French Door or Sliding Glass Door

R

roundcorners_IHB

New member
Simple poll, do you favor floor plans with French Doors or would you still prefer the traditional Sliding Glass. Pros & Cons and reasons would be appreciated. We love newer plans with French Doors how it brings the outdoors inside much better; but we still like the conveniences of a sliding glass for the pet door. Sorry I should have included the option of BOTH!
 
Sorry.... what does "both" refer to?... do you mean a combination with the sliding French design like this?:



<img src="http://www.midwestmldg.com/images/windows/Marvin/SFDint1_md.jpg" alt="" />



If you must do a sliding door due to a tight space with the door swinging in or out, I would do a style similar to the above with the look of a French door. If space isn't an issue, I'd go with French doors. (I voted "French" in the poll.)
 
[quote author="SoCal78" date=1236916187]Sorry.... what does "both" refer to?... the sliding French design like this?:



<img src="http://www.midwestmldg.com/images/windows/Marvin/SFDint1_md.jpg" alt="" />



If you must do a sliding door due to a tight space with the door swinging in or out, I would do a style similar to the above with the look of a French door. If space isn't an issue, I'd go with French doors. (I voted "French" in the poll.)</blockquote>


Our Watermarke Beakman model, had a french door from the living room to the patio; and a sliding glass from the bedroom leading out to the same patio... Nice Pic, never seen that before!
 
There is an option of ?French style sliding door? which is space saving and look nice. I think each window company has that kind of product.
 
French doors swinging out require a post on both sides when there are side lights adjacent to doors. The posts would limit view. When the doors are opened they are seldom protected by the roof overhang. Moisture and sun damage the door top and cause the doors to warp. Painters often cheat by not painting the top of doors. Check your interior doors especially. Doors are flushed with the exterior and do not look good. Old houses seldom have out swinging french doors.



French doors swing in is the best for protecting the doors but not for driving rain. Interference of furniture and drapery are common. Doors are recessed from the exterior wall and look the best. Old houses have in swinging doors at porch locations where the doors are sheltered.



French sliders eliminate the need of structural jamb posts. They are the best for view locations and ideal for tight interior and exterior spaces. The elimination of door swing although functional but people like the romantic nostagia of a swinging door. Juliet would be disappointed by accessing to the balcony to see Romeo through a pair of sliders.



Sliding glass doors are the low grade spec level among the white or putty vinyl windows. I would choose a house with a 3 car garage over accepting vinyl windows. Vinyl windows are cheaper than melamine counter-tops from IKEA.
 
For some reason, french doors give the illusion that your yard is bigger than it really is. That's why I voted against sliding glass doors.
 
[quote author="bkshopr" date=1236924333]French doors swinging out require a post on both sides when there are side lights adjacent to doors. The posts would limit view. When the doors are opened they are seldom protected by the roof overhang. Moisture and sun damage the door top and cause the doors to warp. Painters often cheat by not painting the top of doors. Check your interior doors especially. Doors are flushed with the exterior and do not look good. Old houses seldom have out swinging french doors.



French doors swing in is the best for protecting the doors but not for driving rain. Interference of furniture and drapery are common. Doors are recessed from the exterior wall and look the best. Old houses have in swinging doors at porch locations where the doors are sheltered.



French sliders eliminate the need of structural jamb posts. They are the best for view locations and ideal for tight interior and exterior spaces. The elimination of door swing although functional but people like the romantic nostagia of a swinging door. Juliet would be disappointed by accessing to the balcony to see Romeo through a pair of sliders.</blockquote>


thanks as always for chimming in BK, so the follow up question is, can in-swinging french doors be converted to swing out? Is that against HOA and CCR rules? I mean, common, who is going to have their french door open when it is raining, if it is not protected...
 
[quote author="roundcorners" date=1236925133][quote author="bkshopr" date=1236924333]French doors swinging out require a post on both sides when there are side lights adjacent to doors. The posts would limit view. When the doors are opened they are seldom protected by the roof overhang. Moisture and sun damage the door top and cause the doors to warp. Painters often cheat by not painting the top of doors. Check your interior doors especially. Doors are flushed with the exterior and do not look good. Old houses seldom have out swinging french doors.



French doors swing in is the best for protecting the doors but not for driving rain. Interference of furniture and drapery are common. Doors are recessed from the exterior wall and look the best. Old houses have in swinging doors at porch locations where the doors are sheltered.



French sliders eliminate the need of structural jamb posts. They are the best for view locations and ideal for tight interior and exterior spaces. The elimination of door swing although functional but people like the romantic nostagia of a swinging door. Juliet would be disappointed by accessing to the balcony to see Romeo through a pair of sliders.</blockquote>


thanks as always for chimming in BK, so the follow up question is, can in-swinging french doors be converted to swing out? Is that against HOA and CCR rules? I mean, common, who is going to have their french door open when it is raining, if it is not protected...</blockquote>


No, because the door stop are on the opposite side. Out swinging door is flushed with the outside wall and it is not attractive by lacking the recessed look. That is why most front doors look good with the recess because all front doors open in.
 
Ooooo... liking these roundcorners polls.



I picked both... sliding French doors gives you that French door look without the space/structure requirements.



Although there are some places where a single French door is all that will fit... except it's just called... a door.
 
BK, ok, if you can't "convert" the french doors; how about replacing them altogether. I'm sure you can find a door company that can simply switch your swing-in french doors for out-swinging ones. Yeah, you mentioned, a lot of work framing and replacing dry walls and such... I have seen some great french door replacements of sliding glass. It really changes the look and feel of the floorplan, compare to the original design. I think newer constructions even offer upgrades such as Stonetree...
 
WOW, just tracking the polls! That is strange, I'm willing to guess a majority of you say, about 70% have sliding glass... At least that has been my experience. I wonder what the costs of sliding glass are versus french doors; I would imagine it is pretty close!
 
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