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Choosing the right Door style – Some tips and advice

At Frameless Glass Curtains, we’ve worked with many homeowners looking at the different types of doors available to them when renovating their home or building a new extension.

When doors are this close together, the sight lines of the meeting doors are obvious.

The right choice of door is important. Nowadays a door is not just a door – what you choose can affect how you use your available space inside and outside your home as well as your garden.

It’s also worth considering the buoyancy of the property market in London, the South East and other areas as well. The right choice of door for your home can have a bearing on the price of your home should you sell it in the future.

Garden views are hugely important to homeowners today. One needs only to look at the many home renovation shows, publications and websites. Most of these will create homes and extensions based around maximising space, making the most of the views from the home and adding value to our properties.

There is no doubt that a door, whether a Bifolding doors, sliding door or french door offers a better solution than a window. So what door options are available to you?

Bifolding Doors

Folding doors are the types that either concertina back or, like our frameless glass doors comprise separate door leaves that slide back independently and then stack neatly to the one side.  These are also known as folding sliding doors, slide and turn doors or simply folding doors.

Sliding Patio Doors.

A sliding patio door ranges from two leaves right up to four or sometimes more. There are a number of sliding door systems available in the market. These range from patio doors designed so panels slide neatly behind each other. The other more sophisticated option is for doors that slide completely out of view into a wall.

We have previously written about the difference bifolding doors or sliding patio doors, click here to find out more.

French Doors

These are the traditional hinged doors founding properties old and new. French doors feature glazing bars, side lights or toplights and either open in or out.

The French doors are often the cheapest option but in our view offer a home the least versatility and flexibility.

What door offers the best view?

In our experience all doors offer a view out to your outside space, however the folding or sliding door provide the better view.

This is generally because folding and sliding doors are fitted to far larger structural openings than French doors, therefore maximising the possible view thanks to larger glass panels, bigger widths and taller heights.

There are pros and cons to both folding and sliding doors when made of aluminium, pvcu or timber. Folding doors when closed will give you several door leaves all connected together when closed. So whilst the view will better when open, it may not be the best when closed.

Sliding doors may be better if the view from the closed door is better for you because they allow larger glass panels.

What doors suit what properties?

French doors you may find more suitable to traditional properties such as cottages. It is true French doors lend themselves better to greater variety in glass design such as Georgian bars and leaded windows.

If a French door is what will work best in your particular home then this may be the better option.

Both bifolding for sliding doors might be considered better for the modern extension, but in our experience these can work in the older home as well. Colour choice, profile types and the overall door design can make the difference between a modern door working well with an older property or one that is unsympathetic to it and stands out from it.

One advantage of folding sliding doors is that they open up the space. They can even be used internally to separate a space and open it up as needed. With a folding door and one of our frameless glass doors, it’s perfectly possible to create an additional living space in the home.

Sliding doors are also great but most people will opt for the stacking type of doors. Whilst the larger the door the larger the open element of it, there will always be visible doors when fully opened. This may not be as preferable as stacking folding doors that are all opened and neatly stacked on the one side.

Let us help you choose your prefect door.

At Frameless Glass Curtains, we offer innovative folding doors that are designed to maximise the space and views from your home thanks to their glass construction and minimal use of visible aluminium.

But we also provide the very best in aluminium swing doors and aluminium bifolds giving you a one stop shop solution for your home.

We’ve helped transform thousands of homes all over the UK with our range of modern, thermally efficient and secure door products. Contact us today and let us work with you to help you create your ideal home extension or renovation.

We also offer a full range of aluminium windows, bifolding and sliding doors,
and front doors as FGC Bespoke Aluminium.

Visit the FGC Showroom

You can now visit our showroom in Strood, Kent.

The full range of Frameless products are on display in wide variety of configurations.

We request you contact us to make an appointment before visiting to avoid overcrowding.

Find out more about the FGC Kent showroom.

Reviews on Facebook and Google

FGCExcellentFGC4.5 Based on 42 reviews fromSee all reviews review us onWayne T.Wayne T. ★★★★★ Very happy with the service I have received, everything went smoothly no issues, I was kept up to date throughout the process and the fitting team were very professional, polite and friendly I would recommend fgc to anyone thank youKayleigh C.Kayleigh C. ★★★★★ Amazing service, great aftercare, incredible product. It was hard to find something that would fit in our house and would have been pleasing to the eye aswell as stylish and modern and unique.From sales to install was smooth and stress free amazing bunch of people to work with I had a great experienceInci P.Inci P. ★★★★★ Great product with diligent, professional staff from start to finish. Highly recommended.Paul B.Paul B. ★★★★★ Firstly I have to say a huge thank you to Paul the owner of FGC for being willing to take on the job of sorting out the extremely shoddy and poor installation of the Origin doors and windows fitted on my new build home, when it was built. And replacing the damaged gaskets. I had your guys with me for two days this week. What a breath of fresh air comparted to the people of originally installed my doors and windows. Extremely professional and lovely chaps. They worked tirelessly to sort out the many issues we had. Would absolutely recommend 100% THANK YOU !Response from the ownerGood Morning Paul, Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. We are absolutely delighted to receive it and are pleased we were able to resolve the issues for you. It’s been a pleasure working with you. If you have any further need in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us. Lisa S.Lisa S. ★★★★★ Very helpful and good communication, great product. Thank you.Dave S.Dave S. ★★★★★ Very happy with doors. Look great. The installation was quick and straightforward.Will recommendRH K.RH K. ★★★★★ FGC were brilliant. Great advice on the best windows to get. Extremely good installation. Always ready to solve any installation or manufacturing issues. We are extremely happy with the end result!Joy W.Joy W. ★★★★★ Frameless windows were brilliant, Liam Alfie and James were great, polite, courteous, and left the site clean and tidy. The windows look amazing, Great service from start to finish. Many ThanksRayRay ★★★★★ We love these doors and look forward to having them open a bit more once the patio has ben completed. They really have a "wow" factor and this becomes a double "wow" when people are shown how the corner can be completely opened up. It was about a year from my first enquiry to the doors being installed as there was a considerable amount of building work required to prepare the room. throughout this period I remained in touch with FGC and the service was exceptional. The installation team was on site for a day, starting early and working through to completion before driving back to Kent!! We have been really pleased with the standard of workmanship and even had compliments from other tradesmen working on the room (most of whom had never seen doors like this). These are expensive doors but the price difference from a normal set of bi-folds was well worth it for the uninterrupted view you get. The doors were installed in February but I have held off doing the review until the room was more finished so I could post a more representative picture. Once the patio is done the look will be even better than we originally envisaged. I have attached a few pictures of the room (the white table is only a temporary measure while we wait for the new coffee table).Sharon B.Sharon B. ★★★★★ From first contact to installation, my interactions with FGC have been easy, fast and professional. The end product is superb, we are so happy with our new doors - wish we had done this years ago. Well done FGC!!Jayne N.Jayne N. ★★★★★ This is the second time we have installed FGC and we are very happy with our second installation- very sleek and stylish and all staff very helpful, thanksD JD J ★★★★★ Frameless Glass Curtains have few competitors so they could take a lax approach to their work. However, that is not the case. We have had a porch installed in a space that was not square or aligned. The service from survey to finish has been above standard. Barry’s attention to detail and determination that the work would not be complete until his high standards were met was much appreciated. The communication from the admin side was clear and helpful. So all in all we will be using Frameless Glass again and have no hesitation in recommending them.Brian S.Brian S. ★★★★★ Brilliant product, what a difference, no frames to block our view of the Brecon Beacons. The service has been the best I think I have ever received and the fitting team were faultless - they travelled 5 hours to get to us in Wales, arriving 30 minutes early, working flat out without a break for 9 hours before driving 5 hours back, all without one complaint!!Catherine U.Catherine U. ★★★★★ Ordered Crittal-style French doors in aluminium. The doors look fantastic and are so much better than the ancient sliding doors I had before. The company were very friendly and easy to deal with. They were understanding of my delays due to a flood. The installers were professional and polite and poor things had to work on the hottest day of the year. Would definitely recommend FGC.Laura G.Laura G. ★★★★★ Really great service from this family run company. We love the doors and the install was top notch. Thanks!Info Oad S.Info Oad S. ★★★★★ Great service and amazing finish! Would highly recommend!paul R.paul R. ★★★★★ Highly competent office and site staff, great product and at a fair price. Couldn't be happier with the entire experience and end result.vanessa C.vanessa C. ★★★★★ From the beginning to the end, everyone at FGC have been amazing. I knew straight away that the glazing FGC would provide and install would be spectacular and how right that was! The FGC glazing allows our Edwardian stained glass door to still be a main feature and in fact it shows it off perfectly. We are so happy with the end result and can’t praise FGC highly enough, somehow 5 stars doesn’t seem to be high enough.ZorèZorè ★★★★★ Their windows are second to none. No other company in Germany, UK or anywhere else can produce such a fabulous product.Any issues that has come up, they always come & fix it. The staff are so nice and polite. For a small company they do really a great job over all. The main things are the frameless bifolds that you hardly have any frame in the line of vision and there is a 5 years guarantee. Mr & Mrs JahediFiona G.Fiona G. ★★★★★ Delighted with our new frameless glass doors. Had lots of lovely comments, even all the trades who have been working on our house have said they've not seen anything like them. Great having something a little unusual. The quality of the doors is of a very high standard. The service from FGC has been very good too, from ordering through to installation. All went very smoothly with no problems. Paid a bit more than regular bifolds, but worth every penny. Best decision, no regrets at all.Andrew H.Andrew H. ★★★★★ Great service and very welcoming for my father and I. Adrian in particular was very efficient, gave great pertinent advice and guidance on my future purchase!Des P.Des P. ★★★★★ Excellent in all aspects from initial viewing in showroom to actual installation.TonyTony ★★★★★ Excellent service and product from FGC.I have a glass-box conservatory, built with structural glass about 20 years ago. The 2 sliding doors needed replacing, along with 2 side panels, and I contacted dozens of companies selling conservatory doors and none of them were prepared to install their doors because of the perceived risks of working with structural glass.Then I found FGC who, with no fuss at all, carried out a survey, provided a very reasonable quote for the doors/panels and then installed the doors/panels on the agreed date.Communication with the FGC office was always quick and easy. The surveyor and installation team were efficient and courteous. The product works beautifully.We can now use our conservatory again. Thanks FGC.Arun S.Arun S. ★★★★★ Great company with excellent, friendly and responsive service, the guys were helpful and efficient with the installation and the slide and turn doors are a fantastic product.Matt G.Matt G. ★★★★★ Fantastic service from start to finish, from the surveying, contact with office to the workmen. I have experience through work of a number of companies providing similar products and these guys have been by far the best to deal withDavid W H.David W H. ★★★★★ FGC installed a two-panel frameless glass door at our property yesterday. Wow!! the installation is exactly as discussed, and was carried out by two of FGC's team members who were so professional and courteous. They were excellent, and we have no hesitation in recommending FGC and their team to anyone considering such an installation.We are delighted with the installation, and very pleased we chose FGC.Well done FGC!!Border S.Border S. ★★★★★ The quality of the windows / doors are second to none.The customer service was first class from placing the order to installation we were kept informed at every step.The installation team led by Richard left our house and patio cleaner than when they arrivedI would recommend FGC 100%Tony- BurnleyStephen H.Stephen H. ★★★★★ From start to finish everything was excellent.Fab u lasThank youStephen O.Stephen O. ★★★★★ BRILLIANT SERVICE FROM START TO FINISHHighly recommended.Nathan P.Nathan P. ★★★★★ We purchased a beautiful Origin sliding door and side window from FGC. FGC installed the sliding door and window on time, however the sliding door did not fit correctly. Issues can happen. FGC made the process of re-surveying and re-installation very simple. FGC is a very pleasant and professional company to deal with. We are very happy with their service and would strongly recommend them.Darius C.Darius C. ★★★★★ I love my doors! It’s transformed my place. The people are great, no nonsense, organised and efficient. I’d recommend them to anyoneAdrian W.Adrian W. ★★★★★ Excellent planning and product advice. All the staff were polite courteous and friendly.On the day of the installation, the team arrived bang on time -we live in Wales so a long drive from Kent! They had the job done by lunchtime (fitting a sliding patio door) and I have to say that on first impression of the unit, it looks and feels like solid quality.Ian J.Ian J. ★★★★★ We had a 5m stretch of these wonderful doors installed several years ago and have been very happy with the uninterrupted view of the garden that they allow from the living room. They are admired by every tradesman who sees them. A minor problem we experienced with water ingress last year was promptly and effectively resolved, and the doors were serviced for free at the same time.Response from the ownerHello Ian, thank you very much for leaving us a review and glad you're happy with your doors and our service. Elly BElly B ★★★★★ Great staff and great products! Have visited the showroom to view doors, really loved all of them! Have referred to a friend - Can't recommend enoughAdam F.Adam F. ★★★★★ Really great doors. Really are something different. Expensive, but you really pay for what you get here.js_loader

What our customers say

we are very pleased with our new porch door which enhances the look of our Victorian house. Very professional job from beginning to end with a great deal of trouble taken to get the measurements exactly

Philip N Brown
Phil & deborah

I am very happy with the installed doors. The fitters did an excellent job. They arrived on time, were polite and helpful, and went through all of the relevant information with myself and my wife. They also cleaned the windows at the end of the

David Thurston
David

We have been amazing our friends and family with our FGC since we had it installed a few weeks ago. Every ‘trade’ that is working on site has been fascinated and suitably impressed with the product and engineering. We are over the moon as it has really been the star of our home extension. Thanks too to the installers who were

Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson

Our FGC sliding doors were installed in May 2018. Although we have had two relatively minor problems – neither of which stopped the doors from working – FGC have attended very promptly to carry out remedial action. Excellent customer service from head office and excellent service from install technicians. Many visitors comment most favourably on appearance and functionality. Overall rating 10 out of

Nick Medlam
Medlam

Thank you for your excellent after sales customer service it is exceptional. The track coating was repaired to a very high standard by Dan the “Magic Man”, he is very professional and his work is very good, to the point that it is difficult to spot where the repair has been made. Best wishes to all at FGC for a successful future. Regards

JD
We are very pleased by the results the only comment will be re protecting the work area to avoid dust or waste. As to how we were from initial contact (were we polite)? Yes great service and very responsive Arranging installation (were we on time and on schedule) Yes Were we clean and tidy? Not really as mention above And finally are you pleased with our doors (would you Recommend us)? Yes and Yes May

As to how we were from initial contact (were we polite)?   Very polite and attentive, always got back quickly with answers to queries but there was no hard sell which I really appreciated after being bombarded by calls and contacts from other companies!  The measuring up part seemed more complicated than it needed to be.  The initial drawings and some of the subsequent ones had errors on that I needed to phone and change

As to how we were from initial contact (were we polite)? Initial emails were very prompt, informative and positive and yes polite. Keen to accommodate our visit to the workshop and everyone very friendly. Arranging installation (were we on time and on schedule) Installation ahead of schedule and were on time on the day. Were we clean and tidy? Yes, the work area was left clean and work completed to a good standard. And finally

Dealing with FGC has been a straightforward and hassle free experience from start to finish. I had several queries long before placing an order and FGC were always prompt and helpful with the responses. Then at site survey time they attended on time, with courtesy calls leading up to the appointment to keep me advised, the surveyors were very knowledgeable and again helpful. This gave me great confidence that I’d made the right choice by

Matt Chenery
Matt C

We are really thrilled with our doors and the whole process carried out by yourselves. Thank you so much again. Mrs Newell

Thank you for a brilliant product I am so glad I chose FGC for my windows/doors everybody who sees them is so impressed by them but mostly my wife and myself! Thanks again [and your team] Best regards Brian

We have been very happy with the service you offer and indeed the product. We found the office responded promptly and the delivery was swift and when promised. The fitting staff were professional, polite and unintrusive. We would be very happy to let people look at our installation.

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Published on March 20, 2016

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