When designing a home, choosing the right Patio Door is critical. Most of us don’t think much of Patio Doors, but they are very important and can dramatically affect the look and feel of your home.
You don’t need to settle for everyone else’s bland glass doors. Since, for many homeowners, the patio is an important part of the home that sees daily use, there’s no reason not to make it unique. You want doors that will offer adequate protection but also work well with the style of your home.
In this guide, we’ve compiled everything you need to know about patio doors – what specifics you need to look for when choosing your patio doors, both in terms of style and safety.
What are the different types of patio doors?
Understanding the different styles of patio doors is important when deciding what kind would best represent your lifestyle and which would go best with the existing style of your home.
Sliding Doors
We’re starting with the obvious one because, let’s face it, most patio doors use a sliding mechanism. This ensures ease of access to the exterior of your home and doesn’t disrupt the furniture arrangement in the room. The sliding door is convenient because of its ease of use. It’s a fairly simple but timeless design, which is why many prefer it to other types of patio doors.
Depending on your space in the room, your sliding door might go in both directions, though most models typically only slide one way. A sliding glass door is usually made up of a double-glazed, single-panel set in an aluminum or PVC frame. This is usually enough to protect against forced entry and harsh weather.
Note – if you live in an area prone to hurricanes and extreme weather, however, you may want to look into hurricane patio doors, as those are thicker, sturdier, and generally better equipped to withstand a hurricane.
While most people associate patio doors with sliding doors, that is not the only style you can expect.
Bifold Doors
As the name suggests, the bifold door folds in on itself. This makes it similar to the sliding door because you don’t need to worry about your door bumping against furniture.
When you open a bifold door, you practically rely on a hinge that allows the doors to fold up twice over themselves, creating a concertina effect. Bifold patio doors certainly add a classy element to your patio. They are elegant but also very well-suited for smaller spaces. Bifold doors are ideal for smaller patios, where a traditional or sliding door would block off a significant chunk of space, allowing poor access to the patio.
Normally, bifold doors are made up of a glazed panel, similar to the sliding door, fitted inside PVC or metal frames. What’s great about bi-folds is that you can also get wooden doors, which improve your patio aesthetic.
French Doors
We can’t talk about patio doors without mentioning french doors, as they are another popular choice for homeowners. The French door is similar to a normal, hinged door. As you can expect, it relies on hinges inside the frame that allow the door to swing back, forward, or sometimes both ways.
The major way French doors differ from traditional ones is that they are made largely of glass. And while that would make them somewhat inconvenient for front doors, it makes them perfect for patio doors. Since your patio is typically an enclosed space leading to a terrace or garden, you probably want to get as much of a view as possible. And since French doors are made largely of glass, they offer an excellent view of your patio.
The frame consists of materials like aluminum, PVC, or wood. Doors can be glazed with various materials that provide Safety, aesthetics, and resistance to extreme conditions.
Cabana Doors
Last but not least, you’ve got the cabana door, which is the closest you get to an “actual door”, through its design. Though typically made of glass (often impact-resistant glass), the cabana doors come in single or double-door variants. They usually feature two window panes stacked on top of each other and separated by a thin ledge.
Like most door and window options, cabana doors can be made from various materials, including fiberglass, aluminum, and timber. While the cabana door might not be as modern, it’s still considered one of the classiest options for your patio.
Cabana doors are also associated with durability, even if they don’t have the same ease of use as sliding doors.
What are the best materials for patio doors?
As with any part of the house, you can pick up materials for patio doors. While each material has its pros and cons, the biggest favorites for patio doors are vinyl (PVC) and aluminum.
The reason is that both vinyl and aluminum are extremely durable and offer a high level of security. They are also extremely low-maintenance materials that, unlike timber, won’t require lacquer or other treatments to maintain their condition.
PVC and aluminum also offer a pretty good soundproofing element, allowing you to blot out external noises when you want to. Lastly, both materials are highly customizable, which makes it easy to blend them into the style of your home. They can replicate wood or offer a lot of variety in terms of design.
Patio Doors: Other elements to consider
When choosing a patio door for your home, it’s not enough to think about the style or the aesthetics. You want to consider a few other aspects to ensure you get the most efficient patio door and the most appealing one. Such as?
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Price – generally, the cost of your patio doors will depend on the materials used. Sliding and bifold doors have similar prices, using a similar mechanic. Depending on frame material, they can range between $2000 and $5,000; cabana and French doors cost significantly less, ranging between $200 and $2,500.
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Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) – the SHGC tells you how much heat from the sun permeates your windows. Presumably, you want patio doors with low SHGC, meaning they won’t let a lot of heat in, since this is mostly a problem in summer when you want to keep your home cool.
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U-Factor – the U-Factor refers to how well the doors receive non-solar heat. Once again, you want a low U-Factor for optimal energy efficiency.
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UV-Protection – You also want to consider your doors’ UV protection factor. Prolonged exposure to UV rays can damage the interior of your home, carpets, and furniture, so make sure you pick patio doors with low emissivity!
Bottom Line
Whether you opt for a bifold, sliding, cabana, or French doors, you want to ensure you properly understand the benefits and downsides of each type of door. We hope that you found this guide helpful in your search for Patio Doors.
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