When you order a sliding window or door from us we ask for its configuration — which panels slide and which are fixed. On a hinged door we ask which way it opens instead. This page explains both, so you can answer with confidence.
Sliding windows and doors: X and O
A sliding configuration is written as a short run of letters, one per panel:
- X — a panel that slides.
- O — a panel that is fixed and does not move.
Read the letters from outside the building, left to right. This is the single most important part to get right. Standing outside and looking at the window, write down what you see from your left to your right. All our drawings and quotes use the same convention, so an elevation on your quote can be checked against the letters without having to translate anything.
So XO and OX are the same window with the opening on opposite sides. XO slides from the left as you look at it from outside; OX slides from the right. They are not interchangeable — the handle, the lock and the flyscreen all end up on the other side.
The configurations we make
| Configuration | Panels | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| XO | 2 | Sliding panel on the left, fixed on the right. |
| OX | 2 | Fixed panel on the left, sliding on the right. |
| XXO | 3 | Two sliding panels on the left, fixed on the right. |
| OXX | 3 | Fixed on the left, two sliding panels on the right. |
| OXXO | 4 | Fixed at both ends, two sliding panels meeting in the middle. |
| OXXXXO | 6 | Fixed at both ends with four sliding panels between them. |
An all-fixed frame is written the same way — OO is a two-panel fixed light. It is a valid configuration, not a mistake.
Hinged doors: handing
A hinged door does not slide, so X and O do not apply. Instead we need its handing — which side the hinges are on. Again, stand outside and look at the door:
- Left hand — hinges on the left as you look at it from outside.
- Right hand — hinges on the right as you look at it from outside.
- Double / French pair — two leaves meeting in the middle, hinged on both outer edges.
Handing decides where the hinges, the lock and the handle are fitted. A door made to the wrong hand cannot be turned around on site, so if you are unsure, tell us and we will confirm it with you before anything is built.
Still not sure?
Answer with whatever you know and add a note — a sketch, a photograph of the opening, or simply “not sure”. We would far rather confirm it with you than guess. Call us on (02) 6652 6955 or email sales@amia.com.au.
