Super-insulated Aluminium Windows and Doors
Beginning your project
SILKA is here to make sure your home build or renovation is a success
Your house is your haven of tranquillity – or at least it will be! We understand how overwhelming planning or improving your perfect home can be, which is why we’ve worked hard to curate the seamless and futureproof solution that is SILKA.
SILKA is the crème de la crème of energy efficient aluminium windows and doors, combining ultra-low U-value performance and extraordinary style. Our expert team has been delivering outstanding homes for 25 years, but our passion for projects has never been stronger.
Ready to bring the future home? You’re in the right place.
Why energy efficiency needs your attention
There has never been a more important time to be energy efficient. Here’s why you need to futureproof your home
With a determined goal of achieving net zero carbon targets by 2025, the UK Government is undergoing the most significant overhaul of Building Regulations to date. This means every aspect of our lives – from electric cars, solar PV and battery storage to higher insulation levels and improved electrical performance – is currently under scrutiny.
Your journey to energy efficiency begins at home, and updating your windows and doors is one of the most effective ways to get on board with the global initiative to commit to a greener future. But the benefits don’t end there! The Net Zero Strategy also aims to reduce household heating bills by up to 20% and decrease our dependency on foreign gasses.
Refreshingly, we’re embracing the change. The latest Rated People Home Improvement Trends Report revealed half of those asked are actively seeking ways to make their homes more energy efficient and, for the first time in years, homeowners are opting to replace windows to reduce heating bills. Triple glazing has emerged as a popular choice, experiencing a remarkable surge in demand by 125% in 2022, and 15% of homeowners looking to install triple glazing in 2023. Read on to see how SILKA can transform your home into the eco-friendly haven you want it to be.
44mm warm-edged triple glazed unit as standard
SILKtouch fine textured surface
The surface is lightly-textured for a silky feel that stays cleaner longer
High stability thermal break with I-Beam Reinforcement
Extra-wide
High performance gaskets
• Faster glazing
• Enhanced performance
Thermafill®
Easi-fit internal beading
Our trademarked Thermafill® technology offers edge to edge insulation, giving SILKA a unique thermal barrier. This means your windows, doors and rooflights offer top levels of energy efficiency – every day of the year.
Aluminium
We use aluminium for our windows and doors as it offers the perfect combination of strength and security. Its inherent strength allows us to design wider and taller windows with slimmer frames, creating more beautiful and higher performing products.
Triple Glazing
We offer triple glazing as standard to ensure top levels of thermal efficiency across the whole SILKA range. We use 44mm warm-edged triple glazed units for the ultimate performance.
SILKtouch
Our frames are powder coated in a 60-microns thick fine textured finish we call SILKtouch. The fine textured surface delivers frames that feel smooth as SILKA, and stay cleaner longer.
Colour Options
We offer True Black and Anthracite Grey and an option of dual colour, with White internally, across the range. We are also happy to match in any RAL colour for your home project. This can result in longer delivery times, but if you are going for a unique shade, it will be worth the wait.
What to look for in a bifold door
Bringing in a bifold door means replacing a large section of your home with glass – so let’s make sure it’s working for and not against you
It will come as no surprise when we tell you that quality and functionality are top of the list when choosing bifold doors. But how do we tick those off? Here is the SILKA checklist on what to look for.
thermal performance of your doors.
Weathered thresholds
Bifold configurations
High quality materials
What your bifold doors are made of has a huge impact on their stability, energy efficiency, sightlines and finish. Premium-grade aluminium with a polyamide break is the perfect balance of strength and style, upping both energy performance and thermal efficiency.
Security
Even if you’re replacing existing doors, look for products that have secure locking cylinders and have passed PAS 24 testing. PAS 24 is a Product Assessment Specification set by the British Standards Institute to assess windows and doors against an opportunistic burglar – and all SILKA products have it.
Thermal efficiency
Make sure your chosen bifold doors at least meet, if not exceed, the current building regulations for energy efficiency to avoid any problems. Remember the lower the U-value, the greater the
A weathered threshold features an upstanding lip that keep your bifold doors watertight. A nonweathered threshold is often more desirable as it creates a flat tip-free surface with a seamless transition between indoors and out, but this might not be fit-for-purpose in your home.
Guarantee
Don’t buy bifolds without first investigating the guarantee that comes with both the doors and installation – and make sure you know exactly which components are covered. All SILKA products come with a manufacturer's guarantee for the product and the installation guarantee comes from our selected partners.
Configuration
Panels should be available in large sizes because that allows more glass (so more light, and a better view). But don’t forget practicality: you will need a quick access door when life gets in the way. SILKA doors are available in an endless list of configurations, but we’ve detailed a few of our most popular combinations to the left.
Bifold Doors
Blur the boundaries with SILKA Bifold Doors
The best thing about bifold doors is that they fold back to allow seamless inside:outside living with easy access out to a deck or patio. Behind the scenes, the concealed gearing offers a smooth as SILKA opening and closing action.
On the days your bifold doors stay closed, you need top levels of energy efficiency – and that’s exactly what SILKA Bifold Doors bring, thanks to triple glazing as standard and our unique trademarked Thermafill® technology. Creating the perfect bifold door for your home couldn’t be easier: you can choose the number of panes, how they fold back and even add a single door for quick access.
Bifold vs sliding
Both offer a seamless connection to the outside, but will bifold or sliding doors work best for your space?
The best of both
Bifold doors
This door type folds back against itself in a concertina style and sits against one side. With so many configuration options to choose from, there is sure to be a bifold that perfectly complements your lifestyle – in both looks and logistics – and it’s ‘the bigger the better’ in terms of offering the ultimate view. You don’t need to have the largest of openings to benefit from bifold doors, but just make sure there’s enough space to stack the panes inside or outside of your home.
Sliding doors
The panels for this door type sit behind one another when open, and so won’t provide a full, unobstructed view, as one pane is always visible. SILKA Sliding Doors come in sizes up to 2.7 metres high and 10 metres wide to create a true wall of glass feature in your home. Sliding Doors are a great choice if you’re short of room, as they don’t steal valuable space from the inside or outside of your home.
Thermal efficiency
SILKA Bifold Doors and Sliding Doors offer exceptional thermal efficiency. Our Bifold Doors have U-values as low as 0.7 W/m2K. Also known as thermal transmittance, this measures the rate of transfer of heat through a structure –the lower, the better.
Inside:outside living
Bifold and sliding doors can offer incredible views to the garden when opened and closed, to create a seamless inside:outside flow for your home. Some have better sightlines when closed than others, so keep this in mind.
SILKA Sliding Doors come in sizes up to 2.7 metres high and 10 metres wide.
Lift & Slide Doors
Maximise your glass for the best design statement
Ask any architect and they will tell you that to make the best design statement, you need to go big on glass. The SILKA Lift & Slide Door offers sizes that go up to 2.7 metres, from floor to ceiling in most homes. They also offer extra-wide panes to maximise the glass and bring in the most natural light, giving you the ultimate views.
Choosing SILKA Lift & Slide Doors also means getting the energy performance you need – with triple glazing as standard and our unique Thermafill® technology. What’s more, heavy-duty rollers mean they open with a smooth as SILKA action, every single time.
Seeing
triple
Double glazing will soon be deemed inadequate. SILKA explains why triple glazing is the only way forward when it comes to updating your home
The trio of triple glazing
Added comfort
Triple glazing will lessen uncomfortable cold spots, and who doesn’t want to be cosier at home?
Thermal efficiency
Making your triple glazed home up to 60% more energy efficient than it is with double glazing, means you can turn that thermostat down.
Saves you money
It’s simple: use less energy, save more money. And with an expected lifespan of up to 30 years, triple glazing is a long-term cost-cutter.
The eighties saw single make way for double in the glazing world, and the twenty-twenties is when triple takes over the baton. But why? Today’s home trends feature swathes of glazing (picture windows, sliding doors and rooflights as prime examples), but all that glass has implications when it comes to energy efficiency – because heat passes through it far easier than it would an insulated wall.
This, coupled with the UK’s subsequently stringent Building Regulations, has forced the glazing industry to step up, and the result is better-performing products. With the improved insulation that comes from having two pockets of gas or air instead of one, triple glazing went some way to mitigate the heat loss/gain that comes with added glass – it’s added benefits including reducing cold spots and keeping us comfortable at home, while also allowing us to turn down the thermostat and save some cash. It didn’t go all the way, however, and that’s why SILKA created Thermafill® (see page 8).
Triple glazing comes in well above Building Regulations standards for energy efficiency. That’s if it has been installed correctly – ideally with Thermafill®! – as there’s no point having super-insulated glazing if there are gaps around it for air to leak out. It’s also a significant security deterrent, because three panes of glass are incredibly difficult to break through, and will help reduce noise at home.
Windows
SILKA Windows add extra style
Our stunning SILKA Windows have been designed with classic style in mind, so whether you want a traditional or modern look, we can create it. The slim sightlines help maximise the area of glass, so you get to make the most of the natural light. The SILKA Window suite incorporates our standard slim sash window and two different depths of outer frames.
The combination of Thermafill® technology and triple glazing ensures top levels of energy efficiency. The square edge detailing can be enhanced with a dummy sash, which offers a heritage look that is perfect for more traditional bay windows.
Bay Windows
Design statements for everyday living
Bay and bow windows may be one of the most iconic architectural features of UK homes, and it’s easy to retain this traditional style while futureproofing your home. Choosing SILKA triple glazed, super-insulated Aluminium Bay Windows will bring in that legacy style you’re looking for, combined with a contemporary feel.
SILKA Bay Windows offer the ultimate in traditional domestic architecture, backed up with ultra performance. Fixed sashes can be chosen to create equal sightlines and a sleek, square profile, giving you that authentic heritage bay window style, made modern.
Picture Windows
Frame your view
Picture windows can transform the entire aesthetic of your home, creating striking architectural glazing features which will see your space transform with the movement of the light.
No modern home is complete without fixed glazing. Bathing homes in natural daylight – read more on how essential this is for your family on page 32 – and
perfectly framing picturesque views of your garden and beyond, SILKA triple glazed Picture Windows are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes, to suit any design.
From gable-end windows to full-height fixed glazing, SILKA Picture Windows create sensational features in a range of futureproof SILKA homes.
Repair or replace?
Restoring your windows could be a quick short term fix, with costly repercussions. We’ve rounded up the signs it’s new glazing you need
Alongside their ability to instantly uplift the overall look of your home, great windows should offer ventilation, natural light, energy saving, reduced noise, and peace of mind. Replacing them is a big decision, which will undoubtedly lead to thoughts of ‘can I work with what I’ve got?’. In some cases, perhaps, but here’s the SILKA hot list of signs it’s definitely time for new windows.
Your windows are draughty
You may notice your windows aren’t doing their job when your energy bills start to rise. Gaps that let in draughts are a top offender when it comes to heat loss in the home. By investing in energy efficient windows like the complete range of SILKA Aluminium Windows with Thermafill® insulated frame technology, you’ll keep your home warm and dry – and your heating bills down.
Condensation and mould
Water on the inside of your windows, particularly when the weather is cold, is a sign that your seals are failing. If the condensation build-up is excessive and doesn’t clear on its own, you should think about replacement windows before mould begins to grow. Both damp and mould are category 1 health hazards –those with the potential to cause death or loss of limb – under official government guidance, so this is far from an aesthetic issue.
Awkward openings
If you’ve had your windows for a long time, it’s likely that age has a lot to do with why they won’t operate properly. Old windows can develop issues
with balance and become jammed or stuck. Look out for signs of rust, rotting or mould as these will also factor into how easily your windows open and close. And this is a definite reason to replace the window, primarily because it could be a vital escape route in the event of an emergency.
Intrusive outside noise
You might be noticing that the noise from outside is not being reduced by your windows. Modern window styles are designed to keep noise to a minimum, so it may be time to replace your current ones for a bit of peace and quiet! Thanks to their exceptional insulation, SILKA Aluminium Windows provide noticeable sound dampening.
Your windows are damaged
Cracks and breaks in your windows are definitely not ideal, and this means they will need replacing to keep your home safe and secure. When a window is damaged, it is really only a matter of time before exposure to the elements can cause further issues to the glass and frame. SILKAspecialists can diagnose issues and advise on the best replacement options for your home.
A lower valuation for your home
Did you know that on average, new windows can increase the value of your home by 10%? Most house hunters want a home that is ready to move into, and with the surge in demand for energy efficiency and lower energy bills, top level windows will become a strong selling point if and when you come to sell your home.
SILKAseamless
Nothing need come between you and your view
Big glass, an iconic frameless look, and super slim sightlines are what set our SILKAseamless Windows range apart. Perfect for replacement projects, SILKAseamless has been designed to slot into the space left behind, instantly upgrading your home with an air of cutting-edge sophistication – both inside and out.
SILKAseamless glass is bonded flat to the unit structure and fixed in place with super-tight double gasket technology. A lighter, slimmer window that retains its designer good looks, improves energy efficiency and home security, SILKAseamless Windows are also great for letting light in, and keeping noise out.
Tilt & Turn Windows
Multifunctional magnificence
The perfect combination of practicality and purpose, Tilt & Turn windows give you options. With two ways to open – either through a quarter turn of the handle for a little ‘tilt’ from the bottom hinge, or with an extra quarter turn of the handle to get a full inward opening window – this style means you’re in control of your airflow.
Tilt & Turn Windows feature a large expanse of glass to maximise the light entering your home and the views you get from inside it. They are perfect for apartments, where they offer both a stunning modern look and the ease of cleaning from inside. Because they open inwards, Tilt & Turn Windows are great in tight spaces where an outward opening window could be a hazard, as well as being a great option as a fire exit.
Your ideal extension
Extending your home is an exciting investment – as long as you get it right. Here’s the SILKA cheat sheet of extension essentials
1.Rooflight
A rooflight can be the difference between success and failure when it comes to a home extension –it really is that critical. Natural light can easily be lost when you extend or change the configuration of your home. Floor-to-ceiling doors can fill the extension with natural light, but the original space quickly becomes deprived, often making it darker than it was before. Installing a rooflight brings at least 25% more light into your home, and helps that light go further.
2.Sliding doors
Sliding doors offer a seamless way to move from the interior to the exterior of your home and will maximise the light coming into your extension to keep it looking bright and spacious. They are easy to open and close, but can be heavy. Lift & Slide doors fix this issue by using lightweight hardware that allows the panels to lift from their track, and glide along with ease.
3.Bifold doors
More expensive than sliding doors, but bringing the bang you want for that buck, bifold doors fold back against themselves in a concertina style and sit against one side. This means they can completely hide away when you want them to,
creating a seamless walkway between your home and extension which maximises light, space and ventilation. SILKA Bifold Doors are available in an array of impressive configurations, and we’re certain we can create the one that’s best for your home.
4.Fixed glazing
A fixed window is one that does not open, and can also be called a picture window or architectural window due to its multipurpose of framing outdoor scenery. Fixed windows come in countless shapes and sizes, and are ultra energy efficient. Adding one or more to your extension will let in valuable light, contain noise, and conserve energy by blocking out drafts and weather.
5.Single or French door
A single door offers easy access to the garden from your extension, and a great way to ventilate your home on warmer days. Opting for a stylish French door (with glass panels spanning its length) will also bring in added natural light.
6.Windows
Windows are the easiest way to ventilate your extension, and can be coupled with doors for continuity. If you're designing a kitchen, the most popular place for a sink is in front of the window.
French & Single Doors
Where classic meets contemporary
French doors are a patio door classic that you’ll find in many homes across the UK. Offering easy access to the back garden and a great way to ventilate your home on warmer days, SILKA Aluminium French Doors perfectly blend style with performance.
A classic door design with a modern twist, French doors have been reinvented with SILKA. Using the traditional French patio door opening style, combined with Thermafill® aluminium frames and triple glazing as standard, we’ve given French doors a little extra ‘je ne sais quoi’.
Let there be light
Natural light makes us a better version of ourselves. Here’s why maximising the sunshine in your space will create the happiest and healthiest home
How to get more natural light in your home
Add a rooflight
Natural light can very easily disappear when you extend or change the configuration of your home. Installing a rooflight brings at least 25% more light into your space, and helps it go further.
Natural light makes us happier, and that’s a fact. Studies have proven it stimulates the production of serotonin (the body’s happy hormone!) and melatonin, which regulates our circadian rhythm and keeps us on an even keel when it come to sleep and wakefulness. By contrast, less exposure to natural light causes fluctuations in our levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), and makes us feel drowsy. But, besides the science, who doesn’t think the world’s a better place when the sun touches their face?
With this in mind, making sure your home enjoys the maximum amount of natural daylight is incredibly important. There are several ways SILKA suggests you do it, and you’ll find our favourite quick fixes to the right.
High windows and doors
Sounds simple, but you’d be surprised how often it’s overlooked amid renovation.
Steal as much light from the outside as possible by choosing the lengthiest glazing you can get away with.
Bright ideas
Go light to get light with your colour scheme. White is the most reflective option, but light-coloured pastels on walls work just as well. You can also lighten up dark floors with a bright coloured rug.
Clever curtains
Apply a wide-as-possible approach when selecting your curtain poles. Making sure they stretch beyond the space of your opening means the curtain sits outside it, buying you valuable brightness.
Rooflights
Add natural light the SILKA way
Natural light makes rooms feel bigger and brighter. The triple glazed flat SILKA Rooflights, with super slim sightlines, maximise the amount of light coming in. The stunning simplicity of design means the sky becomes the star for our Rooflights.
Many of our large-span glazed doors and windows go into newly built extensions, so we knew that a matching rooflight would be the perfect addition to the SILKA range. The SILKA Rooflight is designed to work with almost every flat roofing system and offers high levels of thermal efficiency.
The look of luxury
The ultimate upgrade to your SILKA system comes in the form of our Exclusive Finishes. Choose SILKAwood for added character and our Anodised collection for exceptional durability and elegance
Haute
Don’t forget the fundamentals! We’ve selected our SILKA handles to be the perfect blend of ergonomics and elegance
Designed to be understated with colour options to work with your aesthetic, this sleek but substantial handle puts style first.
Strength and style for our Lift & Slide
We couldn’t create a smooth as SILKA opening without the stunning, silent and ultra-secure handle selected for our Lift & Slide door.
Frame Colours
Signature SILKtouch colours
Curated smooth colours
We can create your SILKA system in any shade! Ask us about our selection.
Entrance Door Colours
You take the lead on colour for your Kärben Entrance Door. Ask us to create any shade your heart and home desires for selected door styles.
Come on in
First impressions count, and that’s why your entrance door must be one that wows
THow to create your wow entrance
Play with shades
Choosing a standout colour is a surefire way to turn heads with your front door.
SILKA’s standard entrance door colours are a sleeker Anthracite Grey and True Black – but RAL colours are available if there is enough lead time.
Heart of glass
he front door to your home sets your stall out to the world. Serving the dual purpose of making the ones you want inside feel wonderfully welcome –and the ones you don’t stay away – an entrance door is high impact, and therefore high priority in your home improvement plans.
An extension of personal style and a way to supercharge your property’s kerb appeal, entrance doors need to be functional, secure, weatherproof, properly fitted and long-lasting. Kärben Entrance Doors are all this and more, which we reveal in the showstopping selection detailed in the pages to follow.
An entrance door incorporating glazing lets in light and creates the illusion of space, which could work wonders for dark hallways. It is also completely customisable, a top trend for 2023, and the perfect way to make a contemporary statement.
It’s in the detail
From driveways and fences to doorbells, house numbers, letterboxes, guttering and lighting – the choices you make for your exterior can make or break the final look. Make sure any accessories are either traditional or modern, never both.
Entrance Doors
The future at your front door
Your Kärben Entrance Door will instantly wow visitors to your home. With incredible designs and incredible performance, you couldn’t ask for a better welcome to your home. Choose from our collection of door designs with a range of glazing and side panel options.
The surface of the Kärben Entrance Door has a unique, smooth texture that sets the range apart from any other. On the inside, energy efficiency and security comes through the super-insulated, super strong, high density polyurethane core. Kärben Entrance Doors have been tested to PAS 24 standards, the top accreditation available for security.
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Due to variations in the photographic process, colours shown in this leaflet may vary from the actual product. It is advisable to refer to a product sample before making your purchase. All pictures shown are for illustrative purpose only, actual product may vary due to product enhancement. The company has a policy of continuous product development and reserves the right to change any products and specifications given in this brochure.
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Due to variations in the photographic process, colours shown in this leaflet may vary from the actual product. It is advisable to refer to a product sample before making your purchase. All pictures shown are for illustrative purpose only, actual product may vary due to product enhancement. The company has a policy of continuous product development and reserves the right to change any products and specifications given in this brochure.
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Due to variations in the photographic process, colours shown in this leaflet may vary from the actual product. It is advisable to refer to a product sample before making your purchase. All pictures shown are for illustrative purpose only, actual product may vary due to product enhancement. The company has a policy of continuous product development and reserves the right to change any products and specifications given in this brochure.
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Due to variations in the photographic process, colours shown in this leaflet may vary from the actual product. It is advisable to refer to a product sample before making your purchase. All pictures shown are for illustrative purpose only, actual product may vary due to product enhancement. The company has a policy of continuous product development and reserves the right to change any products and specifications given in this brochure.
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Entrance Door
Strength meets style with our stunning collection of Kärben Entrance Doors.
A carbon reinforced core, highest security standards, and the statement you are in search of for your home
and
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation
Planning your home project
Energy efficiency checklist
Finding your local installer
Arrange a consultation
Register your installation