The latest product offering gorgeous aluminium glazing inside is the Origin OI-30 internal doors range. Beautifully made and featuring the signature details of classic metal doors, such as the grid-pattern and industrial, heritage or Art-Deco style. Origin OI-30 internal doors now provide an alternative product choice alongside the established Aluco system and the more recent and versatile Aluspace range designed by Smart Systems. But is it better than these? Here’s what you need to know about Origin OI-30 internal doors.
Origin OI-30 internal doors explained
The Origin OI-30 internal doors collection comprises single doors, double doors and doors with side and top panels. There’s also a range of bespoke internal windows and screens, whether fitted in a full surround frame or with an exposed frame like a half-room divider or screen. Origin has taken great care to make this system as customisable as their best-selling bifolding door system.
Origin uses the same quality of architectural aluminium extrusion and powder coated surface finish as their competition. Aluminium extrusions have set standards and grade for quality. The powder-coated finishes are applied by professional certified applicators. So you’ll get a very high quality product overall. Typical of the company ethos in providing really good options with their products, the internal door range comes with good personalisation options, especially with the handles and hinge colours. These doors look terrific overall.
Presently, there isn’t the same broad choice for aluminium doors inside the home, as there is for external doors and windows. There are independent companies making their own range of doors in the steel look and you can now buy this style of doors online, although as we explain, do be careful when buying these online.
Origin OI-30 internal doors will be a popular seller for three important reasons.
The “only made by Origin” advantage
There are certain brands in the UK only made by one manufacturer. Origin, Aluco, aïr, Sunflex, Solarlux, and high end sliding doors such as Hyline, Panoramah, Sunvista and others are some examples. The fact that only one company makes a product is a valuable sales message. Homeowners know exactly which company and which factory makes the doors and windows they want.
This is different to other fine brands such as Schuco, Reynaers, Aluk and Smart Systems where numerous and unrelated manufacturers buy the profiles and accessories from the designing company. Whilst all good manufacturers produce high quality products, the reality is no two factories can have the same product quality, processes or service. Therefore Origin OI-30 internal doors only made by Origin have a sales advantage. The same one-manufacturer, consistent quality message extends to other steel or steel look products like Crittall® or independent manufacturers designing their own systems.
Aluspace being designed by Smart Systems is available through their fabricator network and in turn, through installers. You can get in touch with us to get details of who supplies these to the trade or direct to the homeowner.
A desirable product that will sell very well
The steel look is hugely popular. For the homeowner, changing internal doors to the on-trend steel look is an easy process and a natural progression from having recently or previously had new patio doors or windows. Even better, there’s none of the disruption with internal doors you get when changing exterior windows and doors.
For the retailer, internal doors, windows and screens provide products that are faster to buy as they don’t generally suffer from supply chain problems, still here post-pandemic. Single glazed, no thermal break needed, should make lead times better. Installing inside the home is naturally an easier job than working outside on the building fabric. Above all, any internal glazing system is an excellent source of new sales for a glazing business.
Nationwide availability
It’s estimated there are more than 1000 Origin dealers around the UK, therefore these doors are going to be widely available. Aluco offers an alternative and more exclusive method of obtaining their interior doors with a nationwide network of approved dealers that are rightly given an exclusive territory. Whilst several Origin dealers in one area are good for the homeowner with several installers in their area to get prices from (and negotiate them down) retailers invariably compete with each other in the same area. Origin naturally benefits too with as many showrooms as possible showcasing their products.
Features of Origin internal doors and screens
The Origin internal door range uses powder coated solid aluminium extrusions with the door construction being mechanical at the corners. Where the bars are applied these like other similar products are professionally applied to the glass on site. 4mm, 6mm and 6.8mm glass is available.
It’s normal with these doors to buy them unglazed, then your Origin dealer will source the glass and apply the bars on site. This of course depends on the product design but is likely to be the norm.
- Suitable for all types of internal doors except where they don’t need a fire-rating
- Aesthetically pleasing slim sightlines and narrow frame depths
- Substantial configuration options, designed virtually as needed
- Also suitable for commercial property such as offices
- The best lead times Origin is best-known for
- Very cleverly thought-out handle choices
When configuring the doors, there are several options.
The choice of square or chamfered beading creates a different look inside the room. You can also choose glass or a solid panel at the bottom with a kick plate option.
For the locks, the only two options are a latch lock or a thumbturn and release. For double doors with shootbolts, these come in satin stainless steel or solid brass and you can also decide whether you need a door stop in a choice of five colours.
There is a 15mm frame extender which may be needed to suit the particular application that you can add to the side of the frame. Corner posts are available for return screens.
Configuring the Origin door means deciding how many horizontal and vertical bars you want. On offer is a fully glazed door or up to six horizontal and vertical bars. On the vertical bars only, you get a choice of 25mm or 35mm wide profiles.
Double doors come with the option of a dummy handle when you want a symmetrical look.
Origin enjoys a fine reputation for its service, lead times, dealer support and product quality. These doors are no exception.
Other products to compare with Origin OI-30 internal doors
Depending on what you’re looking for, you can find a good number of internal doors using all glass or glass and aluminium. However, if you truly want to compare Origin products on a like-for-like basis based on styling, there isn’t as much choice.
Aluco Aluminium
The comparable product to the Origin internal door range is the already well-established internal steel look collection made by Aluco. So whilst this is a review of Origin OI-30 internal doors, we’re going to focus quite a bit on this brand within this part of our review as it’s the competitor product. Aluco saw the growing trend for this style of interior glazing several years ago, and their products are beautifully made with attention to detail, terrific build quality and good design.
We know black is the most popular colour, but demand for other colours is strong. Origin only provides black, if their documentation is correct. Aluco offers more colour options and there are numerous projects where steel look doors look great in other colours, especially white or grey. Customers will want to choose the colour of their doors internally as they would externally.
There’s no doubt you’ll really like the styling and quality of Origin internal doors if these are all you need, but Aluco does offer a much broader range of products in this style including exterior steel-look doors and windows. Aesthetics are subjective, however, having compared both products up close, Aluco’s interior doors are just that bit more contemporary in appearance in our view.
Aluco go one better with their internal doors even having the option of fully glazed doors with no bars at all, but with the same deep plate behind the handle. It looks entirely different and it’s called the floating lock option. Origin’s option is to run the lock panel/plate full height on a fully glazed door, with the effect of bulking up the sightline on the handle side only, making the door leaf look uneven.
Why interior sliding doors could be better
We don’t know if Origin plans an interior sliding door in the steel look, but this is available from Aluco (and in the Aluspace system). The Aluco internal sliding door actually encourages anyone wanting internal doors to consider whether sliding is actually better than hinged, with a few good reasons why a sliding interior door can make more sense. You save space as sliding doors don’t encroach into a smaller room. Internal sliding doors move on their own track, even sliding in front of, or into a wall pocket if you wish.
Sliding doors of course give you larger doors, bigger panes of glass and fewer visible aluminium sightlines. Should the project require both sliding and hinged internal doors, Origin doesn’t provide a similar product, Aluco does.
If you prefer better insulation and acoustics from your internal single or double doors it’s possible to get a fully double glazed and sealed product in the heritage style from Aluco and other brands, again something Origin doesn’t offer. These doors work very well inside as explained later with the Alitherm system, also coming with no threshold at all, letting the floors run clean through.
Reasons to choose Origin doors over Aluco
| Origin door sets go wider and taller | Widely available, cheaper as a result |
| More handle styles and colours | Two bead options vs one |
| Narrower profile frame depth | Door hinges in more colours |
Reasons to buy Aluco doors over Origin
| More door colour options | Matching interior sliding doors |
| Better exterior steel look doors, windows, and bifold doors | More transom, mullion and bar options and curved frames |
| Better door customisation options in design and hardware choices | Door seals are more sophisticated |
| Hardware meets specific standards including a fire standard. | Self-closing option with a door closer |
| A double glazed more secure option | Door with floating lock design |
Smart Systems Aluspace
Another brand and system worth comparing with Origin’s internal doors is Aluspace. Unlike Origin and Aluco you don’t get the exclusive manufacturer, but you do get a very slim and well-designed internal glazing system, also having internal pivot opening doors.
Aluspace provides even bigger door sizes than both Aluco and Origin and the pivot door option is a unique addition and talking point in the home. The hardware choices are excellent and this new system promises to be a huge seller.
Internal frameless steel-look doors
Want something more minimal? Frameless Glass Curtains (FGC) based in Kent make their own interior system using a frameless internal glass door design with minimal patch fittings and hardware. Their product does not have any aluminium framing, instead relying on carefully applied trims and angles to create a slimmer look than other products. FGC also has a minimalist all-glass bifolding door with no aluminium mullions at all and other interior partition sliding and stacking systems to match.
Other independent companies can also create this design as it’s predominantly a glass-based product rather than an aluminium system.
Smart Systems Alitherm Heritage
Want to know which product is the most used, best-known and the tried and tested steel-look door? It’s the Alitherm Heritage system designed by Smart Systems. It’s only available double glazed but remains the original steel-look door that’s been on the market long before any of the other steel look aluminium brands.
This product only comes double glazed and you won’t get the same range of interior hardware as it retains the multi-point locking of the same door used for exterior patio doors in the steel look. However, it’s the product most companies offer and many homeowners buy.
airMOD steel-look doors
Another double glazed internal door is the new airMOD steel look aluminium door that’s also very well designed and works just as well inside as it does for exterior French patio doors with or without side panels.
The genuine steel door
Finally, and if the budget stretches to it, is the Crittall® steel product or any bespoke steel door by independent manufacturers. Choose steel and you’re buying the authentic steel door upon which any of these brilliant aluminium versions are based.
Steel looks better. The genuine steel internal door is slimmer, will last longer, and has seamless joints because it’s welded. Aluminium can only have mechanical joints and these joints can be evident at the junction of the glazing bars and the door profile, of course depending how well made the door is.
The overall fit and finish of steel aluminium can’t achieve (and we say this as a website dedicated to informing about the benefits of aluminium). With steel, the hardware is more authentic and steel doors also come with the fire protection needed on some internal doors. Aluminium has no fire rating and avoid any installer offering you an otherwise standard aluminium door with fire-rated glass.
Make the investment in the genuine steel or Crittall® product and expect to pay around two to four times the price of aluminium.
Do you also need exterior doors and windows?
There’s nothing wrong with mixing and matching systems where you need new windows and doors to replace the old or for a new extension. However, where you do want to keep to one supplier or system, Origin’s awesome internal doors don’t quite blend with their external ranges.
Origin also doesn’t provide a steel-look exterior system, other than their standard range of OW-80 or OW-70 windows and standard bifold or sliding doors customised with the bars. But if you want other doors and windows designed from the outset in heritage style, there are other systems on the market with the kind of styling associated with old metal windows. Alitherm Heritage and Reynaers SL38 are probably the best for styling as are aïrMOD aluminium windows and the Aluco exterior range.
How to buy Origin OI-30 internal doors
You’ll find the new Origin OI-30 internal doors range available from a variety of suppliers. Those giving the most complete service are the Origin Premium Partners. You’ll get the full survey and installation service and the best guarantee.
Then there are those businesses able to supply Origin products that might not have a full showroom but are still to be considered for the supply and installation of these doors.
You can get in touch with us for details of where to buy including the other brands mentioned, or use the Origin website dealer locator.
Origin OI-30 internal doors – conclusion and summary
There’s no doubt the popularity of internal doors in this style is here to stay and a natural progression for the next home improvement project after the new windows and doors outside.
If you’re interested in the Origin product, it does make sense to also compare Aluco. Or get in touch with us for your nearest dealer. You might agree with us that Aluco pips Origin for more distinctive styling, whilst arguably the more exclusive product too. Internal doors you’ll see and use significantly more than your windows and patio doors. Choose well.
Once again aluminium demonstrates what a fantastic and versatile material it is. Put Origin internal doors in your home and you’ll be thrilled with the end result. The quality, great lead times, and customisation options are important reasons to buy Origin, not to mention the reputation of the company and numerous excellent dealers nationwide.