The Modern Patio Door
Patio doors are a lot more than just a way to head outside. These doors can have a big impact on your home’s safety, comfort, beauty, and value. In the past, patio doors were either traditional doors that swung open or simple sliding doors that included one sliding panel and one fixed panel. Thankfully, homeowners today have more options than even before when it comes to doors. Three excellent choices that offer plenty of flexibility are folding doors, stacking patio doors, and multi-sliding doors.
Folding Doors
These doors swing and slide open using multi-slide and folding hardware. If you have folding closet doors, these work in a similar way but on a much larger scale. Imagine several large patio doors together that you can slide open. As the doors slide open, the doors fold up accordion-style. That’s how folding patio doors work.This is a great option if you want lots of light and air. These patio doors essentially allow you to open up an entire wall of a room to the outdoors, making them perfect for higher-traffic areas and for letting in optimal amounts of fresh air. When they are closed, the multiple panes still allow in plenty of light. Since the doors fold in an accordion fashion, they take up less room than doors that swing open (even though still require more clearance than sliding doors).
Stacking Patio Doors
As their name implies, stacking patio doors stack up behind a fixed panel. As you open the multiple panels of these patio doors, the panels slide together and completely out of the way, leaving you with a wide open area between the outdoors and indoors. Unlike traditional sliding doors, where there is one sliding panel and open fixed panels, stacking doors allow you to get multiple panels out the way, leaving you with more air and light.Stacking doors can be used with or without screens. They are ideal if you want a larger open area but do not have a great deal of clearance for patio doors that swing open. Stacking patio doors may also be right for you if you want to let in more air and light than with traditional doors. They can be installed so that they lead out to a deck, garden, or patio. You can customize them with three or more panels, letting in as much of the outdoors as you choose.
Multi-Sliding Doors
These doors slide open on track hardware. They are easy to use and are perfect for patios or decks where you might not have room for doors that swing open. These unobtrusive doors blend in well with your exterior, too. Since these doors have multiple panes that slide open, they allow more versatility than many styles of patio doors and can be opened for maximum air and light. Multi-sliding doors are also quite flexible in design and can be made on a smaller scale or on a very large scale that essentially opens up an entire wall of your home.All patio doors come with certain options. You can choose more energy-efficient doors and choose from energy efficient, tinted, protective, textured, or decorative glass as well as different wood and finish options.When considering doors for your project, consider how much privacy you will need and how much access to the outdoors you will want. If you want more privacy when doors are closed, tinted screens are a good idea. If you are concerned about safety, look for protective glass and a good lock system. If you are most concerned about creating the largest open space possible, consider multi-sliding or stacking patio doors with multiple panels. Carefully consider where and how the doors will open. If you do not have much space, stacking or multi-sliding doors may be the least obtrusive, especially if you are trying to make the most of an indoor room and an outdoor area such as a deck or garden.
Do you have more questions about how to create the perfect entryway between the outdoors and indoors? Would you like to create a wonderful system that lets you enjoy summer a little bit more? Contact Eden Window & Door to find out more about patio door solutions that can fit your needs. Our expert staff would be pleased to hear about your project and assist you with quality doors and installation.
