Secco øG Magnetic Sliding Door System

A magnetic sliding door is a sliding door system that lifts heavy glass and steel panels with passive magnets and moves them along a slim track with almost no friction.

Secco Sistemi's øG (zero gravity) system lets you open and close panels weighing up to 1000 kg each by hand, without a motor or electricity. It leaves no threshold in the floor and won the ADI Compasso d'Oro design award in 2022. As an authorised Secco Sistemi dealer and fabricator, WAS recommends the øG system to its clients for spanning large openings in luxury projects with effortless, comfortable operation.

Why was the magnetic sliding door created?

Lift-and-slide systems met architects' demands for weight, width and height. For the end user, however, opening and closing large, heavy panels was not comfortable. The first solution was to add motors, which meant every door depended on electricity.

What was needed was a door that delivered the sizes architects wanted without relying on motors or electricity, and that the user could move with a fingertip. What if the weight of the panel and the friction simply disappeared? The øG magnetic sliding system was developed as the answer to that question.

How does it work?

øG uses IronLev® patented passive magnetic levitation technology. Passive magnets carry very heavy panels on a slim track. Much like a ship floats naturally on water, the panel "floats" along the track.

• No motor, no electricity: The magnets are passive and need no energy to work.

• Almost no friction: Magnetic support replaces wheels and bearings, so the panel moves quietly and lightly.

• Small effort, large load: Tonnes of glass and steel open and close by hand, in a single movement.

Technical specifications

• Load capacity per panel: up to 1000 kg

• Panel height: up to 6 metres

• Panel width: up to 3 metres

• Largest opening: 18 x 6 metres with six panels

• Opening schemes: 2, 3, 4, 6 panels or more; opening to one or both sides

• Threshold: Fully zero threshold, with no barrier between inside and outside

• Visible gap in the floor: Only 8.5 mm, closed with brushes, so there is no trip hazard

• Operation: Manual; no motor or electricity required

• Floor detail: Drainage channel, IronLev magnetic plates, panel carrier channel and a maintenance cover for service

Materials and finishes

Like Secco Sistemi's other steel systems, øG is made from precious metals. Panel and frame are made of the same material, with matching hardware.

• Galvanised steel

  • Powder-coated finish; RAL colour options

• Stainless steel

  • Scotch-brite (brushed), polished or burnished finish

• Corten steel

  • Oxidised finish with a natural patina

• Brass

  • Natural or burnished finish

• Glazing bead profiles: Rectangular, slim and gothic

• Handles: Secco Vitruvio series, in brass or stainless steel

Magnetic sliding, lift-and-slide or minimal sliding?

All three systems are used for large glazed openings, but each answers a different need:

• Magnetic sliding door (Secco øG)

  • Up to 1000 kg per panel, operated without a motor

  • Zero threshold

  • Best for: very large, heavy-panel villa façades and design-led projects

  • Available in precious materials: steel, stainless steel, Corten and brass

• Motorised lift-and-slide systems

  • Large sizes are possible, but every door depends on electricity and motor maintenance

  • Operation can become difficult during a power cut

  • Motorised systems open and close slowly

• Minimal aluminium sliding (EDI)

  • Bonded glazing with a 20 mm interlock, a floor-recessed track and heights up to 3 m

  • Best for: modern façades that need uninterrupted views and an almost invisible frame

  • A motor can be integrated

  • Details: EDI minimal sliding door system

Where are magnetic sliding doors used?

• Large façades opening the living room onto the terrace in villas with sea, lake or Bosphorus views

• Threshold-free connections between the interior and the pool or garden

• Winter gardens and high-ceilinged living spaces

• Large, heavily used openings such as hotel lobbies, restaurants and shopfronts

• Projects that already use steel joinery, for a consistent line with Secco OS2 and Secco EBE windows

• Locations with high wind loads or special acoustic requirements

• Areas where electricity cannot be installed or motorised operation is not wanted

• A good option where there is no room for a motor housing

Award-winning design: Compasso d'Oro

In 2022 øG won the ADI Compasso d'Oro, Italy's most prestigious industrial design award. It is Secco Sistemi's second Compasso d'Oro; the first went to the OS2 system in 2018. The award is given every two years to only around 15 products, chosen from thousands of entries.

The project process with WAS

1. Survey and design

We review your architectural drawings and agree the opening sizes, opening scheme and material options with you.

2. Technical specification

We prepare section drawings for panel weights, glass make-up, the floor detail (drainage and maintenance cover) and hardware.

3. Manufacturing

The system is made to measure in the chosen material and finish.

4. Installation and handover

We install the floor channel and the magnetic carrier system, then fit and adjust the panels.

What determines the price of a magnetic sliding door?

Every project is priced to measure. These are signature-series products offered for premium projects.

The main cost factors are:

1. Panel size and weight: Greater height, width and glass thickness increase system and glass costs.

2. Number of panels and opening scheme: A two-panel system and an 18-metre, six-panel façade need different track and floor details.

3. Material and finish: Powder-coated galvanised steel is the entry level; stainless steel, Corten and brass cost more.

4. Glazing: The chosen glass has a direct effect on price: Low-E, acoustic laminated, anti-reflective or security glass.

5. Floor and site conditions: Feasibility of the floor channel, access and lifting equipment.

For a quotation, send your drawings to info@was.com.tr; every project is priced individually.

Frequently asked questions

What is a magnetic sliding door?

It is a sliding door system that lifts the panels with passive magnets and moves them along a slim track with almost no friction. Secco Sistemi's øG system uses IronLev's patented magnetic carrier technology.

Does a magnetic sliding door need electricity or a motor?

No. The magnets in øG are passive, so the door opens and closes by hand without a motor or electricity. It is not affected by power cuts.

How heavy can the panels of a magnetic sliding door be?

Up to 1000 kg per panel. Panels can be up to 6 metres high and 3 metres wide, and six panels can span an 18 x 6 metre opening.

Does a magnetic sliding door have a threshold?

No, the system has a fully zero threshold. Only an 8.5 mm gap, closed with brushes, is visible in the floor, so there is no trip hazard.

How is it maintained?

The maintenance cover in the floor gives easy access to the carrier channel and the magnetic plates. With no motor or electrical parts, there is no maintenance for those components either.

Which materials is it available in?

Powder-coated galvanised steel, stainless steel, Corten and brass.

What is the lead time?

These products are made to order. The approximate manufacturing time is 16 weeks.

Where can I buy a Secco øG magnetic sliding door in Turkey?

WAS A.Ş. is an authorised Secco Sistemi fabricator and dealer. From our office in Avcılar, Istanbul, we supply and install the øG system for projects across Turkey. For projects in Spain, our overseas office SECH-VEN S.L. serves clients from Marbella.

Contact us about your project

WAS İnşaat Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş. · Cihangir Mah. Güvercin Cad. Baha İş Merkezi B Blok Kat 2, 34310 Avcılar, Istanbul, Turkey · +90 212 422 87 83 · info@was.com.tr