Sliding vs French Patio Doors

Choosing the right patio door can significantly impact the look and feel of your home. Whether you’re aiming to create a seamless transition between your indoor and outdoor spaces or looking to enhance the natural light in your living area, the decision between sliding patio doors and French patio doors is crucial.

Both styles offer unique benefits and can be customized to fit various architectural designs. In this article, we’ll delve into the features, pros, and cons of each option to help you make an informed decision.

Deciding between sliding patio doors and french patio doors

Sliding and french doors are two of the most popular choices for residential patio doors. While sliding doors are more space-efficient and convenient for opening, traditional French doors can enhance the aesthetic appeal of patio entryways with their elegant design and multiple glass panes, despite requiring more floor space when swung open.

Homeowners have lots of options when it comes down to these two styles both in terms of customization and manufacturers. Keep reading to learn more about your options.

Material Considerations

Patio door frames are available in wood, aluminum, stainless steel, steel, fiberglass, and vinyl materials. Each material offers its own set of benefits.

The choice of material can impact the design and functionality of the door frame, influencing factors like strength, energy efficiency, and aesthetic appeal.

• Steel doors offer the most strength;

• Vinyl doors are the most common and offer good energy efficiency;

• Aluminum doors are typically the most affordable metal option but the frames aren’t as strong as those made from steel;

• Stainless steel doors offer strength than aluminum and are more resistant to rust than galvanized steel;

• Fiberglass doors offer strength and energy efficiency but like steel and wood doors, they’re on the higher end of the cost spectrum;

• Wood doors offer distinct beauty, strength, and energy efficiency but are high-maintenance.

Sliding Doors: Pros and Cons

Sliding patio doors are commonly known as sliding glass doors while manufacturers tend to call them gliding doors.

Sliding patio doors typically feature narrow lines and expansive glass making them well suited for homes with contemporary architectural elements.

Sliding doors, often referred to as sliding glass doors, are a modern and space-efficient option for patio doors. Here are some of the key advantages and disadvantages of sliding doors:

Sliding Patio Door Brands

Andersen®

Andersen has been in business for over 115 years and is one of the most trusted and recommended brands of windows and doors among homeowners. 

• Andersen 100 Series Gliding Patio Door

• Andersen 200 Series Narroline Gliding Patio Doors

• Andersen 200 Series Perma-Shield Gliding Patio Doors

• Andersen 400 Series Frenchwood Gliding Patio Doors

• Andersen E-Series Gliding Patio Doors

• Andersen E-Series French Gliding Patio Doors

• Andersen A-Series Gliding Patio Doors

Centor®

In the 1950's Centor's goal was to produce the finest sliding door track available. Today, Centor is the only company in the world that offers a fully integrated sliding door system. 

• Centor Integrated Sliding Doors

Milgard®

Milgard is one of the best window and door manufacturers in North America. They continue to push themselves to become the best and first choice for homeowners. They offer several options for sliding doors.

• Milgard Style Line Sliding Patio Doors

• Milgard Aluminum Series Sliding Doors

• Milgard Tuscany French-Style Sliding Doors

• Milgard Tuscany Sliding Doors

• Milgard Ultra French-Style Sliding Doors

• Milgard Essence Series French-Style Sliding Doors

• Milgard Pocket Moving Glass Wall System

Weiland®

Weiland builds sliding, folding, pivot, and swinging doors for luxury homes. They were acquired by Andersen in 2013 but Weiland has been building high-quality doors since the 1980s and continues to be a leader in specialty door manufacturing.

• Weiland LiftSlide Doors

French Patio Door Pros and Cons

A French door is a hinged door featuring glass panes for most of its length. In addition to the single french door, other variations include single or double french doors with sidelites and transoms and sliding french doors. Milgard is an example of one window and door manufacturer that offers a French-style sliding door. Most patio doors feature large glass centers, what really differentiates the style of the French door, is the thickness of the lower rail.

The lower rail is generally wider than the top and sides which gives the door a distinct look. It’s this distinction that really defines French doors in modern design.

Folding doors are versatile solutions for creating open spaces, particularly during warmer months. Multiple glass panels fold neatly, offering expansive views and enhancing the indoor-outdoor connection.

French patio doors have a classic look and work especially well in homes with more traditional architectural elements.

French Patio Door Brands

Andersen®

Andersen is the largest window and door manufacturer in North America. They are known for their strong history of commitment to business partners, employees, community, and environmental stewardship.

• Andersen 200 Series Hinged Patio Doors

• Andersen 400 Series Frenchwood Hinged Patio Doors

• Andersen E-Series Hinged Patio Doors

• Andersen A-Series Hinged Patio Doors

Milgard®

Milgard is one of the largest and most trusted names in windows and doors in North America. With over 50 years in the industry, Milgard is known for its commitment to service, quality, and innovation.

• Milgard Tuscany French Patio Doors

• Milgard Ultra French Patio Doors

• Milgard Essence Series French Patio Doors

Sliding Glass Doors and French Patio Doors: Final Comparison

Sliding doors and french doors are common options for homeowners who want patio doors. Depending on which manufacturer you choose and what configurations work with your home both offer single or multiple operable panels.

Think about the space where you want the door installed and think about how sliding and hinged doors operate. Which one makes more sense?

Remember, sliding doors take up less space but require at least two panels. And while you get a lot of natural light, only one of the panels is operable. With a french or hinged door, you’ll need room for the door to swing open. On the plus side, you can find doors with in-swing or out-swing options so if you need usable floor space on the inside of your home choose an out-swing door, or vice versa.

Sliding doors require careful attention to maintenance to ensure optimal functionality. They need clean tracks and can have foggy windows, which means they require more cleaning compared to French doors.

Once you’ve decided which operating style works best for your home think about aesthetics. You’ll get lots of natural light with both styles but typically the sliding door offers more glass surface. French style doors have a taller bottom rail giving them a distinct look that lots of people love.

Explore some of the brands mentioned in this article by visiting our Doors selections or explore others online. Check out our related posts to learn more about patio doors.