Everything You Need to Know About Sliding Doors

Everything You Need to Know About Sliding Doors

Sliding doors have become a popular functional alternative for traditional doors, not just in small homes where the need to save space is vital. Its usage has also grown substantially even among owners of affluent homes. What drives the popularity of sliding doors across most home segments? Sliding along horizontal tracks as they open or close allows a sliding door to accommodate tight-fitted spaces. Unlike conventional and French doors, it does away with a swing room required when hinged doors open inward or outward. Sliding doors operate smoothly and can be designed from different materials and techniques that can best suit any home. Their stylish look and elegance let them enhance homes, from the traditional to modern. A sliding door can be designed for either a right-hand or left-hand operation. It is usually considered a single unit that consists of two-panel sections; one is fixed and one being mobile so it can slide open. In this type of design with a fixed panel section, you can use only half of the entranceway. If you want a full-width entranceway, you can adopt the pocket sliding door design. In this configuration, the door can slide into wall pockets making it completely disappear and allowing for a wide-open indoor-outdoor experience.

Uses of Sliding Doors

Doors are one of the main components that come into play when designing the interior or exterior of your home. A sliding door can play an important role in your home improvement. Used as an exterior door or interior door, it can complement the other components present in your house. It is important to understand the characteristics your door should have so you can intelligently decide what type of sliding door you can install in the different parts of your home.

Exterior Doors

Whilst often used in homes, external sliding doors also find wide applications in commercial and even industrial applications. Although typically used as an entrance to the house, exterior sliding doors are also used in residences, apartments, condominiums, and hotel rooms for access to balconies and large views out. They are utilised for enhanced natural light and to increase incoming fresh air. In the residential context, sliding doors are often referred to as sliding patio doors. They are doors used between the interior rooms of a home and a patio, courtyard, balcony, deck, garden, barbecue, or swimming pool area. They are strong and can withstand the difficulties of the exterior environment. Sliding patio doors for these purposes are sure to impress. More than this, they can enhance the overall value of your home. Being exposed to withstand extreme heat and cold, sliding patio doors should have energy efficiency, sound performance, and low maintenance. They should likewise be strong, durable, and deliver excellent performance in any climate. These structures are usually glass doors to take advantage of the material’s transparency and provide a good outside view.

Interior Doors

Stylish sliding door designs provide an elegant way to step into another area in the house or office. When every inch in your home space matters, this type of doors is convenient and a wise choice for your kitchen, bathroom, living room, and other areas. It is a perfect solution to divide large rooms of your home with style. For example, the two spaces could be your living room and the rest of your home. You can partition a bedroom and create a space for your study room or separate the kitchen from the storage area. You can isolate your workspace for more privacy so you can work from home more efficiently. By incorporating glass doors and walls into your design, you can create a little glass room for some private moments; you can always open the glass doors to stay connected. Glass doors are often used in offices and car sales areas for a soundproof but visually accessible environment.

Different Frame Materials

Sliding doors are typically made of glass but framed in dslidifferent materials, which define the door’s performance. Common door frame materials are glass, wood, vinyl, aluminum, and fiberglass. Glass Transparent glass sliding doors, especially sliding patio doors provide a good view of the home exterior. They are usually designed with insulated frames, double or triple glazed, and with low-emissivity and gas-filled to minimize negative thermal impact and for noise reduction. Wood Usually customizable products, wood sliding doors offer beauty, warmth, design flexibility, and exceptional energy efficiency. Vinyl Vinyl is a low-maintenance, inexpensive, and cost-effective material for sliding doors. It can mimic more stylish patio door materials, is very energy efficient, and does not peel, rot, or corrode. Aluminum Aluminum is the more standard material used for sliding doors commonly used for older homes. It has less energy efficiency than vinyl because of its heat transfer properties. Fiberglass The best choice for patio doors in all climates, fiberglass is one of the strongest materials available for sliding doors. It has unmatched strength, lasting durability, and can withstand the most extreme heat and cold.