Looking for outside-inside living?
Then your choice of external doors is important
Patio (French Doors):
Starting with the most traditional option, patio doors bring a classic touch to any home. They are mainly categorised by opening on a hinge, rather than a sliding mechanism like the others. This gives a traditionalist touch, which can enhance the charm of period properties, or add character to new builds. They tend to be the cheaper option as the opening sizes will be less than 2m and there are many off the shelf options. The limitation is the opening size, so if you have got a 5m or more façade you will need more than one patio door set unless you have a mix of windows and doors. If you are doing a mix consider a picture window as it helps break up the façade and can offer great views down the garden.
Sliding:
Sliding doors have been a popular feature in homes for over 50 years, and it’s not hard to see why. Capable of being fully glazed, and covering large areas of the rear, they can provide stunning views, plus floods of natural light into your home. Unlike French doors which are very visible when left open and bi-fold doors that need space to fold, they’re the most space efficient option. You can even design what is known as a ‘pocket door, whereby your doors can slide open into cavities within the wall by building out the inside of the external wall. Sliding doors means that there will be a section which is fixed which the sliding door slides behind, hence the name. Meaning in summer months then you have to accept that not all of the doors will be open to outside unlike with bi folding doors.
Bi-Fold:
Bi-fold doors are seeing a surge in popularity in recent years, as more and more homeowners turn to these doors to become the focal point of their new extensions. Unsurprisingly, they get their name from the way in which the sections fold into each other, creating a concertina effect with glass panes. They’ve become a hit in the UK because they allow an entire wall to be made up of glass, and then opened. Helping to merge both the inside and outside space during hot summer days. They can even be used in conjunction with floating comers, allowing homes to open in a 180 manner.
Conclusion:
There is no right or wrong answer when choosing between the three types of external door for your project as every home is different and at Cameron Bosque Brookes we have done all of them. Considerations on the architecture of the original house, the style of doors you want, the opening sizes and ultimately the cost will be the main factors. There is no simple answer as each one has its pros and cons, so decide wisely!
Other considerations:
So you have now decided on the type of doors so next you need to think about material and colour. If you are looking for cheap, whatever the type then UPVC is the obvious choice, timber maybe if constrained in a conservation area, aluminium for robustness and quality with less thick frames and if you are going for a Crittall look you may even consider a steel. Regarding colour, anthracite grey is currently in fashion but may not be tomorrow. White or black you can never go wrong as they are timeless. Your colour choice will be mainly led by the materials and colours of the proposed building and whether you want them to be contrasting or match any existing windows and doors. You may be bold and go for a bright colour, if you do good on you.
