Page 12 - Blog

Saving Space with Sliding Doors: The Modern Solution for Compact Living

When it comes to interior design and architecture, optimizing space is often a top priority, particularly in smaller spaces or areas with unconventional layouts. One of the most effective ways to save space without sacrificing functionality or style is by installing sliding doors instead of traditional hinged doors. While a standard 900mm hinged door requires approximately 1270mm of clearance to open fully, a sliding door system eliminates this need, providing flexibility for furniture placement and allowing for a more open feel. Beyond their practicality, sliding doors also bring a sleek, modern look that enhances contemporary interiors.

Where to Use Sliding Doors

Sliding doors are incredibly versatile and can be adapted to various areas in both residential and commercial spaces. Here’s a look at some of the top sliding door applications:

1. Pocket Sliding Doors

Pocket doors are among the most popular sliding door

Buster + Punch: London Born Home Fashion

Why Buster + Punch is a Showroom Standout at SDS London

When I first started working at the SDS London showroom, Buster & Punch immediately captured my attention and quickly became one of my favorite brands. Their products have a distinctive knurled texture—a tactile, on-trend pattern that adds both a bold visual appeal and a sense of comfort to any interior. This unique pattern not only adds grip but also injects personality into even the smallest details. It’s easy to see why Buster & Punch has become synonymous with sophisticated, edgy home design.

From Custom Motorbikes to Luxury Home Details

The story of Buster & Punch is as captivating as their designs. Founded in an East London garage, the brand originally focused on custom motorbikes before transitioning to home fittings. The team’s passion for rare, solid metals drove them to transform everyday functional items into exceptional home details that exude sophistication and durability. Their

Door Stops: Wall-Mounted vs. Floor-Mounted – Small Details, Big Impact

While door stops might seem like minor accessories, they’re actually essential in protecting your walls and doors from potential damage. Despite their compact size, door stops play a big role in maintaining the longevity of your interiors—and they look stylish while doing it! Available in both floor-mounted and wall-mounted options, door stops come in a variety of finishes, sizes, shapes, and designs to suit any room or style.

Here’s a closer look at the key differences between wall-mounted and floor-mounted door stops and how to choose the right type for each space in your home or building.

Floor-Mounted Hooded Door Stops: Function Meets Subtlety

Floor-mounted door stops are perfect for areas where you’d like to avoid drilling into walls, particularly in tiled or waterproofed rooms. These stops are commonly used in bathrooms, where walls might be delicate or protected by a tiled finish. By mounting the door stop to

Celebrating a Year at Our New Wimbledon Showroom: A Milestone in SDS London’s Journey

SDS London Ltd, a leader in architectural ironmongery and hardware solutions, is thrilled to mark one year since moving into our spacious Wimbledon Showroom—a significant milestone in our company’s storied history.

For over 40 years, our Northcote Road Showroom was more than just a store; it was a central pillar of the SDS London identity. It’s where our customers found inspiration, high-quality architectural hardware, and expert guidance. As we celebrate this new chapter, we reflect on the invaluable legacy of Northcote Road and look forward to what lies ahead at Wimbledon.

Our decision to consolidate operations at Wimbledon stems from a commitment to continuous improvement. Now housing our showroom, warehouse, and offices under one roof, this move empowers us to serve our customers even better, offering greater efficiency, an expanded range of products, and a more seamless experience. The Wimbledon

Concealed Door Hinges Explained: Soss vs Tectus

In the realm of interior design, every detail counts. From the choice of furniture to the color of the walls, each element contributes to the overall ambiance of a space. Yet, amidst all these considerations, one often-overlooked feature holds significant potential to elevate the aesthetic appeal of a room – concealed door hinges. At SDS London, we understand the importance of seamless design, and that's why we're delving into the world of concealed door hinges, focusing on two renowned brands – Soss and Tectus. Join us as we explore the installation process and the myriad benefits these hinges bring to your interiors.
 
 
Concealed Elegance: Soss Hinges

Soss hinges have been synonymous with concealed elegance for decades. Crafted with precision engineering, these hinges offer a seamless solution for doors where a clean, unobtrusive look is desired. The installation process of Soss hinges requires meticulous attention to detail but yields

Battling Marine Corrosion: A Guide to Protecting Your Door Hardware from Salt Air

Living by the sea comes with its perks: the soothing sound of waves, picturesque views, and salty sea breeze. However, for approximately 3 million people in the UK who reside on the coast, there's also a daily battle against marine corrosion, particularly when it comes to door hardware. Marine corrosion, accelerated deterioration caused by exposure to the salt-heavy atmosphere of coastal environments, can wreak havoc on exterior fittings like door handles, knobs, and push plates. But fear not, there are ways to protect your door hardware from the relentless assault of salt air.
 
Understanding Marine Corrosion: The Invisible Foe

Before delving into solutions, let's understand the enemy. Marine corrosion, sometimes referred to as sea corrosion or salt spray corrosion, occurs when metals react with the salt-laden air prevalent in coastal regions. The destructive effects of salt spray extend beyond the immediate

Life in the Showroom

I joined the SDS Showroom team a couple of years ago with an interior design background but very limited knowledge of ironmongery. I had a week of product training and passed the Guild Of Architectural Ironmongers Foundation in Hardware course, but with such a vast range of products the real learning happened dealing with customers daily. Every enquiry is different, and it pushes you to come up with new solutions and options for the customer to choose from. Working in the Showroom means there are not two days alike.

Face to face service helps giving a more personal approach to the problem and a better understanding of the issue the customer is trying to solve. Such a niche terminology can make the customer’s journey an unpleasant experience, and being able to express yourself through drawings, gestures and examples that go beyond words is a relief. Besides, customers appreciate feeling and seeing the products in the flesh before making a purchase, and quality products

The History of Keys

As you read this blog almost certainly you have a small toothed and grooved slab of metal on your person, and you use it every day when entering and leaving your house, lets see how these have changed and developed over the years.

 
Did you know one of the oldest locks on record was created in Egypt? “The ancient Assyrian lock” like our modern method of lock and key which consists of a large wooden pronged key which moved a series of tumblers the design spread globally influenced the future of locks.

The years that followed didn’t see many changes to the operational mechanism of locks however many decorative changes to keys which would have been seen across medieval Europe if your lucky enough you still see keys like this used today.

Jumping forward a few years Robert Barron brought us the lever tumbler lock which offered limited security but a much smoother operation this design was later revised increasing the security.

The late 1700s see the likes Joseph Brahmahs

A Guide to Standards

The definition of a standard is ‘a required or agreed level of quality or attainment’.
Buyers need to know that what they are purchasing is ‘up to standard’. No surprise, you need to know that the ironmongery products you are fitting to your door are up to the relevant standard and suitable for the application – especially if the product is to go on a fire door.

Standards list out tests and classifications which a product must achieve to indicate performance, such as the product’s Durability (digit 2). For example, the maximum number of test cycles a hinge can be tested to is 200,00 under BS EN 1935. This would give the hinge Grade 7 performance for durability. This hinge would be suitable for medium, heavy and severe duty doors. Grade 3 hinges are tested to 10,00 test cycles, and Grade 4 hinges are tested to 25,000 test cycles, making them suitable for light duty windows, and light duty windows and doors respectively.

Other classifications include but are not limited

Maintaining Ironmongery

Maintaining different types of ironmongery finishes can be overwhelming, hopefully, this will assist with any queries that you may have. If you purchase a lacquered brass item, it is best to only use a damp cloth using plain water with no cleaning chemicals to clean the surface and a dry cloth to buff and remove water lines. This will preserve the lacquered surface for the period of time the ironmongery is fitted before the lacquer breaks down to the point where the item needs to be re-lacquered or re-finished.

 
Lacquer on ironmongery will only last and preserve the item for a period of time but the length of this period can be completely different depending on location, volume of use, how exposed to the elements the items are. Applied finishes such as polished chrome, satin chrome, satin and polished nickel, and bronze finishes normally last longer outside as a plated surface is far more durable than a lacquered item.

Once again the suggested maintenance

Finishes through the Decades

I started working for SDS in 1995 and found myself thrown into the world of architectural ironmongery.

During this period the industry wasn’t as professional and involved when it came to finishes as it is now, it was perfectly acceptable for ironmongery to be supplied to a project that was close in finish but not necessarily the same, for instance satin stainless steel, satin chrome, aluminium and bright zinc were all different finishes customers would happily install in one premises, that is not what is aimed for now. Now the industry is incredibly accurate when it comes to finishes being used near each other or within the same building, these days customers have the opportunity to match electrical, window and door ironmongery and mechanism faceplates, all in the same version of finish.

When I started, I had polished brass, polished chrome, and satin chrome, satin nickel hadn’t even become popular yet, now some 29 years later there are many variations for

Groel Handle Design

Groël Handle Design - this is the name of a company that has been producing high-quality door handles since 1998. From its beginning, Groël has followed strict guidelines for the production of its handles, ensuring excellence in materials and productive processes. This commitment to quality, combined with innovative design, has made Groël one of the most respected names in handle design in the world.

At Groël, their team is passionate about using creative handcrafted resources and investing in technology that optimizes the product's quality while protecting the environment. Through their daily work and commitment to excellence, they have achieved impeccable results, resulting in the design of handles that defy time. The handle is not just a banal object but an essential part of our everyday life that connects the hand to the home. It is a small detail that can make a big difference in making us feel comfortable in our own spaces.

Groël recognizes this importance