As Spring starts to roll in and the warmer weather begins, homeowners are on the lookout for ways they can enjoy the delightful British weather from the comfort of their own home. A popular choice for many are patio doors.
Patio doors can be the perfect addition to any home. They allow for much more natural light to be added to your home, which not only creates the illusion of a bigger internal space, but also causes less need for air conditioning or heating units, which can save on costs too.
Additionally, they can improve the curb appeal of your home and increase its value by creating a seamless link with the outdoor space, making your home the ideal place for entertaining friends and family during the summer months.
Which style of patio door is best for your home?
When it comes to deciding on a new wooden patio door for your home, it is useful to know about the different style options available to you to find something that is suitable for your home.
At Timber Windows, our patio door range compromises of wooden French, bi-fold, and sliding patio doors. These styles tend to be the most popular choices amongst homeowners and each style of door offers unique benefits, so it’s important to evaluate your needs and preferences before making a final decision.
In this blog, we will take a closer look at each option to help you determine which style is the best choice for your home.
French Doors
Timber French doors are a classic door choice that have been popular for centuries, and are the most traditional in appearance out of all our patio door options. French patio doors often compromise of two separate doors that have hinged panels and can swing open from the centre, much like a traditional entrance door.
In terms of their design, French doors are known for their elegant appearance and ability to let in natural light, which can make your home feel much brighter. They are also relatively easy to maintain and can easily be customized to fit the style of your home.
Though this style of door is typically manufactured using wood or uPVC materials, it is widely agreed that wood is the superior choice. Due to the traditional appearance of a Wooden French door, the use of timber only adds to this period character, whereas the use of uPVC can make the door appear much cheaper and lower value than it is.
At Timber Windows, all of our patio doors make use of engineered timber that can resist warping and twisting, and include high security locking systems with robust proprietary hinges and high-performance paint coatings that provide a long life of low maintenance.
This attention to detail in the design of proportion, sizes, and forms of the profiles ensures our French casement double-glazed doors look entirely original, whilst providing modern standards of comfort, security, and longevity in use.
Though timber French doors are a classic choice for homeowners, they do have drawbacks. A significant drawback of wooden French doors is that they unfortunately take up a lot of space when opened due to their double door opening. Though this isn’t a huge concern for the majority of homes, if you have limited space, this style of opening may not be the right choice for you. Instead, bi-fold or sliding patio doors would be better.
Regardless, French wooden doors remain to be classic, beautiful, safe, and secure and provide superior insulation and draft exclusion.
Bi-Fold Doors
Wooden bi-fold doors, on the other hand, are a much more modern option that has become increasingly popular in recent years. These doors feature several panels that fold together like an accordion, allowing you to open up a large portion of your wall and create uninterrupted access between your inside and outside space.
What’s more, because they fold back using a smart concertina system, they can be partially opened outwards, providing tremendous flexibility. Unlike French patio doors, you will no longer need to worry about potential obstructed space with timber bi-folding doors.
Our stylish bi-folding doors are also rife with high specifications and boast a 1.1 W/m2K U-value, achieved through the use of argon gas filled double-glazed units, featuring energy saving glass and warm edge spacer bars.
Aesthetically, timber bi-fold doors are an attractive option for more modern homes. The use of glass panels that are not obstructed by an internal frame allow plenty of light into a room, and offer uninterrupted access to outdoor views. At Timber Windows, our bi-fold patio doors are also available in any of our RAL colour range, meaning you can coordinate your new wooden door design with the existing colour scheme of your home.
Sliding Patio Doors
Wooden sliding patio doors are a popular option that offer a balance between classic and modern design.
These doors typically feature a large, sliding glass panel surrounded by a timber frame, that creates a lot of natural light, provides easy access to your outdoor space, and can be customised to fit a range of openings.
One of the main advantages of timber patio doors is their simple aesthetic. Their minimalist design can complement a variety of home styles and similarly to bi-folding doors, wooden sliding doors always provide owners with unobstructed views to their outside environment due to large glass panels sitting behind each other.
With a possible span of up to 18 metres, sliding patio doors can be up to 3 metres wide per pane and have a capability of opening up a wide aperture. Additionally, they are exceptionally smooth in their operation, and glide effortlessly, making them easy to maintain.
However, timber sliding patio doors do have some limitations. They typically do not open as wide as French or bi-fold doors, which can be a concern if you want to create a truly open-air living space.
Choosing your patio doors with Timber Windows
So, which option is best for your home?
Ultimately, the answer depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you are looking for a classic, elegant option, French doors may be the best choice. If you want a modern, versatile option that can open up a large portion of your wall, bi-fold doors may be the way to go. And if you want a simple, efficient option that complements a variety of home styles, sliding patio doors may be the best choice for you.
No matter which option you choose, it’s important to work with a trusted door supplier to ensure that your doors are installed properly.
Our range of wooden patio doors are manufactured using our strong, layered timber and top performance double glazing. This durable and reliable combination is finished with a thorough treatment to ensure an exceptionally long-lasting weatherproofing, providing unrivalled protection from the elements whilst maintaining elegance and style.
Get in touch
If you’d like more information about our timber patio door range, you can contact our friendly team using the details below.
Yorkshire
Timber Windows at Harewood
The Kennels | 9A Harewood Yard | Harewood House Estate | Harewood | Leeds | LS17 9LF
Tel: 0113 288 6117
Email: enquiries@yorkshiretimberwindows.com
Cheshire
Timber Windows of Knutsford
107 King Street | Knutsford | Cheshire | WA16 6EQ
Tel: 01565 745225
Email: enquiries@cheshiretimberwindows.com
