Eclisse has been manufacturing pocket door products since 1989. The founder, Luigi De Faveri, set out to solve the various functional issues that residential customers faced with old-school pocket doors at that time — unreliable operation, noise, and limited serviceability. Over the years, Eclisse has introduced a broader range of pocket doors to address broader use cases and conditions. Eclisse Srl is headquartered in Pieve di Soligo, Italy.
Today, customers have a broader selection of top-quality choices and one of the newer entrants hails from the industrial heart of Germany. Wingburg GmbH, founded by Holger Pollmeier in 2016, focuses on the development, production, and distribution of advanced pocket door components and door fittings. Wingburg evolved the state of the pocket door market further, focusing their innovation on easy serviceability and further advancements in soft-close and push-to-slide devices, employing the best German engineering and advanced manufacturing prowess. The company is based in Hövelhof in North Rhine-Westphalia.
When you compare Italian Eclisse Syntetis Line and German Wingburg Belport you'll see that these two pocket door systems are very similar, but there are some key differences:
- Installation — While either Eclisse or Belport products can be installed relatively quickly by experienced installers, installation crews report that Belport is easier to install thanks to its more advanced product design. It will take a shorter time to assemble the pocket door frame, leading to more efficient on-site installation.
- Engineering design — Eclisse uses a 45-degree angle bracket so the kit is not as easy to assemble or trim as Belport should the site condition require adjustments.
- On-site frame adjustments — Eclisse and Belport are manufactured to the required dimensions. If necessary, Belport allows you to shorten the vertical profiles on the pocket door frame (box), thus providing additional flexibility and allowing you to accommodate a variety of site-specific conditions.
- Taller box option — Belport doors can be up to 2000 mm wide and 3000 mm tall. The maximum height for Eclisse is 2700 mm.
- Rigid pocket door kit — Belport is available in 125 mm (5") and 150 mm (6") wall widths versions. The 150 mm version of the kit is the strongest comparable kit available on the market with a double-layer (1") wall assembly for better soundproofing. If preferred, you can combine OSB boards with drywall. Eclisse only offers a thinner 125 mm option.
- Support for heavy door panels — Belport accounts for heavy solid core or wood/glass panel doors. Belport always uses carriages rated for 120 kg, accommodating a broader range of door compositions and weights without additional adjustments.
- Track visibility — Belport has an all-black track allowing the header/track assembly to disappear visually. Eclisse uses a silver track only which may show the inner parts of the track.
- Soft close options — Belport offers the track with an advanced Push+ (PushPlus) module to manage the closing and opening function of the pocket door. The PushPlus device combines the function of the SoftClose device with Push-to-Open, which catches the panel as it enters the pocket and pushes the leaf out of the pocket when you touch the door edge. Eclisse does not offer this advanced module, available options for Eclisse are limited to the SoftClose device on the lock side and a push-to-slide device on the pocket side.
- Serviceability — Should you need to exchange accessories with Belport, you only loosen two screws to get the track (rail) out of the holders and completely remove it from the pocket. These screws are easily accessible from the door opening.
- Factory-installed comfort accessories — Belport has all the accessories preinstalled in the track, eliminating mistakes and incorrect installation by less experienced crews. Eclisse ships the pocket door kits with loose accessories in the box, relying on installers to properly identify and install them.
- Pricing — A Belport pocket door kit is usually about 15% cheaper in a comparable configuration than Eclisse.
Wingburg Belport is available in the United States as the Dorsis Belport pocket door.
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