Heritage Aluminium Doors
Slim, Steel-Look Aluminium Doors for Period, Listed & New-Build Homes
At Marlin, we specify, design and manufacture heritage aluminium doors at our premises in Keighley, West Yorkshire, with four systems available:
Alitherm Heritage Doors - ideal for listed buildings and conservation areas
Alitherm Heritage 60 Doors - ideal for refurbishment, replacement and new-build projects needing extra thermal performance
Sheerline Classic Heritage Doors - ideal for Art Deco and 1920s/’30s-style properties
Internal Heritage Doors (AluSpace) - ideal for dividing space inside your home
Whichever heritage door system suits your project, you get the sleek, traditional styling of steel with modern thermal performance and solid security, at a fraction of the cost of steel.
We supply and install across Yorkshire and the surrounding North of England and also provide a nationwide supply only service.
What Are Heritage Aluminium Doors?
Heritage aluminium doors replicate the slim, glazing-bar look of traditional steel doors, the kind you’ll see in period townhouses, industrial conversions and 1920s and ’30s homes. We make our heritage aluminium doors from thermally broken aluminium instead of steel, giving you a warmer, more efficient door for both replacement and new-build homes.
The appeal of the original steel look hasn’t gone away, but the cost of keeping it has. Aluminium recreates the slim profiles and glazing patterns of steel, with the added benefit of an easier route to thermal compliance which is why so many period and listed properties across the UK have already made the switch, often with local authority approval. It’s a straightforward trade for most of our customers: keep the character, enhance the thermal performance and lose the maintenance costs.
Many of the homeowners we work with are building a new home from scratch and choosing heritage doors for the industrial, characterful appearance and not just because of a planning constraint. Fitted to the right specification, our heritage doors fully meet UK Building Regulations for thermal efficiency, ventilation and security.
Key Features of our Heritage Aluminium Doors
- Ultra-slim, steel-look sightlines, as narrow as 33mm on our Alitherm Heritage system, keeping the authentic period profile
- Strong thermal performance, with U-values down to 1.2 W/m²K on triple-glazed units – helping keep your home warm and comfortably within current UK Building Regulations
- High security as standard, with Avocet ABS cylinders, multi-point locking and the availability of PAS24 accreditation, so heritage styling doesn’t need to compromise the security of your property
- Custom-made for your opening. Every door is specifically designed and made to measure with bespoke dimensions for each location and not adapted from stock sizes
- Low maintenance: Aluminium is rust and rot-proof meaning far less maintenance compared to timber or steel framework
- Doors for listed buildings. Our aluminium Heritage doors have successfully been approved for a number of listed building and conservation area projects
- Fully recyclable aluminium. Reprocessing aluminium uses only 5% of the energy required for primary manufacture, making it a genuinely sustainable long-term material choice
- Choice of over 200 RAL colours, including the classic black and anthracite grey heritage finishes, plus textured finishes, Alchemy colours and dual-colour options. See the full range on our colours and glazing page
- Long-term guarantees: Our PPC paint finish is guaranteed for 25 years (marine environments are subject to assessment). We also provide a 10-year manufacturer’s warranty and a 5-year warranty on all double-glazed units. If we install your doors, we guarantee the manufacture and installation together for complete peace of mind.
Aluminium vs Traditional Steel: Why Homeowners Are Switching
Original steel doors have plenty of character but they weren’t designed with modern energy bills in mind. Here’s how our aluminium steel replacement doors compare:
| Traditional steel doors | Marlin heritage aluminium doors | |
| Appearance | Authentic slim profiles | Similar steel-look sightlines, faithfully recreated |
| Thermal efficiency | Poor - a common source of heat loss | High performance - U-values as low as 1.2 W/m²K |
| Maintenance | Rust, corrosion and repainting | Polyester Powder Coated (PPC) finish, virtually maintenance-free |
| Security | Basic, ageing hardware | ABS cylinders, multi-point locking, PAS24 available |
| Cost | Expensive to buy and maintain | More cost-effective to buy and own |
| Longevity | Long term but dependent on upkeep | Built for long-term, low-maintenance performance |
You get the look you set out to keep with a door that’s genuinely easier to live with.
Our Heritage Aluminium Door Range
We offer four heritage door systems: three exterior ranges and one internal range, each suited to a slightly different project application, budget and property type.
If you’re not sure which is right for your home our team can talk you through it and requesting a quote is a good way to start comparing.
Alitherm Heritage Doors: The authentic steel-look original
Ideal for: Listed buildings, conservation areas, Art Deco properties, retro refurbishment projects and new properties seeking a traditional style.
Our Alitherm Heritage steel replacement door system is the most popular range and the one most commonly approved for listed building and conservation area projects. With a sightline down to 33mm for a fixed frame and a 47mm frame depth it’s the closest match to genuine period steel doors.
“Those beautiful doors.” — George Clarke, featured on Channel 4’s Old House New Home. See the feature
Alitherm Heritage 60 Doors: Enhanced performance for refurbishment and new build
Ideal for: Refurbishment, replacement and new-build projects where energy performance matters as much as the look.
Where a project calls for extra thermal performance, our Alitherm Heritage 60 doors reach U-values as low as 1.2 W/m²K, and meet 1.4 W/m²K as standard – fully compliant with Document L, and ideal for replacement and refurbishment projects.
Sheerline Classic Heritage Doors: The Art Deco stepped profile
Ideal for: 1920s and ’30s homes, period renovations and contemporary extensions.
Our Classic Heritage doors bring Sheerline’s distinctive “stepped” exterior profile, an Art Deco-inspired look with built-in Thermlock® technology and PAS24 accreditation as standard making this system a cost-effective all-rounder.
Internal Heritage Doors (AluSpace): Steel-look doors and versatile partition designs for inside your home
Ideal for: Dividing open-plan living spaces or creating home offices with heritage-style features for period properties, modern extensions or new builds.
Not every heritage door needs to face the weather. Our internal heritage doors and glass partitions are even slimmer than our heritage external doors, providing an authentic steel-look aesthetic down to a 33mm sightline to maximise the flow of natural light.
Looking to match your doors with windows? Our Heritage windows and doors range covers the full glazing system for a consistent look throughout your home.
Our Heritage Aluminium Doors in a Nutshell
| Alitherm Heritage | Alitherm Heritage 60 | Sheerline Classic Heritage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical use | Listed & conservation | Refurbishment, replacement & new build | Refurbishment, replacement & new build |
| Frame depth | 47 mm | 60 mm | 64 mm |
| Max width, single door | 925 mm | 925 mm | 1026 mm |
| Max width, French doors | 1832 mm | 1832 mm | 2032 mm |
| Max standard door height | 2100 mm | 2100 mm | 2300 mm |
| Max PAS24 door height | 2200 mm | 2100 mm | 2300 mm |
| Standard sidelight sightline | 33 mm | 33 mm | 48 mm |
| Overall U-value, double-glazed | 1.5 W/m²K | 1.4 W/m²K | 1.4 W/m²K |
| PAS24 security | Optional upgrade | Standard (optional laminated glass) | Standard (optional laminated glass) |
| Weather testing | BS6375 tested | BS6375 tested | BS6375 tested |
Ready to get exact pricing for your opening size and property type?
Suitable for Listed Buildings & Conservation Areas
If you need heritage aluminium doors for a listed building or a conservation area it’s usually because planning restrictions require you to keep the same or similar style and proportions as the original glazed doors.
Our heritage aluminium doors have been successfully used on listed building projects, including a Grade II listed property, and approved by several local authorities. These include the London Boroughs of Islington, Camden and Tower Hamlets, Watford Borough Council, Essex County Council and Leeds City Council, as well as Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.
Approval always depends on your individual circumstances, so we’d recommend consulting your local authority about the specific requirements for your property. We’re happy to provide technical drawings, specification details and profile samples to support your planning application. You can read more about how aluminium compares to original steel systems in our guide, Is aluminium a suitable alternative for the replacement of steel products?
We also provide a free sample service to help with your design choices and planning applications. Just call us on 01535 603909 and ask.
Why Homeowners Choose Marlin
Heritage doors are our specialist area. We’re a family-run Yorkshire business and one of the UK’s most experienced manufacturers of premium aluminium heritage products. Here’s what tends to matter most to the homeowners we work with:
- No pressure sales, real care over every detail. We respect you, your property and your project, and our team will talk you through the options and let you make the decision in your own time.
- Quality control from an aerospace engineering background: our manufacturing processes are monitored with well-defined quality controls, with inspections carried out by trained personnel throughout production.
- Full installation service across Yorkshire and the surrounding North of England, or supply-only nationwide (as a heritage aluminium doors supplier) for your own installer. See our installation service.
- A dedicated showroom in Keighley where you can see and touch the different heritage systems side by side before you commit.
- 0% interest-free credit available on heritage doors, subject to terms and conditions. See interest-free options.
- Accreditations that matter: We are Trustmark endorsed, CERTASS registered, and Gold members of the Listed Property Owners Club.
Latest projects
HERITAGE DOORS
Heritage Glazing – Grade II Listed Kingsley House Stamford
HERITAGE WINDOWS AND DOORS
Batt House, Northumberland Alitherm Heritage Windows and Doors
HERITAGE WINDOWS AND DOORS
Classic Heritage Windows & Doors in Alderley Edge
Visit Our Keighley Showroom
Photos and specification drawings only tell you so much about how a door actually looks and feels or how well a frame colour works against the fabric of the building. Our showroom in Keighley is open by appointment Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm, Saturday 8am to 12 noon or by special arrangement outside of these times. Just give us a call on 01535 603909 to make a personal appointment with a member of our technical team. There’s no pressure to buy on the day, just a perfect opportunity to see the complete range and ask as many questions as you like.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Alitherm Heritage and Alitherm Heritage 60?
Alitherm Heritage has a shallow 47mm deep frame and is the closest match to genuine steel doors making it a common choice for listed buildings. Alitherm Heritage 60 has a deeper 60mm frame with a larger thermal break and stronger thermal performance, particularly suiting refurbishment and new-build projects where energy efficiency is the priority.
Can heritage aluminium doors be used on listed buildings?
Absolutely, our heritage systems have been approved for listed building projects by several local authorities. We’d always recommend you consult your particular local authority about the specific requirements for your property and we can advise on the most appropriate door solution for your application.
How do heritage aluminium doors compare to real steel doors?
They replicate similar sightlines and glazing style details as steel but with lower maintenance. See the comparison table above for the detail on thermal performance, security and technical data.
Do you install heritage aluminium doors, or supply only?
Both. Our installation team operates across West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, East Riding and Cheshire. If you’re outside this area, please get in touch as we may still be able to help. We also provide a nationwide supply-only service for builders, self-builders and DIYers who are managing their own installation.
Which heritage door suits a 1920s or Art Deco-style home?
Our Sheerline Classic Heritage door, with its authentic Art Deco stepped profile, is designed specifically with that period in mind.
What's the cost of heritage doors in the UK?
Cost depends on the system, size, glazing, colour and specification. Because every door is made to measure, we can’t publish a fixed price list. A single Alitherm Heritage door costs less than a wider Sheerline Classic French door set, for example. Get in touch for a quote, and we’ll do our best to get back to you within 24 hours (quotes for larger projects may take a little longer). Please note that we offer interest-free financing on our heritage range – Terms and Conditions apply
Ready to Explore Heritage Aluminium Doors for Your Home?
Every project is different and the right door solution depends on your property, your planning and compliance situation and what you want the finished result to look like. Our team is happy to talk through all of the options at your leisure to ensure that you achieve the very best results.
