Aluminium systems
Compare Aluminium Systems
Aluminium windows, bifolds and sliding doors are built on a small number of systems companies. Knowing which one sits behind a quotation helps you ask sharper questions of your installer.
Why the profile brand isn't the whole story
Slim frames still depend on fabrication and fit
Aluminium is chosen for slim sightlines and large panes of glass. Whether a project delivers on that promise depends far more on the fabricator's tolerances and the installer's survey and fit than on the systems company named on the quotation.
The fabricator
Aluminium systems are licensed to fabricators who cut, weld or mechanically joint the frames — their standards vary within any one system.
The glass
Large panes carry real weight and real glazed area — the unit specified matters as much as the frame around it.
The installation
Thresholds, drainage and handling of large sliding panes are where aluminium projects most commonly succeed or disappoint.
The systems
Aluminium systems, compared
Cortizo
Contemporary, architectural, strong in large sliding and minimal-frame work.
A European aluminium systems group known for contemporary windows, sliders and minimal-frame glazing.
Read the profileAluK
Mainstream to architectural, used in both residential and commercial fenestration.
An established aluminium systems supplier working across residential and commercial windows, doors and curtain walling.
Read the profileSmart Architectural Aluminium
Widely used residential aluminium, strong on bifolds and windows.
A UK aluminium systems company widely used for residential windows, bifolds and doors.
Read the profileStellar
Contemporary residential aluminium with a focus on slim, flush appearances.
A UK aluminium system designed around slim, flush-appearance residential windows and doors.
Read the profileHow to compare
How to compare quotations that name different systems
Aluminium quotations vary widely on threshold detail, glazing and fabrication quality — ask the same questions of each one.
- 01
Ask exactly which system and range is quoted — window, bifold and slider ranges within one brand can differ substantially.
- 02
Ask who fabricates it and how experienced they are with large sliding or folding openings.
- 03
Ask about the threshold detail — upstand or flush — and how drainage is handled.
- 04
Use our comparison pages to see two systems set out side by side on the points that actually matter.