Sue Weiland, Principal of Weiland Sliding Doors, was kind enough to answer a few of our top questions.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself & your job description?
A: Weiland is a family owned business. When Bill Weiland developed the door business in the mid-80’s, he was doing custom woodworking. He was asked to build custom doors using European hardware for a retired contractor’s dream home. Bill essentially introduced liftslide doors to the US and expanded his custom product line to include folding doors and windows. I joined Weiland in the 90’s right out of graduate school. We were much smaller then and we all wore many hats. I was primarily in charge of managing the front office while Bill managed the production floor. As we have grown, we have transferred our commitment and passion to others. I think this has been our best investment. We have been fortunate to find good people who focus on the customer experience and quality Weiland products.
Q: We love your doors! Our favorite is the liftslide exterior door (pictured above).
A: We like this new configuration too! We call it the ewX, the ‘e’ is for exterior and the ‘w’ means the panel slides along a wall. So an ‘ewX’ is a panel that slides along an exterior wall. The iwX is for an interior wall panel that slides along a wall but not into a pocket. We had a single panel ewX at the IBS show last week that was 6’ wide x 13 ½’ tall and it turned a lot of heads!
Q: What do you think is the most important factor when deciding between the liftslide and folding door?
A: The most important factor in choosing between a liftslide and folding door is usually the view outside. Liftslides can be built with much larger panels (individual panels can weigh up to 1300 lbs.) with more glass, maximizing the view. Combined with Weiland’s patented, performance rated flush bottom track (only 3/16” above the finished floor) a liftslide can provide an exceptional indoor/outdoor living experience. Although Weiland also offers a number of folding door options including doors over 13’ tall and over 40’ wide when specified or desired, liftslides are chosen more often.
Q: And when would we want to select the swinging door (or French door)?
A: Weiland often builds custom swing doors and pivot doors for openings that include entry doorways or side doors, particularly for taller openings. These products often compliment our liftslides or folding doors.
Q: What’s new at your company, in terms of advancements? What products are you most excited about?
A: Our motto is, ‘getting better every day’, which means listening to our customers and our employees. In the past 5 years we have made over 300 improvements to our products and processes. We always invite suggestions and comments and as result our company has better products provided with better service, resulting in additional sales!
