Automatic Sliding Doors in Orangeville: Ditec Sliders and a Black Anodized Curtain Wall at 51 Centennial Road

The building at 51 Centennial Road in Orangeville had clear anodized aluminum windows and ordinary swing doors. They were replaced with a black anodized aluminum curtain wall and automatic sliding doors, and some new openings were added in the process. Canadian Millwork & Contracting was the general contractor, and Canuck supplied and installed the glazing and the doors.

We were awarded the job in August 2022. It was installed by June 2023, later than planned, for reasons covered below.

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What went in

The glazing is a Windspec 5500 series curtain wall in black anodized aluminum. It replaced the old clear anodized windows, so the building's whole front changed colour, from silver to black.

At the entrances, the old swing doors were replaced with Ditec DS20 automatic sliding doors, in two types:

• Bi-parting sliders, where two leaves slide apart from the middle.
• Telescopic sliders, where the leaves slide in stacked layers to one side. Telescopic doors give a wider clear opening in a narrower wall space than a standard slider.

The Ditec DS20 has since been discontinued by the manufacturer. That matters for the owner more than for the installation: parts and service for discontinued operators need planning, which is why the model is recorded here.

Openings that had to be rebuilt

Some of the openings were not built correctly for the new frames. The glazing could not go in properly until they were, and that is what stretched the job from 2022 into 2023.

The job included new openings made by the general contractor. We visited the site several times and explained what the openings needed. When the frames arrived, some of the openings still did not have the wood support needed to secure them.

The crew installed the frames without that support and then came back to secure them once the openings had been corrected. That meant more visits and a longer schedule, but it kept the job moving.

There were also issues with the glass installation, which were worked through on site until a solution was found.

Questions this job answers

What is the difference between bi-parting and telescopic sliding doors?

Bi-parting doors have two leaves that slide apart from the centre. Telescopic doors have leaves that slide in stacked layers to one side, which gives a wider clear opening where there is less wall to slide into. This job used both.

Can swing doors be replaced with automatic sliding doors?

Yes, and it was done here. The frame and the opening have to suit the slider, and there has to be wall space for the leaves to slide into, so the opening is checked before the doors are ordered.

What happens when a door operator is discontinued?

The doors keep working, but spare parts become harder to find over time. Knowing the exact model lets the owner plan for service and, eventually, replacement. The operators on this job are Ditec DS20s.

Why does the opening matter so much for new glazing?

Because the frame is fixed to it. If the opening is the wrong size or lacks the support the frame needs, the frame cannot be anchored properly, and the installation has to wait or be revisited.

Where this sits

This was automatic sliding door and curtain wall work in Orangeville. For the same work on your own building, start with the automatic doors in Orangeville page.