Do the patio doors you have in your home fit your needs? When you purchased your home, you may not have given a lot of thought to the style and type of doors you had, but, there are a number of things to consider if it’s time for replacement patio doors.
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This article will focus specifically on sliding glass patio doors and how to find the best one to suit your home. From aluminum to fiberglass and vinyl, each material type can help provide a grand entrance to your patio and help you achieve your goals for outdoor living.
When thinking about which sliding patio door is best for you, we recommend asking yourself the following questions:
Identifying the elements that are important to you is an important first step. Now, let’s look closer at patio door materials to help you narrow down your options.
Vinyl sliding glass doors are a great solution for either replacement patio doors, or new construction. Sliding doors work well in tight spaces or situations where your furniture is close to the door, whereas swing doors need the area clear for the door to open to the inside or exterior. Vinyl looks beautiful on a variety of architectural home styles and can even be ordered with a painted frame color for additional design flair. Vinyl is also exceptionally energy efficient, durable and requires very little maintenance.
Fiberglass sliding patio doors are extremely strong and low maintenance. They are durable, energy efficient and can add a touch of elegance to any home. Milgard offers a fiberglass French-style sliding patio door in four exterior frame colors to match your home beautifully. The interior color can be white, or, choose to match the interior and exterior frame colors on Black Bean, Bark or Harmony (shown in photo).
Aluminum sliding glass patio doors can give your home a contemporary feeling. If you are remodeling, consider adding sidelites and transoms for additional light and ventilation to create a wall of windows around your patio door (as pictured). The narrow frames and clean lines help you maximize your view and the strength and stability of aluminum make it a great choice for replacement or new construction projects.
Glass walls are really stunning and have been gaining in popularity due to their ability to help expand living areas, supporting the indoor-outdoor living trend. They come in three operating styles: Bi-Fold, Pocket, Stacking, and each has its benefits, depending on how you plan to use the space. For example, the panels of a pocket door completely disappear from view when the door is fully open, because they tuck into the wall itself. With stacking doors, each panel stacks on top of the other as you open it (pictured below). And, bi-fold doors are bottom, instead of top loaded, which works well for remodeling projects when you don’t want to add a structural header to carry the doors weight.
We would love to know more about your project and which sliding glass patio door is your favorite. With custom sizes available and options that suit replacement, remodeling or new home construction, the possibilities are wide open when choosing the best sliding glass patio door for your home. If you need more inspiration, download our free guide with “6 Essential Tips for Choosing New Patio Doors” or browse our photo gallery.
Sliding glass doors may have first become popular in mild, tropical climates but today they’re common in homes all over the world. In addition to improving the connection between indoors and outside, glass doors act as large windows by increasing natural light and expanding views. Their wide openings are ideal for catching cool breezes and improving ventilation. Plus, they’re available in a wide range of materials, colors, and styles to match any type of architecture.
Read on to learn about the different types of doors, most durable materials and energy-efficient features, so you can find the sliding glass door that’s right for your home and lifestyle.
A sliding glass door is essentially a type of “patio door,” or a door with glass panels that creates a connection between the home and yard. Most people are familiar with the simplest sliding patio doors that have one fixed panel and one that slides on a track to open and close. Many include a screen door panel that lets air circulate while keeping insects out, and kids or pets inside. Sliding glass doors offer a distinct advantage over hinged patio doors because they use floor space more efficiently. For wide openings, sliding doors have additional panels and more sophisticated track systems.
Traditional Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding glass door from the Marvin Elevate Collection
We’re all familiar with basic sliding glass doors; they’re usually a two-panel design that has framed glass panels on a track, with one that slides horizontally alongside the other. For larger openings, a stationary panel or two might be added. Unlike inswing doors that take up interior room, the sliding door design increases the floor space available for furniture or foot traffic. Replacing a window with a sliding glass door makes a small room feel much bigger; in fact, this fairly simple project has become a popular DIY solution for homeowners.
Sliding French Doors
Marvin Signature Ultimate Sliding French Doors
When a door has full-length glass and grids that resemble a traditional window, it’s known as a French Door. A sliding French door combines a modern sliding mechanism with the elegant decorative glass of traditional French doors. The glass door panels have wider stiles and rails, and typically have window grilles. Since they’re designed to evoke a historic look, sliding French patio doors typically have just two panels, although several pairs may be installed side by side to create a window wall.
Lift & Slide Glass Doors
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Marvin Signature Ultimate Lift & Slide Door
A Lift & Slide door expands the sliding glass door design so it can be used on much wider openings. The term “Lift & Slide” describes a precise functionality that allows door panels to slide effortlessly with a simple pull. This unique sliding door mechanism carries several glass panels and stacks them neatly to one side. Features like recessed door sills and a wall pocket can fully conceal the open door to create a seamless indoor/outdoor transition. Lift & Slide doors are the ideal design solution for creating walls of glass that bring the outdoors in.
Multi-Slide Glass Doors
Marvin Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Door
Multi-Slide doors have narrower frames and a unique stacking design that maximizes views. They have at least three panels, and often many more. When multi-slide doors are closed the frame of each panel overlaps the frame of the panel beside it, so the viewable area is larger. As they slide, the moving door panels align in a row to offer more flexibility in adjusting the opening width. Once they’re fully open the panels either stack side-by-side at the edge of the opening or tuck into a wall pocket. Some manufacturers offer push-button motorized operation for even easier operation. Multi-sliding glass doors are the ideal solution for very large openings or when homeowners want a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Optional features like recessed or flush sills and wall pockets are used on both Multi-Slide and Lift & Slide doors to create a seamless transition between indoors and out.
With such a wide variety of sliding glass door types, there’s a door design for almost any architectural style. Whether it’s new construction or a home improvement project, sliding glass doors increase the connection between indoor and outdoor spaces in a beautiful way. You can learn even more about sliding glass doors by checking out The 6 Best Types Of Sliding Glass Doors.
Today’s sliding glass doors are far superior to the old aluminum or wood versions. Made from more durable materials, they’re engineered to be low maintenance while maximizing weather-resistance and improving security. An extensive range of colors and materials make it easy to customize their appearance. When selecting sliding glass doors, you’ll choose from the following materials:
Aluminum
Marvin Signature Ultimate Sliding French Door with aluminum-clad exterior
Aluminum is a durable material that’s very low maintenance and 100% recyclable. Sliding glass doors are often made from solid aluminum, but aluminum cladding is also used to protect the exterior of wood sliding glass doors. Aluminum door frames are long-lasting and available in a wide range of finishes with superior color retention.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass sliding glass door from the Marvin Elevate Collection
High-density fiberglass is a high-performance window and door frame material. It’s impact-resistant, more rigid than vinyl and exceptionally energy efficient. Since fiberglass expands and contracts at virtually the same rate as glass, it creates a very stable glass door frame. It’s even available in dark colors that can resist chalking or fading. Fiberglass sliding doors withstand harsh climates and will maintain their appearance for many years with very little maintenance.
Marvin makes sliding glass patio doors (as well as swinging doors and bifold doors) from its premium composite material, Ultrex® fiberglass. To learn more about fiberglass materials, check out our guide to the benefits of fiberglass windows and doors.
Wood
Marvin’s Ultimate Sliding Patio Door in wood with aluminum exterior cladding
Wood is a renewable resource that provides natural insulation; it’s actually more energy efficient than aluminum or vinyl. When modern paint coatings and sealants are used, wood is a durable choice for sliding glass door frames. Many homeowners choose wood frames because of the wide range of custom stains or paint colors available. Door manufacturers like Marvin use a multi-step paint or stain process that’s baked on to create high-performance finishes that last. Optional exterior cladding in fiberglass or aluminum also prevents warping and reduces maintenance. Solid wood sliding glass doors remain a popular choice because they offer so many finish options. Just like swinging doors, they can be designed to suit almost any architectural style.
Vinyl
Marvin Infinity Replacement Sliding Glass Door
Vinyl sliding glass doors are an affordable patio door option; they’re available in standard sizes that can help speed up a home renovation. Vinyl doors are typically either white or beige because more colorful vinyl fades very easily. Vinyl also has a shorter lifespan than other materials because of warping in hot temperatures.
High-end manufacturers like Marvin make it easy for homeowners to customize sliding glass doors with options like French door grilles, unique configurations, and built-in blinds. They offer a wide range of interior and exterior door finishes, including custom stain and paint colors.
To learn more about different door styles and materials, check out our Buyer’s Guide To Marvin Doors.
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