Start your home remodeling project today by filling out the form or calling us at (301) 328-1100 for your free, no-obligation price estimate.
The Best Patio Doors For Your Home
Everything You Need to Know About Patio Doors
High-quality patio doors turn your home into an indoor-outdoor oasis in summer, and they let maximum light into your home in winter. Open them for a refreshing breeze in spring, and close them to stay snug in the fall. They turn ordinary walls into walk-through portals — and perhaps best of all, they can increase the value of your home.
Sliding doors aren’t a new concept — in fact, ceiling-hung sliding doors without glass go back as far as the Roman times.
Contemporary sliding doors first appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Glass replaced paper, and sturdier frames made the doors more durable. You can still see vintage sliding doors in historical buildings and old hotels.
We’ll begin this guide with a brief look into patio door benefits, and then we’ll introduce you to three types of modern patio doors. Finally, we’ll answer some patio door FAQs. By the time you reach the final paragraph, you’ll be a patio door maven.
Top Benefits of Patio Doors
Patio doors add value to your home: They’re versatile, and they’re much more interesting than solid walls or traditional windows. Here are three more bona fide patio door benefits:
Creates Space in Your Home
Patio doors of all kinds create extra space in your home. Some people install double French doors in their dining rooms; others use two or three sets of sliding doors to merge indoor with outdoor living. If your house is built on a sloping site, you could bring light into your basement with a set of patio doors.
If you want to make a really bold architectural statement, you could install a sliding glass wall. Proponents claim that sliding glass walls improve well-being because they bring people closer to nature.
Brings Light Into Your Home
The best sliding glass doors, French doors, and other full-length glass doors really let the light in. Natural light is beautiful and revealing, and it can help reduce seasonal depression, too. Eco-friendly buildings incorporate a lot of glass: After all, the more natural light you let in, the less you have to use electric lights.
The best patio doors offer the best of both worlds. In warmer months, you can open them fully to let air circulate. In colder seasons, they let you view the snowy outdoors from a comfortable, warm spot.
Requires Little Maintenance
Thompson Creek sliding doors don’t need a lot of maintenance. Every spring, simply vacuum the tracks to remove winter dirt and debris and give them a once-over with soap and water. Then, lubricate the tracks with silicone spray or paraffin soap.
French doors are even easier to maintain. Each year, check the brush strips, the rubber seals, and the locking mechanism to make sure they’re intact and functional. Then, clean the doors thoroughly to keep them looking good.
Thompson Creek Patio Door Styles
Why settle for a standard patio door when you can install a high-quality solution? Thompson Creek installs two of the most popular patio door styles — sliding doors and French doors. Let’s delve into the various types of sliding doors available.
Sliding Glass Doors
Sliding doors arguably let the most light into your home. They also take up very little space because they slide, rather than swing. Thompson Creek sliding doors have a fusion-welded master frame, so they’re very durable — plus they have a multi-chambered design, so they’re very insulating.
No need to worry about security, either: Thompson Creek sliding doors come with an easy-to-use triple-action foot lock. Prefer to keep bugs outside? No problem — just add a matching screen door to your sliding glass door.
Double French Doors
Double French doors swing, rather than slide — so they provide wide access to your home. They’re stunning, secure, and utterly classic. If you want to increase the equity in your home, double French doors will help you do so.
Thompson Creek French doors are as appealing as they are enduring. They’re made of steel or fiberglass, both of which are durable and weather resistant. Every set of Thompson Creek French doors is made from scratch, so you can choose your favorite finish, hardware style, and glass type.
Custom Patio Doors
All the different types of Thompson Creek patio doors are made to order, so they’re highly customizable. If you need a completely unique door, we can help with that, too. We can design, produce, and install a custom patio door to complement your home style and your existing doors and windows.
Thompson Creek glass designs include Mediterranean-inspired Barcelona, classic Brilliance, and Craftsman-style Laurence. You can select traditional or contemporary hardware — or even an electronic lock — for your patio door. Finally, we offer a wide range of high-quality finish options.
French Doors vs Sliding Glass Doors: Which One is Right for You?
French doors and sliding doors are both beautiful and functional. So, how do you choose between them? First, look at the layout of your room and think about how much space you have to work with. If you’re in tight quarters, pick a sliding door; if you want to make an impression in a larger room, go with French doors.
French and sliding doors both provide access — but French doors really open up your space and make it easier to move furniture and large musical instruments in and out of your home. Sliding doors complement modern architecture; French doors look a little more traditional.
What’s the Difference Between Hinged vs. Sliding Patio Doors
Sliding patio doors incorporate two or more long glass-inlaid panels, which slide over each other. Panels are equipped with rollers, and they slide along upper and lower tracks, both of which are built into the door’s outer casing. Sliding doors don’t open all the way because panels sit on top of each other.
Hinged patio doors look and operate a lot like traditional entry doors. You can choose between inswing and outswing mechanisms and left or right door activation, but essentially, they work like most other doors. When both hinged patio doors are open, you can use the full width of your opening.
Patio Door Materials
Confused about steel vs fiberglass vs vinyl patio doors? Thompson Creek patio doors are universally durable and long lasting. Let’s take a closer look at each option.
Fiberglass Patio Doors
Fiberglass is lightweight, sturdy, and long-lasting. Fiberglass doesn’t warp, rot, crack, or rust, so it’s ideal for use in any climate. Thompson Creek fiberglass patio doors are ENERGY STAR rated, so they could help you reduce your utility bills.
If you love wooden doors, you’ll enjoy the heritage wood-look finishes available on our fiberglass doors. Fiberglass sliding doors from Thompson Creek also come in a range of standard paint colors: black, adobe cream, aspen grey, wicker, London brown, and bronze.
Steel Patio Doors
Steel is modern, durable, and less expensive than fiberglass. They don’t require a lot of maintenance, and they look aesthetically pleasing. Thompson Creek steel patio doors are also ENERGY STAR rated, so they help keep you warm in winter and cool in summer.
Steel sliding doors from Thompson Creek come in the same range of standard paint colors as fiberglass sliding doors.
Vinyl Patio Doors
Vinyl patio doors are scratch resistant, easy to clean, and easy to maintain. Once again, they’re ENERGY STAR rated — in fact, Thompson Creek vinyl, steel, and fiberglass patio doors all exceed ENERGY STAR guidelines.
Vinyl patio doors from Thompson Creek come in the same range of standard paint colors as fiberglass & steel patio doors.
Additionally, for all patio doors, we can also create a custom paint color for your patio doors to match your existing windows and doors.
How Is a Patio Door Installed?
If you have an existing patio door, we’ll begin the installation process by taking it out completely — including the frame. Alternatively, patio door installation begins with an opening in the side of your property. We then install the door sill, the head jamb, and the side jambs and ensure that each component is level and properly fastened to your home’s timber frame or brickwork.
We’ll then install the sliding tracks or hinges and mount the doors. Finally, we ensure your doors work as expected and make any necessary adjustments before signing off.
How Much Do Patio Doors Cost?
Patio door prices vary depending on material, finish, and job scope. Sliding glass doors are particularly cost effective — especially if you choose a vinyl option. Our sliding patio doors also come with a supreme glass package, making them an extra-energy-efficient choice.
On the other hand, French patio doors can add significant equity to your property. They’re worth purchasing if you want to increase the value of your home and if you enjoy an indoor-outdoor lifestyle.
How Long Do Sliding Patio Doors Last?
Thompson Creek sliding doors are built to last. They’re built around a clever M-cavity design, so they’re thermally efficient, and they come with long-lasting adjustable ultra-resistant tandem rollers. You can choose from right and left operable, center operable, and dual center operable designs to suit your property.
Perhaps surprisingly, our sliding doors are also very secure. Modern locks — like the Thompson Creek double-point locking system with triple-action foot-lock, for instance — are extremely hard to compromise.
All Thompson Creek doors and windows come with up to a 50-year guarantee, so you can feel good about your investment. To book a consultation or to find out more about our sliding doors or French doors, contact us today.
How Long Do Sliding Patio Doors Last?
Sliding patio doors aren’t just a window to the outdoors, they are the workhorses that open up your house…
Sliding Doors Vs. French Doors: Which is Right for You?
Sliding glass and French doors aren’t the only two types of patio doors, but they are far and away the two most…
Top Benefits of French Doors
A French door is a beautiful option for those looking for a more elegant and aesthetically pleasing entry point on…
.box .content{display:flex;}.content img.alignright { margin: -1em 0 2em 2em;}.content img.alignleft {margin: -1em 2em 2em 0em;}@media (max-width: 767px) {.tenx-hero-section{height:45vh;max-height:45vh;min-height:45vh;}.content img{width:100%;height:auto;}} section.bg:last-of-type>div.container.my-5 {margin-bottom: 0px !important; margin-top: 0px !important}