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.
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.
