The patio door
provides the transition from a kitchen or family room
area to your outdoor patio. Apart from the obvious
functional benefits, patio doors also increase natural
interior lighting as well as being a stylish focal point
of a room.
So many people are surprised with the amount of
variables to consider when choosing a suitable
patio door. It is imperative to bear in mind
certain key criteria when choosing your next
patio door. The choices can sometimes not be
easy.
Consider this for instance.
You
need to decide first
of all if you want sliding or hinged
patio doors. Both obviously have their
unique benefits, merits and
downsides.
Perhaps you want
to save some space and therefore rather install a patio
sliding door. Or perhaps you want to make a more bold
decorative statement and therefore choose a hinged patio
door.
So far we haven’t
mentioned material types that are available on the market. If
the first decision wasn’t a mind-boggling one, you will now be
tested. Did you know prevailing weather conditions in your area
play a big part in choosing the best patio door for
you? Don’t worry,
we’ll explain!
The point is that
options are vast. Every style, type and design have their
unique charm, and for each homeowner with a different budget
and distinctive setting, decisions will inevitable differ.
Below we have outlined an overview of some easy
steps to make your process of elimination
easier:
Consider your weather
conditions
It is important to
consider the weather conditions in which you live in.
Your ultimate choice for a patio door will be heavily
influenced by whether or not you live in an area with
long, cold winters or if you live in a more tropical or
hot climate.
Persistent cold
weather will normally call for your patio doors to be
thermally insulated, whereas a more hot climate will
require at least 2 panes of Low-E glass to help thwart
the transfer of heat into your house.
Sliding or Hinged Patio
Doors?
The basic types of
patio doors are sliding or hinged.
Sliding patio doors
are the top choice for space efficiency and admitting
daylight.
These doors contain
two or more individual panels of which at least one is
able to slide from side to side on concealed rollers. The
panels will slide parallel to the wall so they don't
obstructpatio
furniture placement or
walking areas.
Hinged patio doors
on the other hand function in much the same way as normal
doors. They are however completely glazed and normally
hang in pairs. The individual panels of a hinged patio
door are generally narrow and more visually obtrusive
compared to a sliding patio door.
Choose between types of patio doors
Wooden Patio Doors
These door types are
comparatively affordable and therefore worthwhile to
remember when you are working on a budget. They also look
great and have a good insulation factor. As with
anything, there are downsides however. Wooden patio doors
normally need regular maintenance and are also more
vulnerable to moisture problems and ultimate damage. This
problem can nevertheless be easily solved by use of a
watershield.
Aluminum Patio Doors
Aluminum patio doors are often reasonably
priced. They do however have poor insulation factors, and the
paint tend to chip off of them after a while. This type of door
also is also inclined to damage easily and there is normally no
simple way to repair them
Vinyl Patio Doors
Once more, if you’re working on a budget
a vinyl door might be a good choice. They have a fairly good
insulation factor and are straightforward to install. The
downside is that vinyl patio doors are known for cracking and
there are limited color options to choose
from.
'What about installing my patio door?',
you may ask. This is a big task and not everyone can do
it. We have included a video below for a more in-depth
look into this arduous task.
Decorating the
interior of your patio door is equally important. Our experts
therefore meticulously look at the options that decorators have
for patio window treatments. Are you going to install blinds,
or perhaps be a little more creative with colorful curtains
that will grace your patio door area and provide that final
finishing touch? Our section on patio door window treatments
looks at this
issue.
Finally on a
different section of the website we also explore the best the
market has to offer in order to accommodate the family pet. A
Large percentage of patio doors have dog doors built in to make
movement for the family pet easier. If you have a pet, this
might be worthwhile to consider.
One more thing! Durability over time is important to keep in
mind. If you use your patio frequently, you will use your patio
door just as much. Your patio door should therefore have a
well-constructed screen component that will withstand regular
opening and closings.
You can never go wrong with a vote for
quality!
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