Choosing the right patio doors can be tricky with many options available on the market. Classic hinged doors are becoming a thing of the past, creating space for sliding patio doors, designed to provide a seamless transition between our living spaces and backyards. If you are a first-time buyer, searching for the right pick for your home, this guide will ease your decision-making process.
Patio doors that compliment your home
Patio doors play an essential part in designing your interior; in many cases, they can make or break the design and layout of your home.
While searching for the right solution, consider the architecture of your home. Keep in mind that patio doors should be convenient and still complement your home.
Current home design trends focus on defining your outdoor living space. That’s why patio doors have become taller and broader, covering entire house walls.
Many homeowners design their interior and outdoor space by removing barriers like doorsteps and creating a frameless experience – where glazing plays the main part. If you want to make your outdoor living space feel like a natural extension of your house, first you need to decide what type of patio doors will be the best solution for you.
Different types of patio doors
Whether you are buying patio doors for the first time or want to replace your old ones, there are a few factors to consider. First is the type of patio doors, and there are a several options to choose from:
French doors: A classic option often found in older homes. A pair of doors on hinges with panes of glass. Easy to handle, but normally cannot be very tall or wide due to the stress vulnerability of the hinges. Therefore, French doors are often used in tight spaces.
Sliding Doors: Sliding doors are one of the most flexible, durable, and aesthetically pleasing options available on the market. They fit perfectly into modern home designs with less frame and more focus on glass. At OKNOPLAST, we specialize in building durable UPVC Patio Doors that provide high energy efficiency, lowering the overall cost of energy bills all year.
HST Patio Doors – Oknoplast
You can build a seamless passageway between your interior and exterior with sliding doors. Depending on the opening method, they can take up an entire wall. The significant advantage is that they don’t take up additional space, leaving more room for furniture. You can easily set outdoor furniture next to the moving sash, giving you more space on the terrace.
Bi-fold doors: Another popular type of doors which allow you to stack sashes on hinges creating a wide doorway. This provides greater access and a stronger connection to your outdoor living space. It’s an excellent option if you are looking for space without barriers, although you should consider the wall placement.
Overall sliding doors are the most popular and efficient solution based on their flexibility regarding the size, design, and glazing options. You can easily match them to your house exterior, creating even better curb appeal.
Sliding Doors designed to complement modern spaces
Choosing sliding doors that will suit your home can be challenging due to several factors.
Different materials
There are many materials used for building sliding doors. The main ones are wood, aluminum, and vinyl [also known as UPVC or fiberglass]. Different materials have their pros and cons. At OKNOPLAST we design high-quality UPVC Sliding Doors. UPVC stands for unplasticized polyvinyl chloride. It’s a very durable material resistant to UV fading, is characterized by high energy efficiency, weather resistance, and requires low maintenance.
All our key products, like HST Sliding Doors and COMPACT system, are made of UPVC, making them the perfect option for homeowners looking for long-lasting patio doors.
Convenience and aesthetic
The size and opening method of sliding doors play an essential part in everyday convenience. Our main products – HST sliding doors are based on the lift and slide system, where two rails with sashes slide without overrunning one sash against the other. The frame is made of high-quality UPVC – we can build sashes up to 8ft 2.42in, creating a passage of 7ft 6.55 inches wide!
If you want an abundance of natural light in your home, choose patio doors with a narrow frame. The less frame, the more glass, the more light, and ultimately the better choice. The COMPACT system is a great example of such a design. The innovative mechanism allows us to build large structures with more glazed surface, perfect for homes with minimalistic designs. This system is extremely flexible and easy to adapt to all interiors.
Energy efficiency
For residential properties, keeping a low – E consumption level is important in the annual budget. When you search for patio doors, pay attention to the energy efficiency they provide. Our HST sliding doors and Slide system quality lies in the engineering behind the frame.
Our primary focus is the glazing that takes up most of the sliding door space. By using low-filled glazing with double or triple blades, we can provide a very efficient thermo-divider. In addition to heat coefficient glazing, we use the Warmatec glass spacer, reducing the cold bridge between the wall and frame, providing better insulation to the sash.
Take your time – make the right choice
Frameless sliding glass patio doors are the perfect solution for many modern houses. We hope that with this guide, you understand what types of patio doors are available on the market and what factors are worth considering when making the final decision. If you need help designing your sliding doors, contact our OKNOPLAST experts who will guide you in every step along the way. Let’s talk in one of our showrooms, where we can present our wide range of accessories and design options.
