Often considered a gateway between indoor comfort and outdoor living, sliding patio doors have risen in popularity and become a staple in modern architectural design. Offering seamless integration, lots of natural light and a breath of fresh air, these doors have the power to transform your living spaces aesthetically and practically.

Throughout the course of this article, we will look into the styles, materials, benefits and considerations you need to make when choosing these doors to enhance your doors.

The appeal of sliding patio doors

So, what is the appeal of sliding patio doors? Why do people get them?

There are many different reasons why people choose to get sliding patio doors. Here are some of the most common reasons why people decide to get sliding patio doors installed:

• Enhancing your home's aesthetic. Sliding patio doors bring a contemporary, modern living visual aspect to your home to create elegance in your home. The large panes of glass create a sleek and stylish look that compliments many architectural designs.
• Natural Light. Sliding patio doors are a great source of natural light that allows sunlight to flood into your home's interior spaces.
• Indoor-Outdoor Connection. Sliding patio doors take away the barrier between your indoor and outdoor spaces. They allow for a seamless transition, giving you breathtaking views and a flow of fresh air that you can enjoy from the comfort of your home.
• Improved Views. Sliding doors have large glass panels and minimal frames providing you with an unobstructed view of your outdoor areas. 
• Excellent Ventilation. Having sliding patio doors provides easy access to the fresh air. This easy access makes it effortless to ventilate your living spaces and allow fresh air to be free-flowing around your home.
• Versatile Design options. Sliding patio doors are widely available in all different kinds of materials, finishes and styles that can be selected to match your home's architecture and style.

Bringing the outdoors in: the benefits of sliding patio doors

Sliding patio doors can offer you, as the homeowner, a range of benefits that make sliding patio doors such a popular choice for homeowners. Some of the main benefits include:

• The abundance of natural light. Sliding patio doors have large glass panels that allow natural light to flood your home. The floods of natural light help to make your living spaces feel brighter and much more open. This appearance reduces the need for artificial lighting in your home during the day.
• Seamless indoor-outdoor transition. Sliding patio doors create a smooth transition and connection between your indoor and outdoor living spaces. These doors blur the boundaries between the indoors and outdoors, allowing you to enjoy the beauty of both areas.
• Expanded views. The large, expansive panes of glass that sliding patio doors have give you unobstructed views of the outdoor landscape.
• Space efficiency. Sliding patio doors don't swing in or out. They have a sliding mechanism. This makes sliding patio doors more beneficial for homes with limited floor space and homeowners looking to maximise their living areas.
• Easy operation. Sliding patio doors slide along tracks and operate smoothly, which makes them easy to open and close with little to no effort.
• Increased home value. Having sliding patio doors installed in your home can enhance the value of your property. Potential buyers often appreciate the many functions of the sliding patio doors. Including the aesthetic appeal, functionality and lifestyle benefits that the doors can bring to your home. 

Practical solutions with sliding patio doors

There are many ways in which sliding patio doors can be practical for you and your family.

There are a few practical solutions to consider when choosing your perfect sliding patio doors. These practical solutions include:

• The material choices. For practicality, you should choose a material that suits your climate, budget and maintenance preferences. Some of the materials you can choose for your sliding patio doors include:
• vinyl: low maintenance, energy efficient and very cost-effective.
• aluminium: durable, lightweight and resistant to corrosion.
• Glass options. Picking the right glass for your sliding patio doors is also important.
• Double/triple glazing. Enhancing insulation and reducing energy usage.
• Low-E coating. Reflects heat and UV rays which in turn reduces energy usage and improves energy efficiency, also reducing your household bills.
• Tinted/frosted glass. Giving you and your home the privacy you need whilst also allowing the natural light to flood into your home, but keeping the prying eyes out.
• Laminated glass. Enhances the security of your doors and reduces noise pollution.
• Easy accessibility. When considering accessibility you can choose doors specifically with a low threshold or on a flush floor track to accommodate everyone.
• Space-saving design. Sliding patio doors can be space-saving as they do not require the door to swing in or out of the room therefore, the living space can be maximised to its full potential.

Ensuring safety and security with sliding patio doors: Ultion locks

Here at ETC we supply and sell Ultion locks. Ultion locks are great for security and help to keep your home safe and secure. 

Inside every Ultion 3* and 3*PLUS lock there is an extra hidden lock which gives you, as the homeowner, peace of mind and additional security. The Ultion lock is hidden inside a solid molybdenum core and then secured with a retaining pin. The lock is then triggered when the door/lock detects signs of forced entry.

This activates a lockdown mode. when lockdown mode activates an attack lock in the central cam immediately locks down and even the most determined intruders cannot get past it. The lock is protected deep inside of the molybdenum solid core with the retaining pin engaged meaning when your lock goes into lockdown you and your family are safe and secure.

Sizing your patio doors

Sizing up your patio doors is important to get a proper fit and ensure efficient installation. When choosing your sliding patio doors with us one of our experienced surveyors will come to your home and measure up exactly the sizing of the space you want your sliding patio doors in and make sure the measurements, dimensions and specifications are perfect with you.

They will then place your order of materials ready for one of our brilliant fitter teams to come and transform your home.

When our surveyors come they will measure the height and width of the space and conduct their measurements and calculations to consider other factors such as the frame width, the depth and the threshold height as well as checking for any obstructions of the space and future door to ensure smooth operation.

Cost considerations with sliding patio doors

Depending on whether you choose supply and fit or supply only with us the cost of sliding patio doors can vary depending on different factors such as the materials you choose, the glass you choose and the styles you choose as well. 

For a basic, very broad estimate of sliding patio doors with us they can cost around:

Additional costs may occur or the price may decrease depending on varying factors such as the sizing, materials and the different types of glass that can be fitted into the doors.

For a free survey and quote from our sales manager Jacob, call us today on 01386 800600 to book your survey appointment.

Energy efficiency and sliding patio doors

Considering energy efficiency when it comes to sliding patio doors is essential. They can have a significant impact on the overall energy efficiency of your home. There are some key points laid out here to help you understand the impact that the energy efficiency rating can have on your home:

• Glass type. The type of glass used in the sliding patio doors can play a significant role in energy efficiency. Double and triple glazed glass panels with low-e coatings are more effective at reducing heat transfer and preventing the entry of UV rays into your home. 
• Insulation. Looking for doors with proper insulation around the frames and door panels, this can help minimise the drafts and heat loss in your home.
• Weatherstripping. High quality weather stripping around your door’s edges helps to seal gaps and prevent air leakages which can also enhance energy efficiency.

Conclusion

To round out this article, we have discovered that sliding patio doors give you a seamless mix of functionality, aesthetic appeal and the connectivity and transition between the indoor spaces and outdoor spaces of your home. From their sleek and modern designs to their ability to allow the natural light to flood into your living spaces, sliding doors create a seamless transition between the indoors and outdoors.

The choices you make when selecting your sliding patio doors can have a big impact on your home’s style, comfort and energy efficiency. Whether you have chosen modern frames with expansive panes of glass or more traditional designs that bring a sense of elegance and timeless tradition to your home. You should remember that quality materials and having the doors properly installed by professionals are essential to ensure the smooth operation of your doors and also their longevity.

Now… let your unique style taste and the practical benefits guide your choice, ultimately leading to a home that embraces both aesthetics and functionality for perfect harmony in your home.