Why Sliding Patio Doors Are Still the Best Choice

Sliding patio doors have been around for decades, and they are the mainstay of many Australian homes, especially in the summer months when they are open for such long periods of time. You may be tempted to replace your current external sliding doors with something else, however. After all, there are plenty of situations where bi-folding doors or French patio doors can look just as good. That said, there is still something about glass sliding doors that makes them the ideal choice for nearly all residences. Why are they still so popular in the country?

Plenty of Glazing

The whole point of glazed doors overlooking a patio is that you want a big expanse of glass to see through. This means that even when your sliding doors are closed, you are able to obtain an uninterrupted view over your garden. What's more, the more glazing your doors have, the lighter and airier it will be on the inside of your home. When you compare typical patio sliding doors with a set of French doors, for example, you will have much more glazing in them. The panes will often reach all the way to the ceiling and the floor. This is unlike French doors which will only offer a partial view. The same goes for bi-folding doors which necessarily have more framework in order to accommodate their multiple sections.

Ease of Use

When you open a bi-folding door, you have to hinge it back and forth on itself, rather like a concertina. Although high-quality bi-folds may operate easily enough to begin with, this mechanism can soon stiffen and need extra lubrication. Even worse, the seals of some bi-folding doors can be very stiff when they are new which means getting them into position to lock them properly requires a great deal of strength. Sliding doors, on the other hand, move back and forth on rollers which require little maintenance. They can be opened and closed with only a moderate amount of pressure so you should be able to operate them with just one hand.

Low-Cost

Unlike bi-folding doors and French doors, which are usually sold at a premium price, sliding doors are much more cost-effective. Not only are they cheaper to produce — even if you want treble-glazed ones — but they are simpler to fit so your installation costs should be correspondingly lower. Even if you opt for a tough frame material like aluminium, sliding glass doors are likely to be the cheapest patio doors you could buy.

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