When you are thinking about the aesthetics and functionality of your home, sliding door systems are probably the first thing that comes to your mind. They offer numerous advantages for both residential and commercial properties. Natural light, uninterrupted views of the surroundings, easy access to the outdoor space or balcony area – to name a few.
Although sliding doors are considered an asset and often increase the potential resale value of a property, some systems are less functional or reliable than others. Learn the difference between HST and PSK sliding doors to choose the best solution for your home.
Sliding systems: What are the most popular solutions?
Sliding systems are a symbol of the “window revolution” that was triggered by architects who have fallen in love with large glazing. Sliding doors are the only window structures that allow the creation of large-scale glazing while providing great comfort in their operation as well as modern elegance and aesthetics. Whenever you are thinking about bringing nature to your home or letting more natural light into the living space, sliding doors are just the perfect solution. Since operating sliding sashes doesn’t require much space, the system fits perfectly into each room, regardless of its dimensions.
There are two major sliding systems available on the joinery market – PKS sliding doors and HST sliding doors. They differ in many ways. Knowing the differences between the two systems will help you choose the most convenient one for your property.
uPVC Sliding Doors HST 85 mm
PSK Sliding Doors: How does the system work?
Like all sliding systems, PSK was created to allow the design of large glazed sections. In this particular case, sashes can be up to 1.6m wide. Large glass sections let plenty of natural light in, as well as visually add space. That makes sliding doors very popular both in modern and classic properties.
PSK sliding door has a quite unique door opening mechanism. When shut, PSK sashes are in a single plane. However, to open the door, one has to tilt the door sash back and push into the right running track. Since the tracks are mounted to the upper and lower door frames, a low threshold is not an option. That makes the system inconvenient, especially for elderly and disabled people. What’s more, despite large sash dimensions and major weight, the system is activated similarly to traditional tilt and turn windows and therefore, more exposed to problems with opening and closing the sashes.
HST Sliding Doors: What is the system about?
HST system is based on the lift and slide opening mechanism. It means that opening a sash requires its lifting first. The system is well-known for its flexibility and therefore, it can be used in various home designs, traditional and modern ones. In HST system, each door section runs on a separate track. That translates into multiple combinations of fixed and sliding parts of the construction. Contrary to PSK sliding door, HST doesn’t require a high threshold. The threshold can be flush with the floor level, allowing convenient non-threshold access to the garden, terrace, or balcony.
In general, lift and slide doors allow for designing larger sliding sections than tilt and slide doors. A sash in HST system can be up to 3 m wide, which gives you a clear opening width up to 2.9 m. By installing two sliding sashes next to each other, you can obtain 5.9 m of clear and impressive opening. And that’s not yet the most significant advantage of the system. The biggest asset of lift and slide doors is the possibility of designing 90-degree corner options that enhance both the exterior and interior of your home. Generally, using the HST lift&slide system is the smartest and most reasonable choice for the openings with the width of over 2500 mm.
Advantages of the HST system:
- Great thermal insulation parameters (the system is suitable for energy-saving houses)
- Keeping up with the latest architectural trends. It offers the possibility of creating fashionable and really large glazed sections, including corner glazing
- Low threshold
- Ease and convenience of use
- The possibility to install an additional drive allowing for remote operation of the door (electric steering)
PSK or HST: Which one to choose?
Sliding doors are rightly considered a functional, elegant and appealing door solution. But although both HST and PSK sliding door systems have their followers, the choice between them is quite obvious.
PSK system used to be the first choice for most homeowners. The system allows the designing of reasonably large glazed sections and doesn’t cost much. But despite the fact that PSK sliding doors offer good value for the money, they shouldn’t be concerned as a long-time investment. Unfortunately, they are very prone to wear out and damage due to the way the system operates. Obviously, most of the issues can be solved without the need for replacing the doors. Nevertheless, each repair costs time and money.
HST sliding doors offer functionality incomparable to other alternatives. That makes them more and more popular among homeowners who are looking for elegant, functional, durable and energy-efficient solutions. HST sliding system combines all these features, offering freedom of design and convenient communication between the interior and the external environment surrounding your house. The only disadvantage of the system is its price, which is higher than in case of PSK sliding doors. However, as it is a long term investment and a reliable door solution, it is worth the cost.
Import HST sliding doors from Poland: Enjoy the quality and save your money!
You don’t have to resign from quality and functionality in order to meet the budget for doors and windows. By importing HST sliding doors from Poland, you can save money and still equip your home with the best sliding doors on the market. Feel free to check our offer and contact us to get a free quote!
