Patio doors add a whole new dimension to a home. Replace a window with a patio door and you have a convenient doorway from your bedroom to your swimming pool or garden. Patio doors also allow more light into a room. We replaced a kitchen window with a patio door and I love it and highly recommend them. Here are some things to think about before you start cutting a whole in your house.
Location:
Consider replacing a window with a patio door, as the basic structure is in place and it will make installation much easier and cheaper.
How will the traffic pattern of a new doorway affect the room? Will people be able to walk in and out easily, or will it create an unusable space where you once had a sofa or TV?
Style:
What style do you prefer? Back in the day, sliders were the only option. They work very well, especially when you have limited space, as you won’t need room for a door to swing open. But French doors are lovely and allow both doors to open, giving you a large opening for moving that grand piano you inherited in (or out). Also, French doors have lock bolts that go into the top and bottom of the door and the floor when they are locked, so even without a middle support section, the door is very secure.
If you live in an area where flying insects are a problem you will also need screens. I prefer the sliders, but my husband likes the swinging style because he likes to be able to open both sections (again, in case we get that grand piano). However, sliding screens usually lift out of the track fairly easily (too easily in some cases) so you can still have full access to the opening with them as well.
Size:
Think about size. Our house is small, so we installed 60′ wide doors. Most folks have 72″ openings, so look at your space and decide what width works best for you. If you want more light, you can add solid side-light type windows that make the area look even larger.
Quality and Price;
Our first patio door was an Anderson and I love it. The next two went into a room we added on to our home and they are a different brand. I don’t like them as well. They just don’t seem to be the same high quality. They are ‘sticky’ and hard to open and close securely. Also, the double pane seal seems to have broken and I have moisture streaks between the layers of glass. There’s no way I can clean them and it’s not a pretty site. Double pane insulated glass is a must, at least here in the frozen north, and saves on energy in the summer when the air conditioning
Tags: Flying Insects, French Doors, Patio Doors
