Understanding Patio Doors Systems

There are many different types of patio door systems. (Sliding patio doors, swinging patio doors, French patio doors and narrow stile patio door systems) I would like to discuss these different styles and clarify what exactly each system is and the pros and cons of your choice.

Sliding Patio Doors

• They can come in a French slider, standard or narrow stile.
• The French slider has a very wide profile when you look at it. There is less visible glass and much more frame work.
  Pros: it has more of a traditional thick door look and is normally very heavy duty in construction.
  Cons: it offers less visible glass and does not lend itself well to more modern designs.
• Narrow stile sliding patio doors offer the maximum amount of visible glass and are very streamline in appearance.
  Pros: if looking outside is the key this offers the least amount of obstruction. They lend themselves very well to modern and contemporary designs.
  Con: a much thinner frame has more frame flex. Standard sliders fall in-between French and narrow stile and are most common. 

Swinging Patio Doors

• They come in a standard stile and in a French stile. Standard stile just as above has a medium type door frame width.
• Swinging patio doors can be a single door, a pair of doors or multiple door configurations. It is also important to note the door can be an in-swing or out swing and hinged on either the left or right side. Normally there is only one operable door called the primary. If there are additional operable door leafs, they would be considered secondary and can only be opened after the primary is opened 1st.
  Pros: Swinging doors can be used in almost any application
  Cons: The opening of the door causes space issues.
• Also when adding screen door systems they are expensive and add another operable obstruction. Many out swing doors do not allow for screen systems.

Important facts

• Many people think a French door is a pair of swinging doors with grilles of some sort. The fact is you can have a French slider with no grilles or a single door that is a French stile. Stiles are the side parts of the door leaf (The part the door the handle goes through.)