EliteSteel Doors
Contact our team to discuss a solution tailored to your needs.
High Tech Construction
Our proprietary dual chambered thermal construction is renowned for achieving U Factors as low as 0.18. In today’s climate extremes, whether you need to keep your home cool in sweltering summers, or warm in frigid winters, EliteSteel delivers top energy efficiency along with elegant style. Our proprietary thermal break system utilizes an 18 mm fiber/polymer insulator between two separate steel chambers. This dual chambered steel construction is significantly stronger than other steel frames, enabling us to offer oversize installations. Our specially designed bi-vane weather stripping and D seals guarantee that neither air nor water will get past your doors. With enhanced structural integrity, EliteSteel doors outperform other steel doors in both residential and commercial applications.
Steel Frames
EliteSteel exterior doors and windows are uniquely engineered to have the narrowest sight lines possible – as narrow as 1” – while still providing maximum insulation. The ‘sight line’ is the width of the visible frame around the glass. Aluminum cannot produce pencil thin lines nor can it offer the structural strength to support oversized glass. The tensile strength of common steel ranges from 400 to 500 MPa (58,000 to 72,500 psi), while aluminum is typically around 90 MPa (13,000 psi). This means that steel withstands approximately 5x’s the stress of aluminum. Additionally, our proprietary dual chambered design enhances the stiffness of our steel frames up to 4x’s greater than frames made by our competitors. Steel is also infinitely recyclable, has a higher resistance to fire, and when treated with zinc, is corrosion free. The stiffness of the EliteSteel frame is the critical factor for creating our narrow sight lines and the most unobtrusive framing for walls of glass. This unique design feature truly puts EliteSteel products in a league of their own.
Choosing Aluminum
Despite Steel being an undeniably superior building material for doors and window frames, aluminum, when properly treated, offers a comparable look for substantially less cost. Many of our client’s genuinely want the look and performance of steel, but the appeal of the lower price persuades them to choose aluminum for some parts of their project. We recognize the realities of budget, so we now offer aluminum windows and doors created in our factory. With our glazing and our attention to detail, we provide a superior quality aluminum product line for our customers who choose aluminum. This allows a customer to do their main entrance and the first floor windows in steel and the remainder of their project in aluminum, with matching finishes and the same high quality workmanship. Having one company to provide all their fenestration needs is logistically and financially a much better deal for them.
Aluminum Frames
Despite Steel being an undeniably superior building material for doors and windows, aluminum, when properly treated, can offer an attractive look for substantially less cost. While aluminum frames must be wider than steel, our aluminum frames are the narrowest available, as narrow as 1.75”. We can make and supply 100% aluminum for a project or both steel and aluminum for the same project. With an exactly matching finish, our aluminum can be used for upper floors with steel only on the ground floor. This way you can still get much of the minimal elegance of steel – but at a substantial saving. Our aluminum product is made in our factory, with the same standards and attention to detail as all our steel products. It turns out to be advantageous logistically and financially for one company to manage all your fenestration needs.
Benefits of aluminum windows
- Sleek and contemporary aesthetic style.
- Long-lasting powder coated finish.
- Inherently strong and lightweight.
- Meets USA energy standards. …
- Highly recyclable. …
- More durable than wood or vinyl windows
- Low – no maintenance required
- Lower cost than steel, wood or fiberglass
- Flexibility – easily manipulated for unusual shapes
EliteSteel Aluminum Frames
The vast majority of commercial real estate use aluminum framed exterior doors and windows. They have been the standard for commercial properties for the past hundred years and they’ve improved dramatically over that time. Aluminum can now be treated to add beautiful colored finishes which are powder coated directly to the metal for a lifetime of protection against corrosion. Combined with innovative polyamide thermal breaks and specialized glazing applications that improve energy ratings – aluminum offers a competitive alternative to those who want the ‘look of steel’ but don’t want the cost of steel!
Recyclability
Both Aluminum and Steel are highly recyclable, reducing the need for new raw materials. Aluminum is plentifully available in the earth’s crust, but extractions costs are higher than for steel. Steel is the most recycled material globally, with a recycling rate of over 85% in North America, lowering its raw cost. Both Steel and Aluminum have high recycling rates but steel can be recycled an infinite number of times without losing any of its qualities. However both Steel and Aluminum are natural conductors and so special glass treatments, thermal breaks, special seals etc. are required to provide the modern requirements for insulation.
Strength
Steel is the strongest building material so you can do more with less. Aluminum is softer, more easily fabricated and much more light weight. Because of the superior strength of steel, it alone provides the narrow, pencil thin profiles which architects value so highly. However, aluminum can support large installations of glass by using wider profiles, which for many builders, is not a concern.
Corrosion Resistance
Steel does not have as high a level of natural corrosion resistance as Aluminum, however, when treated, steel’s resistance to corrosion is equal to, or superior to aluminum. Post fabrication treatment that preserves the finish on both materials is vital to assure long lasting resistance to wear and tear or rust. Both materials require very different treatments, but when treated correctly, their finishes carry the same warranty.
Steel has a higher melting point compared to Aluminum, making it a far better choice for situations where fire resistance is desired.
Aluminum is generally easier to cut and form than Steel which needs to be welded, while aluminum comes in shapes that can be directly fabricated without the need for time consuming welding and zinc galvanization.
Both steel and aluminum window frames are extremely popular and enjoying rapid growth in both commercial and residential construction. Aluminum is easier to fabricate, strong, and visually appealing. Both Aluminum and Steel can be finished in a variety of ways to achieve different looks. Aluminum is anodized and powder coated to add color and additional corrosion resistance, while Steel is painted and baked with color in a labor intensive 9 stage process. The main difference between the 2 metals is in one’s sense of style and their cost. Only steel can achieve the elegance of 1” sightlines or the 3 dimensional look of a layered patina. Aluminum is powder coated so the finishing process is much simpler. As for the durability of the finish, this depends more on the quality of materials used, the technique and skill of the technician. At EliteSteel our finishes are equally warrantied whether you choose steel or aluminum.
Commercial Properties
EliteSteel custom exterior doors are an ideal choice for offices, government, historical and commercial properties. Our solid steel framed doors offer the greatest security with the maximum amount of natural light and visibility. All our steel framed doors have integrated multi-point locking systems that secure the door directly into the steel frame, for the greatest protection against forced entry. This feature is not available on aluminum doors. Other methods for enhanced security are easily added to all our doors, such as electronic locking systems, hidden cameras and alarm systems. We can also provide an elegant steel enclosure for the outside of your retail building. All EliteSteel doors meet or exceed the building codes in the US and Canada for commercial buildings up to 3 stories high.