A Quick Guide to Hinged and Sliding Patio Doors

The patio is a transition point between your home’s interior and the outdoors, but you need to make sure that you have the right patio door to keep your Nashville home safe while still maintaining that smooth transition. While there are many possible patio door options, most homeowners choose between two popular options: hinged and sliding patio doors.

Hinged Doors

Hinged doors or French doors are patio doors that operate by having their panels swing inward or outward. Some hinged doors feature only one moving panel while others feature two panels that meet in the middle of the opening. The panels usually open by swinging towards one direction, but some options allow the panels to swing in either direction.

When Hinged Doors Work

Hinged patio doors work well if there is plenty of floor space for the panels to fully swing open or close. Because they are easy to operate, hinged patio doors provide nearly unimpeded movement from the patio to indoors and vice versa. Because of their design, hinged patio doors are often used in traditional homes.

Sliding Doors

Sliding patio doors can also have one or two moving panels like hinged doors. However, instead of swinging open or shut, the panels move horizontally along rails placed on the top and bottom edges of the door frame. Sliding doors can feature one or two moving panels and often feature large, solid glass surfaces.

When Sliding Doors Work

Because the moving panels are confined to within the door frame’s dimensions, sliding doors work great even if there is limited floor space. While they don’t open as wide as similarly-sized French patio doors, they usually feature a better view of the outdoors. Sliding doors are popularly used in contemporary homes in the Nashville area, where the minimal designs complement other simple elements like casement or sliding windows.

Make sure you’re getting the right type of patio door for your home. Renewal by Andersen® of Nashville is the leading provider of patio door products and services in Clarksville and Nashville, TN. You can call us at (866) 609-5033 or fill out our online contact form to request a quote.