Types of Patio Doors

Choosing the right patio door for your home will help increase the value of your home and enhance its architectural appearance.Aluguard guide to patio door types will walk you through the benefits and options of each patio door.

Whats the difference and which ones suit your requirements?

French doors – a pair of doors that opens out into the garden.

Standard sliding patio doors – usually two glass panels, with one or both sliding.

Bi-fold patio doors – multi-panel units that open in a concertina fashion.

French doors are traditionally hinged double doors that open primarily outwards or inwards. They are called French doors. When the doors are open, you have full access to the width of the opening in which they are installed. However, you are limited by the maximum leaf size, which is usually around 900mm width. Therefore, with both doors open, the maximum opening width is approximately 1800 mm. The full width of the entry opening at a smaller size is ideal for entering smaller properties, or smaller gardens where interior or exterior space is critical ，width dimensions range from 1200mm to 1800mm.

Sliding patio doors give you a wider open space, standard general widths for sliding doors vary from 1600mm to 5200mm. The only problem with sliding doors is that only about 50% of the space can be opened at any one time because when the doors are open they still partially block the open space you have. Sliding doors can be beneficial when space is limited, both exterior and interior, as they don't protrude from your wall line when open. This is a definite benefit in restricted areas!

However, the popularity of sliding patio doors has declined significantly over the years, and an increasing number of folding sliding doors are now offered. These offer the benefits of two French doors, opening the entire width of the available openings up to 4200mm wide, similar to a fully open patio door, but also keeping the amount of space occupied to a minimum.

Bi-fold patio doors function differently than multi-sliding patio doors. Accordion panel doors are multi-panel doors that slide and fold together when open, similar to an accordion. Aluguard also offers a single swing door option for easy daily access without having to open all panels. When the weather is just right, bi-fold patio doors open up a space to let light and fresh air into your home.