier work for fitters

Its a good news for you. Smart-slide door is light, so that your workers will have less weight to carry and assembly will be easier for them.

When closing, the sash is pressed crosswise to the jamb.

This guarantees that your client will have a tight door installed.

Choosing the smart-slide door, your client will also save space inside the house, thanks to which he will make optimal use of the space inside the room, because opening the door does not require opening the wings, which would "enter" deep into the living space.

Maciej Trusiuk, commercial advisor debesto.com

Why you should sell and install HST door?

You will have less complaints

HST sliding door similarly to the smart-slide is so comfortable and reliable in use that technically there is nothing to break down. If you install it in a right way you won’t have any complaints. As a result you will safe your money and time.

You will earn more

Through relatively high price of HST patio door you will earn much more, if your client decides to buy it. Client who is able to buy the most expensive patio door that he can get  nowadays on the market, should accept a quite high price of a product without any doubts.

 

 

HST doors are among the products that can be sold at a high margin.

How to convince your client to buy HST door?

More space when rearraning his living room

In the attached picture you can see another advantage of HST doors. Choosing lift and slide doors, your client will save space in his home. As in the case of smart-slide patio doors, opening the door does not require opening the sashes, which would “enter” deeply into the living space.

When your client opens a classic balcony door, the sashes will open inwards and take up space unnecessarily.

Choosing the smart-slide door, your client will also save space inside the house, thanks to which he will make optimal use of the space inside the room, because opening the door does not require opening the wings, which would "enter" deep into the living space.

Maciej Trusiuk, commercial advisor debesto.com

Lighter room through a narrow frame 

HST system provides you getting the largest glazings. Where one sash is in white colour,  in size up to 3 metres x 2,7 metres and made of plastic PVC. Thanks to a narrow frame in HST your client can have brighter room in contrast to a standard door.

He won’t slip when going to the patio 

HST door is safe to use. Low (only 48 mm high) and embedded in the floor threshold will make entering and leaving the room much easier , and prevent your client from slipping.

Easy entry to the terrace

Thanks to HST disabled people can move around easier. It's a good choice when your client has a child that has to be carried in a baby carriage.

Large glazing provides a large supply of daylight to your client's living room.

Almost the entire low HST's threshold disappears in the floor.

Why you should sell and install tilt and slide window door?

It’s cheaper

Primarilly PSK is cheaper than all systems mentioned above. You will pay twice as much for HST. This type of tilt and slide door is cheap, so it will be a good choice for clients who prefer not to spend much money on it,  and would like to have more light and space in their houses.

You will install them exactly like a standard window

You can install PSK sliding door like a standard PVC window, in an easy way. You won’t have to train your workers once again.

Why you shouldn’t sell and install tilt and slide PSK window door:

A high risk that you will have many complaints

By selling PSK door you have to remember that there is a high risk of more frequent complaints. Clients by using their door improperly can damage rails and trolley system. Both mechanisms can easily get dirty and as a result cause failures.

The PSK door construction has some drawbacks, but it is still a good alternative for a balcony.

Client can have problems with closing and opening the door.

If your customers have never had contact with PSK doors before, they may have difficulties handling them, which will make them call with time-consuming questions.

By turning the handle from the closed position, the customer will first have to force the sash into the room and then move it to the side.

How to convince your client to buy PSK door?

It’s much better than a standard patio door and the price is only a little bit higher:

Despite of the fact that in the market you can find better options, PSK door takes less space than a standard patio door. Door has larger glazings, so that your client will have lighter room. Accordingly he will have an opportunity to buy PSK door in a lower price. 

He won’t have any drafts

The great advantage of PSK patio doors is their high tightness. Thanks to it, your client, even with strong gusts of wind, will not feel that it is “blowing” from the windows.

The biggest advantage of PSK is the lowest price.

PSK will provide more light to the interior than a standard balcony set.

about author

Voytech Stanowski

Founder and owner of debesto.com, company from Poland that specializes in the export of windows and doors in the B2B segment.
As a joinery distributor, debesto.com supplies windows to Germany, the Benelux countries, France, England and the British Isles, among others, but also to the USA or the Seychelles.

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