Sliding Glass Patio Doors

A patio is a great place to spend those warm, sunny days of summer and is a true exterior extension of your house on those days when the weather is at its most inviting. But on those days when the weather is not so great and you still want to sit in comfort and gaze out across your garden, especially if it is a really nice one, it really makes a huge difference if you have large glass paneled doors to do the gazing through.

That's why having sliding glass patio doors fitted to your home makes a lot of sense. They provide year round visual access to your patio and the garden beyond and bring a great deal of much needed natural daylight into your home as well. So this page takes a look at the many benefits of having sliding glass patio doors fitted to your home.

Why Have Sliding Glass Patio Doors?

Sliding glass patio doors are perfect for those homes that have a nice open patio to look out onto with maybe a pool or even overlooking a beach or open countryside. They provide maximum visual exposure to the outside when you're on the inside looking out. If you have a really nice view to look out onto, then these are the ones to go for as they provide not only a clear unrestricted view, they also provide the maximum amount of daylight to get into your home through the available opening.

Because they, by their very nature slide on tracks using small rollers to further ease the sliding movement, even the largest sliding glass patio doors are easy to open and close as they freely glide along their track. They take up no extra room and are perfect for those patios that have potted plants close to the house as there are no hinged doors to knock them over!

They are generally constructed of aluminum or steel frames for rigidity, although smaller sliding glass patio doors can also be constructed from uPVC. They are lockable and more modern varieties with multiple locking points are relatively secure for keeping unwanted visitors at bay.

Types of Sliding Glass Patio Doors

Sliding glass patio doors generally come in two main types, those that are single glazed and those that are double glazed. All come in two (or in very wide openings, three) pieces that slide across each other and can be opened from either end.

Single glazed units are generally made for warmer climates where there is less importance placed on needing to keep the home warm, because there are few, if any cold days. They are best suited for very large openings where large individual units are fitted to provide the largest possible viewing perspective.

Double glazed units are better for places that have their fair share of cold days and nights where they are much better insulated and will reduce the convection of heat from the interior of the house to the outside. These units are generally much heavier than their single glazed counterparts and to reduce the weight, some units use thinner width glass, making full use of the air space to provide the insulation.

Either way, these patio doors are the perfect accompaniment to a cherished patio space and can bring the outside in on those cold or wet days from where the outside can be better enjoyed.