Stacker Door Cost Calculator

Understanding stacker door costs in Australia

What a stacker door costs in Australia in 2026

Stacker doors are priced by total opening size, panel count and glazing, and the 2026 range is broad. A three panel aluminium stacker around 2.7m wide with standard single glazed toughened glass typically costs $4,000 to $6,500 supplied only, and $5,500 to $8,500 supplied and installed. Step up to a 3.6m opening with double glazing and you are generally at $8,000 to $13,000 installed. A large four or six panel stacker at 4.8m or wider with double glazing and a thermally broken frame commonly runs $16,000 to $28,000 installed. Timber framed units sit roughly 40 per cent above powder coated aluminium for the same size. As a rough per square metre figure, most stacker jobs land between $900 and $2,000 per square metre of door area supplied and installed, with glazing specification being the largest single swing factor.

How a stacker actually works, and what it does not do

A stacker door slides its panels so that they park behind one another at one end of the opening, or at both ends in a six panel configuration. That is the crucial distinction from a bifold. Because the panels stack in a group, they occupy a portion of the opening even when fully open, which means a three panel stacker gives you roughly two thirds of the opening clear rather than the whole thing. A bifold folds its panels back against the reveal and opens close to the full width, and a cavity slider disappears entirely into the wall. Each has different costs and different downsides. Stackers are generally cheaper than bifolds of the same width, run more smoothly, seal better against weather because the panels sit in a track rather than hinging, and have fewer moving parts to go wrong. If what you want is the entire opening clear, a stacker is the wrong product no matter how good the price is.

Panel count, width and structural implications

The number of panels and the total width drive both the door price and the structural work behind it. Wider openings mean larger, heavier glass panels, which means heavier frame sections, more substantial rollers and a stiffer head track, and each of those steps up the cost. More importantly, wide openings need the load above them carried. If you are creating or enlarging an opening in an existing wall, a correctly sized lintel or structural beam has to go in, and that is engineering and builder work, not window work. Depending on whether the wall is load bearing, whether it is brick veneer or double brick, and how much of the roof or upper floor it carries, that structural component commonly adds $3,000 to $8,000 and occasionally far more. Window supplier quotes almost never include it, which is why so many stacker projects come in over budget.

Glazing, energy performance and the code

On a large opening the glass area vastly exceeds the frame area, so glazing specification does most of the work on comfort, noise and energy. Single glazed toughened glass is the base case and the cheapest, but a large expanse of it is a serious thermal weak point, letting heat pour out in winter and in during summer. A low e coating on single glazing is a modest cost increase for a genuine improvement. Double glazing costs roughly 50 per cent more than single and makes a substantial difference to both temperature and noise. A thermally broken frame, where a non conductive barrier separates the inside and outside of the aluminium section, addresses the frame's own conductivity and is worth it in cold climates and where condensation is a concern. There is also a compliance dimension. The energy efficiency provisions of the National Construction Code set requirements for the overall thermal performance of a dwelling, and a large plain single glazed opening in new work often cannot be justified without compensating heavily elsewhere, so check the required window energy rating for your climate zone before locking in the glass.

Tracks, thresholds and keeping water out

The floor track is where stacker doors succeed or fail in practice. A standard track sits proud of the finished floor with a raised threshold, which is unglamorous but works, because the upstand stops water being driven under the door in a storm. A flush or recessed track, where the rail sits level with the floor so the internal and external surfaces run continuously, is the detail everyone wants and is considerably harder to get right. It only performs when there is a properly designed drainage channel beneath the track connected to a drain, adequate fall away from the opening, and ideally a roof or eave above providing some shelter. On an exposed elevation with no cover, a flush track is asking for water ingress. Get the waterproofing detail confirmed by the builder responsible for the wall, not by the door supplier, because when water gets in the two parties will point at each other.

Hardware, security and the details that age

The parts that wear on a stacker are the rollers, the locks and the weather seals. Rollers carry very heavy panels and cheap rollers are the most common cause of a door that becomes progressively harder to slide, so stainless steel rollers with sealed bearings are worth specifying. Locking is the second consideration, since a large glass door is a significant point of entry and a single centre latch on a wide panel is easily defeated. Multi point locking, which engages at several positions up the stile, is a meaningful security upgrade and adds little to the cost when ordered with the door. Weather seals are consumable and will need replacing at some point, so ask whether the seals are a standard replaceable profile or a proprietary part only available from the manufacturer, because that determines whether a fifteen year old door can be serviced or has to be replaced.

Comparing quotes and getting the order right

Ask every supplier to quote the same total opening width, the same panel configuration, the same glazing unit described by specification rather than by adjective, and to state clearly whether the price is supply only or supply and install. Confirm separately who is responsible for the structural opening, the lintel, the flashing and the making good of internal and external finishes, since those are the items most often left in the gap between the builder and the window company. Ask for the window energy rating figures if the job needs code compliance. Finally, check the lead time, because custom sized stackers in a non standard colour are routinely six to twelve weeks from order, and a wall that has been opened up cannot wait. Use the estimator above to set a bracket, then let the itemised quotes show you who has accounted for the structure.