Patio doors are a great addition to any home allowing you unlimited access to you patio area or garden. If you are thinking of installing new patio type doors then you will want to know your options.
These doors are available in basically two types.
- Sliding doors in line on tracks
- Sliding and folding doors
Sliding doors in line on tracks
These sliding patio doors are ideal if space is a problem. French doors for example require space for the doors to swing inwards or outwards, whereas these doors slide to the side on a two track system. Some sliding patio door makers have one of the doors fixed in place and the other door slides to the rear when opened, while others allow both doors to slide.
They are very popular for smaller openings ranging from around 1.5 M (4’ 11”) to about 2.5 M (8’ 2½”). Larger openings can be accommodated though, by adding a fixed glazed panel to either side of a pair of sliding doors positioned in the middle. The main disadvantage of these doors is that when they are fully opened only about 50% of structural opening width is useable for walking through.
The patio sliding door set can be used with larger openings using a triple track system. A triple track will accommodate three or more doors. On a three door arrangement it would be normal to split the structural opening into three i.e. 3 door panels. With three tracks all of the door can slide. The advantage with a triple track system compared to the twin track is that the usable opening will increase to about 66%. For a very large opening it would be usual to have six doors with three sliding to either side with the usable opening in the middle. A three track system can work with openings up to about 6.5 M (21’ 4”). The sliding patio door locks, framing, glass and all accessories are usually supplied together in one package and they are easy to install.
Example of sliding doors on twin tracks
Sliding and folding doors
These interior doors folding to the side are particularly suitable for larger openings. The sliding glass patio door system comprises a number of doors hinged together to form an entire wall of doors. The end door on the line acts as an access door, swinging similar to a standard door for going in and out, without having to open the entire sliding glass door system. Unlocking the sliding patio door lock on each door will allow the entire curtain of doors to slide in a track to one side. Each of the folding sliding doors or bi-folding doors will fold on top of the next. Sliding patio door curtains slide completely to one side and park against a wall or into a recess. Sliding patio door hardware is of such good standard these days that the doors slide open and closed effortlessly. Structural openings up to about 6.5 M (21’ 4”) are no problem for this sliding folding doors system. Even larger openings are possible, however there will be a need for joints in the track system. The main advantage with this door type is that up to 90% of the opening is useable for access.
Example of some folding doors
Conclusion
Both types have their place. For smaller openings the sliding doors are probably the better option. Folding sliding doors can be used in smaller openings but can be a bit clumsy to operate if space is limited. If the room and opening is much larger, then the sliding and folding is the best answer.
Sliding and folding doors are elegant and look fantastic offering the wider useable opening, but at a cost. They are a lot more expensive that the sliding on tracks type. If you have a limited budget sliding doors will still do the job and will look just as good.
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