How aluminium stable doors work
A stable door is a hinged door cut horizontally into two leaves in one frame. Each leaf hangs on its own hinges. Open the top leaf on its own and you get a breeze and daylight, with a closed barrier at waist height. Open both together and it works as an ordinary single hinged door. Aluminium suits the design well. The frame does not swell or warp with the seasons, so the two leaves keep lining up with each other year after year. There is no repainting cycle either, because the finish is powder coated.Four styles of aluminium stable doors
Glass
Both leaves are glazed with 6.38 mm clear laminated safety glass, the standard on every door we build. This gives the most daylight and the clearest view of the garden. Our guide to safety glass explains why laminated glass matters in a door.Cladding
Both leaves are solid aluminium cladding, with no glazing at all. It suits a scullery, a utility room or a side entrance where privacy matters more than light.Half glass, half cladding
The upper leaf is glazed with 6.38 mm clear laminated safety glass and the lower leaf is solid aluminium cladding. It is the middle road: light at eye level, with a solid lower leaf that stands up to knocks, muddy paws and prams.Y-Louvre inserts
The leaves are fitted with Y-Louvre inserts: aluminium louvre blades instead of glass. The door lets air through while screening the view and cutting direct sun. Y-Louvre is not weatherproof, so it suits covered patios and braai areas, laundries, sculleries, service yards and storerooms rather than a door exposed to driving rain.Sizes and prices
- Glass: R11,652 (2,100 mm), R12,505 (2,400 mm) and R13,051 (2,600 mm).
- Half glass, half cladding: R13,919, R14,770 and R15,317.
- Cladding: R15,848, R17,562 and R18,683.
- Y-Louvre inserts: R16,073, R17,674 and R18,768.
The frame is 10 mm smaller
The actual frame of aluminium stable doors is 10 mm less than the catalogue size in each dimension, so a 900 × 2,100 mm door has an 890 × 2,090 mm frame. That gap is the fitting tolerance your builder uses to square and seal the frame. Our guide on how to measure aluminium doors walks through measuring the opening.Aluminium kitchen stable doors
The kitchen is where a stable door earns its keep. Open the top leaf and the kitchen gets fresh air, daylight and a view of the garden or braai, while the closed bottom leaf keeps toddlers in and dogs out. You can pass plates and drinks over the bottom leaf to the patio without opening the whole door.The best style for a kitchen
For aluminium kitchen stable doors, the half glass, half cladding style is the most popular: glass at eye level for light, and a solid lower leaf that shrugs off knocks from bins, trolleys and paws. Choose the full glass style if the kitchen needs as much daylight as possible, and keep the Y-Louvre style for a covered scullery or laundry, because louvres are not weatherproof.Opening direction in a kitchen
Plan the opening direction with the kitchen layout in mind: an inward-opening top leaf must clear the worktop and any wall cabinets beside the door, and an outward-opening one must clear a patio table or braai. For the windows in the same kitchen, see aluminium kitchen windows.Should aluminium stable doors open in or out?
Open in
The leaves swing into the room. This keeps them clear of a narrow step, path or patio outside, and leaves the outside of the frame free if you plan to fit a security gate there. Check that the leaves will not hit a counter, fridge or wall inside when they open.Open out
The leaves swing outside. This keeps floor space free in a small kitchen or scullery. Make sure there is clear, level space outside for the leaves to swing, and that an open top leaf will not block a walkway. “Open in” and “open out” describe the door as seen from inside the room. If you are unsure, stand inside, facing the doorway, and picture which way you would push or pull it.Where aluminium stable doors work best
- Kitchen back doors, for ventilation while cooking.
- Homes with dogs, cats or toddlers, where the lower leaf keeps them in.
- Sculleries and laundries that open onto a yard.
- Farmhouses, cottages and guest rooms that suit the traditional look.
Before you order
- Measure the finished opening and pick the nearest catalogue size.
- Choose glass, cladding or half and half.
- Decide open in or open out, and check the swing on both sides.
- Choose Black, White, Bronze, Charcoal or Natural Anodised.
- Arrange your builder or installer, because the door is supply only.
Supply only, delivered nationwide
Coetz supplies aluminium stable doors across South Africa. We do not install them. Installation is arranged by your own builder or installer, who should fit the door to the approved plans and the relevant glazing requirements. For industry guidance on glazing, SAGGA, the South African Glass and Glazing Association, is a good starting point.Aluminium stable door designs and prices
Aluminium stable doors come in four designs, all 900 mm wide, in three heights. Prices excluding VAT, in White, as at 21 October 2026:
| Design | 900 × 2 100 mm | 900 × 2 400 mm | 900 × 2 600 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glass (both leaves glazed) | R11 652 | R12 505 | R13 051 |
| Half glass, half cladding | R13 919 | R14 770 | R15 317 |
| Cladding (both leaves clad) | R15 848 | R17 562 | R18 683 |
| Y-Louvre inserts | R16 073 | R17 674 | R18 768 |
Black aluminium stable doors cost about 10% more and Natural Anodised about 20% more; Bronze and Charcoal cost the same as White. Open In and Open Out are the same price. See black aluminium stable doors and every size in aluminium stable door prices.
Frequently asked questions
Do aluminium stable doors come with a frame?
Yes. Each door is supplied in its frame. The frame is 10 mm smaller than the catalogue size in each dimension.Can the top and bottom leaves open separately?
Yes. That is the point of a stable door. Open the top on its own for air, or open both together to walk through.What sizes do aluminium stable doors come in?
900 mm wide, in heights of 2,100, 2,400 and 2,600 mm, in each of the three styles.Does opening in or out change the price?
No. It is the same price either way, but you must choose one before the door is made.Do you install stable doors?
No. Aluminium stable doors from Coetz are supply only. Your builder or installer fits them.Order aluminium stable doors online
See every size and style in hinged and pivot doors, or start with the 900 × 2,100 mm half glass, half cladding stable door. For an opening that is not a standard size, request a quote.Related: aluminium back doors and clad aluminium doors.
More stable door guides: aluminium stable door prices and black aluminium stable doors.
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