Patio doors add to the aesthetic character of a home, so picking the right one is very important. But choosing a patio door is a challenge since you need to consider many variables. Security is just as important as aesthetics, if not more. You’ll need to balance these different aspects and choose a sweet spot.

If you live in an area with harsh weather, insulation will also become a big priority. But most people don’t know about new patio doors, so navigating the market is hard for them. So if you were looking for a quick guide, then you’ve come to the right place.

Patio Door Configuration and Standard Sizes

Patio doors have standardized sizes that most manufacturers make. It adds convenience and uniformity, and standardized things are easier to mass produce. That’s why standard-sized patio doors cost significantly less than custom orders.

There are three main types of standard patio doors– two-panel, three-panel, and four-panel doors. You’ll also get to choose the opening direction– left to right or right to left, you can tell by the location of the door handle.

Triple-glazed doors are stronger but cost a lot more than double-glazed doors. You’ll rarely see those on standard fits, same with the blinder options. Then again, these options usually vary based on which manufacturer you choose, so be sure to compare your options.

Here’s a table showing the most common heights and widths for the different types of patio doors:

Custom-Sized Patio Doors

If the standard fit does not work for you, then you’ll need to order custom doors. The upside is that you can get almost any size you want and pick a lot more features. The downside is the price tag. As you can already guess, custom things cost a lot more than standard. The cost can be doubled or tripled depending on what you order.

There’s also an in-between option, where you can reduce the door frame width to fit a smaller door. But the specifics of such configuration depend on your situation, so you’ll need to talk it over with your contractor. In such scenarios, the overall cost will still be higher than a standard fit but much lower than highly specific custom orders.

Transom vs Full Height

The next thing you need to check is the design. There are full-height doors– pretty self-explanatory; these are your typical floor-to-ceiling doors. They look plain and minimalistic, but there’s elegance in that simplicity.

The other options are the ones with transoms. It is the partition on top of the door and is often separated by a divider. Transoms give a rustic quality to the door, and they can also serve practical purposes like shading and ventilation. You can also customize them with colored glass or tinted glass for better looks.

Materials

Patio doors are very versatile in terms of material. You can have vinyl, wood, fiberglass, or even metal doors. Naturally, different materials have different strengths and weaknesses. Lightweight materials are easier to handle, maintain, and repair.

Wood and metal are the hardest materials to repair, and metal requires high maintenance. The most commonly used material is vinyl. It is cheap, easy to maintain, lightweight, and offers decent protection and insulation.

No matter what material you choose, there will always be pros and cons. One of the main factors you should consider while selecting the material is your weather condition. Wood and metal are more susceptible to weather corrosion.

Frame

After the base material, frame design becomes a very important factor. There are sliding doors, garden doors, and French doors. The door types add depth and aesthetic dimension to the whole structure, so you need to select them carefully.

There are also venting doors, which are door frames with additional ventilation features. While selecting the frame, you need to consider how much space you have. Try to get a reinforced frame so that it adds to your home’s structural integrity. Cheap-quality frames often tend to sag after a few years. That’s a situation you should try to avoid.

Exterior and Interior Finishes and Colours

The exterior paint and colours depend heavily on what material you choose for the door frame. In most cases, wood is not painted over with heavy colours. Instead, they are varnished to bring out their natural grain texture. However, they do require regular maintenance.

Vinyl doors have a wide range of options. The vinyl colour combination includes almost everything you can think of. You could also opt for vinyl laminate, which has more limited options but is wear-resistant. Metal doors require an industrial finish, or you could also paint over them.

Glass

Most manufacturers use tempered glass for their patio doors. These glasses are strong enough to handle north of ten thousand psi. There’s also a matter of layering. Double-layered glasses will have an inner and outer layer necessary for regulating harsh temperatures.

You could go for more premium options of triple-layered glass. The third layer will add insulation and increase energy efficiency. Tempered laminated security glass is stronger than regular tempered glass but costs more.

Blinds & Tints

Blinds and Tints are necessary if you don’t want the sun glaring into your home at all times. Some doors come with those features, and others don’t. You’ll need to check beforehand to figure out what works for you.

Blinds are a better option for areas that receive very harsh sunlight. Blinds will fully block the light, but these are usually only available for standard door sizes. Making custom blinds is a tough job, and you won’t find those everywhere.

You could also use Tinted glass panels at the top, like a transom or awning. That will offer sufficient protection against mild sunlight.

Operation

Operation quality refers to the mechanism behind the patio door. Some sliding doors work better than others. There are many things involved, like high-quality tracks, lubricants, bearings, etc. The lifespan of these components will also vary based on the manufacturer, so try to pick one with a good warranty period. 

Locking Hardware & Security

Good patio door locks will add more security to your property, so choosing the right one is important. There are many types of locks available for these doors. The single-point lock is the most common. These only have one upward-curved locking latch.

Multi-point locks have one upward and one downward curved latch. These are naturally more secure than the single-latch ones. Deadbolts are more secure, but they only work from the inside. You could also go for key locks, but lockpicking is easy these days, so you’ll need to choose a lock that works well.

Conclusion

Well, that’s all you’d possibly need to know about patio doors. So, next time you’re in the market for some new ones, you will be equipped with all the right information to pick the ones that are best for you. Hope this write-up was of help to you. Thanks for stopping by.  

References:

https://anthonyinnovations.com/blog/standard-sliding-glass-door-sizes/

https://windowmart.ca/4-different-types-of-patio-doors/

https://sunshinecontractingcorp.com/blog/2017/12/28/pick-perfect-patio-door-5-tips-help-choose-right-one/

https://www.turkington-windows.com/standard-pvc-patio-door-sizes/#:~:text=The%20standard%20height%20for%20a,roughly%205%20ft%208%E2%80%9D).

https://glassdoctor.com/expert-tips/all-about-glass-doors/sliding-glass-door-sizes-standard#:~:text=A%20standard%20sliding%20glass%20door,larger%2C%20depending%20on%20the%20space.