TRANSFORMING HOMES SINCE 2007
MADE IN BRITAIN
NATIONWIDE SUPPLY & INSTALL SERVICE
SLIDING DOORS OR FRENCH DOORS: WHICH ARE BETTER?
Latest News
When it comes to choosing a brand-new set of patio doors for your home and garden, chances are you’re trying to decide between purchasing either French doors or sliding doors.
And we’re not surprised! Because if bi-fold doors aren’t to your taste regarding external doors with windows, then your choice almost always comes down to French vs sliding doors.
Naturally, both of these door types are excellent options for expanding the views from your home, letting in far more light and helping the room they’re positioned in feel that much bigger!
So, to help you decide which is best suited for your home, we’re comparing French doors vs sliding doors to give you a clear comparison between the two, unveiling the advantages and disadvantages of both for your benefit.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FRENCH DOORS VS SLIDING DOORS?
Although French and sliding doors both operate as doorways to the outside, as we’re sure you already know, the key difference between the two designs lies in the way they open.
To take French doors as our first example, these traditional doors open outwards or inwards on a hinge system, somewhat similar to how more modern bi-fold doors operate, enabling you to fully open your home to the outside without any obstructions.
Sliding doors, on the other hand, operate by pulling a series of glass panes on a wheeled track, neatly stacking them over the final pane and leaving you with an open exit to your garden.
THE BENEFITS OF FRENCH DOORS
Now, as you may have already guessed, when it comes to sliding doors vs French doors, these widely different opening systems each come with their own pros and cons that make them better suited for certain property types.
French doors, for example, come with plenty of advantages over their sliding counterparts, such as:
- Being ideal for opening your lounge or kitchen to the outdoors without removing a wall.
- Offering great air circulation when they’re fully opened.
- Providing better opening widths and flexibility than 2-panel sliding doors when used in smaller spaces.
- Adding the finishing touch to more traditional properties where you want a consistent door aesthetic.
THE BENEFITS OF SLIDING DOORS
As good as French doors are, they don’t have it all their own way. And it’s safe to say that, in the comparison between sliding doors vs French doors, sliding doors come out on top in plenty of other areas, such as:
- Being far better suited for use in homes with limited external space or long walls that you want to open up.
- No requirements to lock swinging doors open, ensuring a clear entry and exit into your garden.
- Facilitating the addition of external glass doors for larger than average openings.
- Frame locks that let you open your sliding doors in intervals for varied levels of ventilation and access.
FRENCH DOORS VS SLIDING DOORS AESTHETICS
With opening mechanisms in mind, you might already have a door decision in mind – but there’s certainly more to consider when it comes to sliding doors vs French doors, especially when thinking about style and aesthetics.
For one thing, if you live in a more traditional home, then a set of sliding doors might very well look out of place against the stonework and interior design. Given that French doors were designed many decades before sliding doors, when it comes to traditional style, they’re definitely many people’s go-to option.
In turn, sliding doors are better tailored for more contemporary and modern properties. This is certainly the case if you opt for a set of aluminium sliding doors, as their slimmer frames provide a much thinner and cleaner look – though with the right design, sliding doors are certainly capable of working in more traditional home setups as well.
FRENCH DOORS VS SLIDING DOORS: VIEWS
Now, no discussion of French doors or sliding doors would be complete without considering the views they can provide of your garden. Generally speaking, if you’re installing a set of doors with glass in your home, you want them to provide the best outward view possible.
In this regard, sliding doors certainly have an edge over French doors.
As we’ve already mentioned, sliding doors have much thinner frames than their French counterparts, meaning there is little to get in the way of your view when looking out, which also helps to let in extra natural light throughout the day. And if you do want an almost-entirely unobstructed view, then you can simply open your sliding doors fully.
However, it should be said that French doors, when fully open, can arguably get you a better view as there is literally nothing in the way to obstruct your vision. Open sliding doors will still be stacked over the final pane while French doors are opened entirely off to the side, leaving nothing in your eyeline besides your garden.
WHAT MATERIALS CAN FRENCH DOORS OR SLIDING DOORS BE MADE OF?
When it comes to French doors or sliding doors, the material options you have will vary. And here is where French doors have a slight advantage.
Thanks to the simple nature of their construction, French doors can be installed in a variety of materials, including wood, uPVC, and aluminium. This makes it very easy to find a style that you like that will also stay in keeping with your home’s aesthetic.
Sliding doors, on the other hand, are often limited aluminium options, especially if you want a quality option. However, where sliding doors make up for their lack of material variety is in their durability.
While wood and uPVC can certainly last a long time, the maintenance required to keep them in tip-top condition can be rather time-consuming. Add to this the difficulty of cleaning them once dirt has settled, and you might soon find outside light being blocked from entering.
In contrast, the maintenance of aluminium sliding doors requires little effort. Aluminium frames are highly durable and weather-resistant, able to secure your home against even the heaviest rain, and their powder paint coats make it easy to find the right colour to match your home’s design.
Finally, while both types of doors offer great thermal efficiency, the double or triple-glazed nature of sliding doors combined with their tight seals makes them arguably more thermally efficient than French doors.
FRENCH DOORS VS SLIDING DOORS: SECURITY
When it comes to French doors vs sliding doors security, patio doors of all kinds have a rather undeserved reputation for being an easy-to-open security risk. But thanks to modern technology, this is no longer the case.
In fact, security is one place where both French and sliding doors offer similar benefits. Both have unique locking systems that are equally secure, using multi-point locking systems to prevent their doors from being lifted out of their frames – and even if their locks are removed, the doors still can’t be opened.
Add a layer of toughened glass on top of this and you’re left with an entrance that is far more likely to deter thieves than encourage them.
ARE FRENCH DOORS OR SLIDING DOORS CHEAPER?
As with any home renovation project, the overall price of your door installation will be determined by far more than just your choice of door. Size, material, and labour all play a key role in determining price, and given that each project is different, it’s hard to say which door type is outright cheaper.
However, with that being said, given sliding doors are typically installed in bigger openings, they’re likely to be more expensive. This will also be the case if you choose a bespoke fitting option for your sliding doors, such as the type we offer here at Express. So, if you’re on a budget, French doors may be a better option.
And with that last point out of the way, you should now have all the information you need to make an informed decision about which type of patio door is best suited for your home.
Of course, if you’re still undecided, or you’re more interested in bi-folding doors, then why not come down to one of our showrooms to see our full product range in person? Our staff will be happy to answer any of your questions and discuss your project plans with you.
Get in touch today to find out more and don’t forget to browse the rest of our blog for more informative articles like this one, including our comparison piece between .
