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Nothing seems to say luxury like French patio doors, which serve as both a grand entrance to your outdoor living space and a dramatic frame through which to view your garden paradise. These days, there is a wide variety of French patio doors to choose from to suit every taste from country antique to hip ultra-modern. Here are some tips to help you navigate the choices and select the patio doors perfect for you.
Like any other doors, French patio doors are available in wood, steel and fiberglass composite. They can also be made with aluminum. Patio doors made of steel or aluminum give a modern look and need less maintenance in the long run, but can be noisy. Wood patio doors provide a natural, traditional look, but are at the mercy of the elements and require some maintenance. A particular concern with French patio doors made from wood is leakage. Wood shrinks and expands and warps with moisture and the seam between the doors can expand and let in more moisture than it should or it can contract, causing the doors to stick. A viable solution for your patio doors may be fiberglass composite, which can be made to closely mimic the look of real wood but won’t warp. The window panes in patio doors are called lights and the bars that hold them in place are called muntins. High quality patio doors have individual lights, but it is more common for a door to hold one large sheet that is framed to appear as individual lights. This is because doors with individual lights are more prone to leaking and breakage. Another advantage to using single panes in patio doors is that they are more energy efficient. To increase the efficiency even more, most single window patio doors are glazed (insulated) which also dampens noise and resists impact. Also, if your home is more modern single pane patio doors without any muntins are quite modern looking. You ought to consider whether you want your patio doors to open in or out. It used to be that French patio doors only opened in, but with the premium on living space these days, it is much more common to find patio doors that open out. Another option recently on the market is sliding patio doors. Most manufacturers offer a range of French patio doors at a variety of price points. Additionally, the size of the doors will differ from manufacturer to manufacturer as there isn’t really a standard-sized French patio door. If you don’t find the size you want ask, it may be in your manufacturer’s inventory or they may be willing to make it at a small extra cost. Otherwise, you may have to try a different manufacturer or get custom patio doors. Custom patio doors are more expensive, but like any French patio door you choose, they are well worth the investment.
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Exterior Doors