It’s hard to overstate the importance of choosing the right patio doors. They play a vital role in how your home will look, feel, and function.  Patio doors extend your home’s living space by connecting your indoors to your deck, patio, or yard. They also fill your home with natural light and are an excellent source of fresh air. All things considered, choosing the right patio door for your home is important!

But which patio door is right for you and your space? It’s not an easy question to answer, and it will certainly be different for everyone and every home. Luckily, JELD-WEN is here to help with industry insight, as well as a great selection of patio doors that can meet any style, function, or design preference.

Sliding Patio Doors

Consistently the most popular choice with Canadians, sliding patio doors typically consist of one stationary panel and one sliding panel that slides parallel to the wall. This classic choice remains at the top of the list for many Canadian consumers year after year for a variety of reasons:

Space:  There’s no denying that sliding patio doors are the most space efficient of the patio door options. After all,  they only take up as much space as the wall needs, which makes them perfect for tight spaces, crowded living areas, decks, and balconies.

Views:  The solid glass panels provide you with uninterrupted views of your outdoor space. There’s nothing quite like a wide open view that stretch from floor to ceiling.

Function: Sliding patio doors provide homeowners with the simplest functionality, as opposed to swinging or folding doors.

Security:  With the ability to lock securely in multiple places, especially when you choose additional lock option packages, sliding patio doors provide a high-level of security for sound peace of mind.

Swinging (French/Garden) Patio Doors

Here’s an option that provides a truly classic look and feel. Swinging or french patio doors are available in a number of traditional or contemporary home designs. Hinged on both sides of the frame, the panels operate much like a standard entryway and make for a tremendous bridge between interior and exterior spaces. Their popularity rarely wanes as a result of a few enduring advantages:

Style: You can’t go wrong with a classic. The traditional operation style of the hinged patio door is appealing to Canadians who want a truly timeless look and feel. Say it with us now: sophistication.

Customization:  As a result of it being a popular, classic choice, swinging patio doors are often available in a wide variety of sizes and finishes, so you can have lots of options to choose from when trying to select the right door for your personal taste.

Durability:  Since french patio doors are built much like any other entryway, they are denser and therefore sturdier. You can even find options with denser cores for even greater strength.

Folding Patio Doors

Need a wide opening? Need your home to have a bit of personality? Then you need folding patio doors. Also known as French doors, this trendy option opens and closes in the same fashion as an accordion, allowing you to create a truly spacious and open (and undeniably stylish) connection between inside and outside. Here’s why you need these increasingly popular patio doors:

Beauty: Let’s be honest: you want your home to be the envy of the neighborhood. French doors will certainly help you achieve that goal with their inherently beautiful aesthetic. You won’t find a more elegant patio door!

Size: Folding patio doors provide you with by far the largest possible opening. They’re generally available in 2, 3, or 4-panel widths—nothing brings the outside world in like this expansive option.

Simplicity: They make look grand, but French doors are surprisingly simple in terms of operation. Where other patio doors may need special tracks, locking systems, or other consideration, this option needs no complicated hardware.

What’s Hot

Just like seasons (and sometimes as a result of seasons), styles and trends are constantly changing. Dabbling in the hot look of the moment can have both pros and cons, but it never hurts to stay on top of what’s making waves. Here’s a look at a few of the trends that we’re currently seeing in the world of patio doors.

Black Frames: Patio doors with a beautiful black frame can really help your home pop—we’re talking both the exterior and the interior! This look has been used very effectively in homes going for that modern farmhouse aesthetic and in homes with a contemporary style. A stunning impact is all but guaranteed if you go this direction.

Glass Walls: Taking outdoor exposure to an extreme, moving glass wall systems feature windowed patio doors that stretch from ceiling to floor. While they look larger, they actually take up less space than French doors due to their unique track system. If you have a few extra dollars in your patio door budget and are looking to make a statement, look no further. 

Clean Lines: Patio doors that feature a slim and streamlined frame are an exciting way to absolutely maximize the amount of outdoor exposure your home gets. The expansive views are not only beautiful, but they open up your home and draw the eye towards the outdoors, creating a visual accent that is incredibly unique.

Energy Efficiency: When does helping the environment really ever go out of style? Since patio doors often offer the largest glass surface for a home, it’s important that they are as energy efficient as possible. This will help keep your home from getting too warm in the summer and too cold in the winter. It will also be very beneficial to your energy bills. All the benefits of expansive outdoor views while also being a friend to Mother Nature.

Finding the perfect patio doors is important. They can help elevate the look and the style of your home, they can increase the overall energy efficiency of your home, and they open up your home to the beauty and benefit of the outside world.

So, which patio door is right for you and your space? Good question indeed.

To learn more about JELD-WEN’s beautiful selection of top-quality patio doors, please visit www.jeld-wen.ca.