Choosing patio doors for your home

October 1st, 2007

This takes a lot of thought and it depends on the structure and design of your home and of course personal choice. These come in a variety of designs and structure types. You may prefer a sliding, hinged, or folding door. You could choose a metal, glass or timber door in many variations.

#1 Timber doors
The choice of timber is very important. If your home is very bright, with plenty of light a jarah door leading to the patio with matching dining room and outdoor settings, would look great. On the other hand, if the rooms badly lit a pine door and furniture may give it a lift and the room would appear larger than it is.

If the room leading onto the patio were small, sliding doors would take up less space. Folding doors on tracks would take more room when slid open. This type of door is ideal to make two rooms when closed. When open the door folds back to make one large room. This is great for entertaining a large group of people.

Then there are the normal hinged doors. These can be a single door or two doors otherwise known as French doors. When renovating you can remove a window and replace with French doors. These are ideal for the person adding a spar next to their bedroom, giving easy access.

#2 Metal frame doors
I believe these to be the most common and serviceable doors for entry to the open patio. The glass insert, is made from safety glass and withstands the force of wind and rain. Although I have to admit our bull terrier once ran straight through our one.

These doors come with a sliding fly wire door, which can be fitted with a safety mesh. This helps protect the householders from unwanted intruders. These can be fitted with self-closers, so that if you have your hands full the door will automatically close behind you. Some come with a nylon thread, which you can take off when needing it to stay open for easy removal of furniture and the like.

#3 Installations
You have made the final decisions as to what you like; now it is time to have them fitted. Beware of shoddy work done by unscrupulous companies willing to take your money in return for shoddy work. Before the workers leave, make sure everything works correct. Check that they slide smooth or fold back to the correct angle. If not, complain, until satisfied. You have paid good money and should expect good work.

This should help you with the choices available, and to decide which door is best suited to your particular patio.

When choosing a patio door, the first thing you must do is to decide where you want the door and what purpose it is going to serve. Maybe you want it in order to be able to step on a balcony off your bedroom and be able to enjoy that mountainous view while relaxing. Maybe it will be in order to access a large patio where you will be entertaining guests. Or, as in my case, maybe you are using it on the interior and it does not go to the outside. In any case knowing the purpose it will serve will aid in your choosing the right door.

Patio doors come from several manufacturer’s and come in several styles. There are the basic sliding door type that normally have one door stationary and one door that slides open on a track. These doors are fine for small rooms where space is limited as you can place furniture in front of the stationary door.

You can also get patio doors with swinging door(s). Yes, either one or both doors can swing open depending on the style you choose. You can get them with both doors opening in the middle or the doors can hinge in the middle. Again it is your choice as to style.

Whether you place a door on the interior of your home or on the exterior you want to make sure you have double pane glass. The double pane glass provides insulation by means of argon gas placed between the panes. On the interior the double panes provide some sound barrier. On exterior doors you should also get tinted glass as to help on the heating and cooling.

Door facings are as limitless just about as the imagination. You definitely want to get a door that fits the decor of your home. Depending on the exterior of your home you can choose from several facings. If you have vinyl siding you may want a vinyl door. For wood siding you may choose a wooden door.

Choices are vast for patio doors, everything from color to material, to types of hinges can be chosen especially for you and your home. Placing it in the right position can also add charm and value to your home.

Installation costs can be high as doors are usually 60″ wide or wider. It is possible that you may have to have electrical work done to move outlets or wires in your wall when you install a patio door. Be sure and get an experienced, licensed, insured contractor if you must hire one. Installing patio doors can be easy but if inexperienced the potential for problems are real.

Want to make your home luxurious and unique? An easy way to make a statement is to use doors and hardware to add touches of luxury throughout the home.

Your entry door should showcase your home’s distinctive style. Most people choose to have a wood entry door, with good reason. Wood is elegant, classic and sturdy. Here are some simple steps to choose the right doors for your home:

Consider the style of your home, as well as your own preferences.
A beach house might need an entry door designed to look like a ship’s door. A cabin calls for a rustic door of rough-hewn wood, while a stately Colonial might look best with a subdued mahogany door. Wood entry doors are unique because they can be custom-carved, allowing you to add whatever carvings you want. Manufacturers such as Marvin Windows and Doors not only offer a wide range of pre-selected entry door options, but can also make custom entry systems.

Spruce up your deck with patio and French doors.
Patio and French doors go with any kind of home and are useful in opening up a room and letting in natural light. These doors come in three varieties: sliding, inswing and outswing. Sliding doors offer convenience and beauty where space is tight. Inswing French doors are popular in northern homes where snow outside the door can make it difficult to open, while outswing doors are popular in warmer climates. A new innovation in patio doors is the bi-fold door. This door brings the outdoors in when the door is pushed back, accordion-style. Bi-fold doors are a perfect complement to today’s outdoor living trend.

Customize your home by choosing accents that let you express the way you want your home to feel.
Finish your doors with architectural hardware. From a baroque look, to sleek modern architectural hardware, you can tie together your home design vision with the simple touch of a doorknob.

by Eileen Hughes

Entry Filed under: Sliding Patio Doors