When weighing up french doors vs sliding glass doors, which is right for your home? We explain the pros and cons of each to help you decide.
HOME & GARDEN

French Doors vs Sliding Glass Doors: Which Is Right for Your Home?

There’s a reason why the patio industry is worth an estimated $883 million. The right patio provides the perfect place to enjoy the summer or family gatherings. Unfortunately, they also come with a lot of considerations.

One of these considerations is the best type of door for your patio. For most people, this comes down to two options: french doors vs sliding glass doors. Since the right type of door can make or break your patio it’s important to think closely before making a decision.

To help you decide we’ve organized everything that you need to know about these two types of doors. That way, you’ll know for sure which type is the best option for your home. Let’s get started!

French Doors vs Sliding Glass Doors: What Are They?

Before we dive into which patio door type is right for your home, it’s important that we first go over some definitions. That way you know exactly what we mean when we discuss these two-door types. A sliding glass door is a door that’s attached to two rollers that open by sliding it to the side.

Typically, these types of doors come with two panels, though there are multi-panel options. One of these panels is fixed in place, while the other one slides. These types of doors come in a variety of sizes.

However, the standard option is nine feet tall and ten feet wide. A French door, on the other hand, is composed of glass that’s separated into panes by a grid system. Instead of sliding to the side, most French doors swing outward and inward on a hinge.

Typically, one panel will have a door handle and lock, while the other one comes with a latch at its base.

Sliding Glass Doors Pros

There’s a lot to like about glass doors. First, they’re a fairly affordable option. This makes them ideal for new home buyers that don’t want to spend a fortune on new doors. And, for a good price, you get a patio door that comes in a variety of materials, styles, and colors that you can choose from.

Sliding glass doors will also usually give the illusion that space is bigger than it is. This is thanks to the unobstructed view of the outside that the doors provide.

Since the door is one unit, sliding glass doors are easier to replace if they ever get broken or damaged. Most sliding glass doors also come with bug screens. This is ideal if you want to keep your patio door open during the Summer without fear of bugs getting in the home. Sliding glass doors are also typically easier to find.

Because they’re more popular it’s usually not too difficult to find a supplier that offers some of the best sliding doors around.

Sliding Glass Doors Cons

Sadly, sliding glass doors aren’t perfect. For one thing, they’re a bit high maintenance. Glass doors can get dirty easily, which means they require frequent cleaning if you want them to be presentable.

If you open and close them often, then you will likely also need to replace the rollers on the doors. Sliding glass doors can also be difficult to install in older homes. They require a lot of planning and likely construction to make it work.

Finally, they’re not great for doorways with long frames. This is because the window panes will usually restrict the width of the door.

French Doors Pros

One big benefit that comes with French doors is their style. These types of patio doors offer a classic style that’s hard to find anywhere else. Thanks to their hinges, French doors are also much more stable than sliding doors.

This makes them a bit safer for security purposes. In addition, you can open both door panels at the same time which creates a larger possible opening than a sliding door.

There’s also a lot of customization that can be done in terms of the window grid arrangement. You get to select the number of panels, the arrangement, and the texture of the glass.

French Doors Cons

Unfortunately, like sliding glass doors, French doors can come with some drawbacks that you should be aware of. For one thing, there’s the cost to consider. Because they’re more stylish French doors are usually more expensive than sliding glass doors.

The price difference can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, most of the time it’s a 10% to 20% price increase from sliding glass doors. There’s also the energy efficiency factor to consider. Because sliding glass doors come with a good seal, they don’t often leak much of the cool or warm air in your home.

Sadly, French doors aren’t as efficient at saving energy. Because there’s a higher probability of air infiltration you’re likely to experience drafts that can increase your energy bill. Problems also arise if you want to install a French door in an older home.

This will involve an amount of customization that can make this option much more expensive. Finally, there’s the space issue. When French doors are opened they require both wall and floor space.

This can infer from the way you set up your furniture. Sliding doors, on the other hand, don’t take up any floor or wall space when they slide open.

Want More Content? Keep Reading

We hope this article helped you decide which is the better option for your home: french doors vs sliding glass doors. Ultimately, the right answer will differ from person to person. That’s because it comes down to personal factors like budget and style preference.

At the end of the day, both options are a great addition to any home. Just make sure you go with the option that you feel most comfortable with.

Did you enjoy this article? If the answer is yes, then you’re in the right place. Keep exploring to find more topics that you’re sure to love.

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