Sliding Doors in Arundel

Arundel presents particular challenges for anyone specifying glazing. The town sits within a conservation area, borders the South Downs National Park, and has a housing stock that ranges from Georgian townhouses on Maltravers Street and flint-faced cottages near the cathedral to Victorian semis along Queen Street and newer builds on the edges of town. Planning expectations are higher here than in most parts of West Sussex. Material choices, profiles, and proportions all get scrutinised.

At Unique Steel Windows, we manufacture and install made-to-measure steel sliding doors for homeowners and contractors across West Sussex, including Arundel and the surrounding villages. Our workshop is in Chichester, roughly twelve miles away, so this is genuinely local work for us.

The Problem with Off-the-Shelf Sliding Systems

Most sliding doors are built to standard dimensions and a handful of fixed configurations. That works well enough in a new-build with uniform openings and no planning constraints. In Arundel, it often does not.
Older properties in and around the town, particularly those close to Arundel Castle or within the conservation area boundary, often have irregular openings, thicker walls, and proportions that a catalogue system cannot properly address. The result tends to be a door that looks slightly out of place, or one that compromises the room to make it fit.

We do not work to standard sizes. Every project starts with the opening, the building, and what the space needs to do, and the door is built around that.

Steel Sliding Doors Made for West Sussex Properties

Our sliding doors are manufactured from high-grade steel with slim profiles that keep sightlines narrow and glass areas large. That combination works particularly well in properties where light is at a premium: rear rooms that face north, extensions that need to pull in as much daylight as possible, or interiors where the garden view matters.

External Sliding Doors

For rear elevations and garden-facing rooms, an external sliding system can open up a space considerably without requiring the structural work that a wider opening might demand. In rural properties around Arundel, converted barns, farmhouses and newer houses set into the South Downs landscape along the Arun valley, a well-proportioned sliding door can frame the view and create a much stronger connection between indoors and out.

Internal Sliding Doors

Many of the enquiries we receive from across West Sussex are for internal systems. A divider between a kitchen and a dining room. A home office that needs to be separate without losing borrowed light from the rest of the house. A living space that needs to flex between open-plan and closed, depending on the time of day. Steel-framed internal sliding doors do that without the bulk of a partition wall and without blocking daylight.

Pocket, Barn and Telescopic Options

We offer traditional track, pocket, barn-style, and telescopic configurations. Pocket doors disappear into the wall when open, making them useful where floor space is limited or a flush finish matters. Barn-style systems suit more relaxed rural interiors and work well in converted buildings. Telescopic panels stack efficiently where a wider opening needs to be covered without a large single leaf.

How It Works

An initial call or email is enough to get started. We will talk through the project, understand what the space needs to do, and establish whether there are any planning considerations to factor in from the outset.
From there, we arrange a site survey. We take full responsibility for all measurements, and nothing goes into production based on client-supplied dimensions unless specifically requested. CAD drawings are produced and sent for approval before manufacture begins.

Manufacturing runs at six to eight weeks for our W20 range and seven to nine weeks for the thermally broken W50 system, from drawing sign-off. Our in-house team carries out all installations. No subcontracting, at any stage. All fully sealed products carry a five-year warranty.

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A Note on Planning in Arundel

Properties within Arundel’s conservation area, or those bordering the South Downs National Park, may require Listed Building Consent or planning permission for external glazing changes. Steel profiles are often well-received in these contexts. They replicate the appearance of original steel windows far more convincingly than aluminium alternatives, and planning officers who deal with heritage properties often respond to them differently.

We have experience working with planning consultants and can provide full technical specifications, section drawings, and product data to support an application. If you are unsure whether your project requires consent, the Planning Portal and your local authority’s conservation officer are the best places to start.

What Our Clients Say

Libby came to us through her contractor, looking for internal doors with a slim profile. We worked with her and her team from the design stage through to installation.

“Jason and Les were so helpful; they were really hands-on and helped us design our dream doors. The slim profile, the installation, the finish: stunning. Very happy and would definitely work with them again.”

Libby

Frequently Asked Questions

Do steel sliding doors work in Arundel conservation area properties?

They often do, yes. Steel profiles sit naturally within conservation area design guidance because they are historically appropriate and have narrow sightlines that respect older building proportions. We can provide full technical documentation to support a planning application, including section drawings and product specifications.

What is the difference between the W20 and the W50 thermally broken system?

The W20 is our traditional steel section, independently tested to a thermal rating of B and fully Part L compliant. The W50 replicates the W20 profile but achieves a certified U-value of 1.2W/m²K through a thermal break in the frame. For properties where energy performance is a priority, or where building regulations require a higher standard, the W50 is the more appropriate choice.

Do I need to provide my own measurements?

No. We carry out a full site survey and take responsibility for all dimensions. Most clients prefer this because it removes the risk of errors carrying over into manufacturing.

Can sliding doors be used both inside and outside a house?

Yes, and it is one of the more common requests we receive. Internal sliding doors work well as room dividers, home office partitions, or kitchen separators, anywhere you want flexibility without losing light.

How long does the project take from the first enquiry?

After survey and drawing approval, manufacturing takes 6 to 8 weeks for W20 and 7 to 9 weeks for W50. We will give you a clear programme at the outset so you can plan around it.

Talk to Us About Your Project

We are based in Chichester, just up the road, so Arundel is firmly in our regular working area, along with Storrington, Pulborough, Steyning, Petworth, Midhurst and Billingshurst. If your project is a little further afield, we deliver and install across the wider region too.

If you have a project in mind, call or email to discuss it. No obligation, and we are straightforward about what is and is not achievable within your budget and timeline.

Phone: 02394 370020
Email: Enquiries@uniquesteelwindows.co.uk
Address: The Grange, Palmer Place, North Mundham, Chichester, PO20 1JW

Opening Hours:
Monday – Thursday: 8:00 – 17:00
Friday: 8:00 – 12:00

We are proud to be a British company that manufactures everything here in the UK, in our south coast workshop.