When working with aluminium-based installations such as aluminium sliding doors or aluminium fencing , you need to know exactly what you are buying.

Knowing the different types of material treatment, their qualities and other characteristics is essential to be clear about the type of assembly that has been done in a property.

Variables such as the durability of the structure, the form of maintenance, etc. will depend on it.

In general, work on aluminum fencing and sliding doors is done either with assembled aluminum or with welded aluminum.

These are the main work formulas that are carried out in leading companies in the sector such as Portalum.

The differences between assembled aluminum and welded aluminum are remarkable.

In this article we will assess each type of procedure, as well as its advantages and points of interest to take into account in an architectural or restoration project of a private property or workspace.

In this way, architects, interior designers and builders will be able to get a complete picture of each of them and make the best decisions to meet the demands of their clients.

Aluminum Assembled

The assembled aluminium builds the structures like a ‘puzzle’ with independent parts assembled.

The result is robust and firm, with the advantage that, in the event of any damage, deformed or broken parts can be replaced without affecting the rest of the structure.

In the case of aluminum sliding doors for garages this is very common, since with daily use the doors can receive blows that end up deforming the different slats of the assembly.

At Portalum we do our best to adapt the project to what the architectural plan requires or what the interior designer has proposed, without any problems.

Advantages of Assembled Aluminum vs. Welded Aluminum:

• Better quality in the finishing processes: the assembled aluminium, being lacquered in bars of 7m in length, before cutting the aluminium to form the door allows us to lacquer in lacquering plants with Qualicoat and Sea Side seal (corrosion safety for marine environments), while the welded aluminium is lacquered the door once finished in not so good lacquering plants.

• Greater availability of finishes and finishes: assembled aluminium allows us to make imitation wood and anodised, as it is lacquered in 7m bars.

• Aesthetics and Durability: greater durability, as the lacquering process is much better in assembled aluminium.

• Better quality controls in the factory and product finishing: when we talk about assembled aluminum, the manufacturing process does not depend so much on the operator and his assembly expertise, since the assembly process is Meccano-type, much simpler, while in welded aluminum everything depends on the skill of the welder. If you have a good day the door comes out nice, but what happens with the bad days, how will the door come out?

Another big difference with welded aluminum is that in welded aluminum with four profiles you can make any type of door, while in assembled aluminum the investment to have a complete series is very high.

You have to make a large investment in extrusion dies, but once you have it, the possibilities are endless and the manufacturing process is much simpler and more efficient, as we have seen.

To think that no aluminium window joinery system is made of welded aluminium. It is always, no matter what, assembled… why is that?

It is simply because it brings many more advantages as we have seen in this article.

Welded Aluminum

Welded aluminum is used to create strong and highly durable structures just like the assembly, with the drawback that the door cannot be disassembled or individual parts changed. In addition, the weld finish is not very aesthetic.

Which is Better? Welded Aluminum or Assembled?

At Portalum, we are committed to assembled aluminium, which we also add an extra in the aesthetic part: our sliding and fenced doors can be presented in different colours and shapes, and even in formats that imitate wood.

In this way, we adapt each production to the design that comes into our hands.

At Portalum we have a specialized customer service team to help both individuals and construction and design professionals in decision-making.

Contact us so that we can assess each case in a personalized way.