PVC, Wood, Aluminum Framed or Frameless Patio Doors: Comparison of Style, Technology and Price

Yesterday, for the first time in three years of admiring my slim aluminum-framed bi-fold doors with integral shutters, I felt dissatisfied. This is because, over the last few months, I have become increasingly aware of how much more visibility I could have with frameless double-glazed doors.

Going back a few years in time, the best option for doors between the house and the garden were the central opening double doors (French doors), which are still popular today. Fifty-odd years ago, sliding patio doors allowed us to bring more light into the home. These typically comprised two glass panels that could be slid left or right into parallel slots next to each other so that when closed, natural light and a good view could be enjoyed. To open, one door would slide to overlap the other door so that the overall width of the opening would be similar to that of French doors. Another drawback of sliding doors is that they too often become “sticky” doors, made worse by the introduction of double glazing, doubling the weight of the doors and reducing the glass to frame ratio.

Moving on to the next innovation… enter the bi-fold door: a combination of hinged doors that open accordion-style. Often called bi-fold sliding doors, double bi-fold doors have various mechanisms that allow one side of the door panels to be guided along the top and bottom tracks while the remainder of each door panel is pushed out. , along with its attached hinged partner, and so on. on for as many door panels that are connected. In this way, several doors zig-zag apart to reveal access widths of up to seven metres.

Since the turn of the century, the bi-fold door has become increasingly popular with homeowners modernizing their homes and apartments. It is also the standard for many indoor pools.

Bi-fold doors are generally offered with three types of frames: wood, aluminum, and PVC. They are all available in different qualities and therefore the prices vary. When comparing cheaper wood or PVC frame door sets from a DIY store with custom bi-fold doors from a specialist manufacturer, remember that the order price usually includes installation by experienced bi-fold door installers.

Other points to consider may include the origin of your custom doors.

• Are they locally made or imported? There could be unforeseen delays if measurements are not accurate.
• Does the company use an experienced team or cheap, unskilled labor for installation?
• Is the Company established with a good reputation, in case something goes wrong?

wood

Good quality wooden frames look good in traditional homes. Hardwoods, such as teak and oak, are more expensive than softwoods, but they are also stronger. Wooden frames are more prone to weather conditions: sun and rain can take their toll: they swell, shrink or warp the frames, making it difficult to open or close doors and facilitating drafts. Stained or painted wood frames are high maintenance compared to aluminum or pvc.

Aluminum

The term thermally broken aluminum basically means that the aluminum exposed to the temperatures on the outside of the frame and the aluminum on the inside of the frame are separated by a non-conductive material so that heat or cold cannot pass through. Aluminum itself can be pretty ugly, so aluminum frames are powder coated with a polymer that provides a smooth, warm finish. Colors can be added to the siding to produce a virtually maintenance-free frame (you’ll need a cloth now and then) in white, graphite, silver, green, brown, blue, or up to nearly 200 color options, including purple, orange, red, or pink. Barbie and Jordan would love that!

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE

Often available in a wood grain finish, as well as white, PVC door frames range from cheap and unsightly ones that will likely be a nightmare to open and close, to high-quality metal-reinforced systems. The best PVC bifolds have many of the qualities of aluminum bifolds, such as low maintenance and good performance, but the frames are always wider, detracting from the potential view when the doors are closed, and the profiles they are also wider, which reduces access space when open.

Frameless

For homes with character, frameless glass doors are the surprising alternative to the traditional ones. For contemporary homes, there really is no alternative – this is it! The best lifestyle option. Instead of having to consider the safety of natural wood against the repercussions of trendy fopars with copper, graphite or plum finishes, choose frameless. no frames

Evolving from folding, the absence of side frames meant having to develop a hingeless method. This is achieved by having one main door that swings open at a right angle like a normal door, allowing each of the remaining doors to slide through the gap left open by the door and also pivot at a right angle, to rest on. against the front door. door. In this way, maximum access is achieved when all doors are fully open.

And when the doors are fully closed, there are no frames to disturb the view. However, it should be noted that because patio doors are double glazed, there is a slight gap between the closed doors where the gasket seals the gap between the outer and inner glass panels.

Without internal and commercial framework

As a footnote, if you want frameless glass doors as internal room dividers, conservatory doors, outbuilding doors, or in commercial premises, such as a removable front wall of a cafeteria, single glass doors can be installed. . Not only are there no side frames, but there’s also no gasket, just edge-to-edge glass (unbreakable quality of course).

The price of frameless glass doors is a fraction of the cost of good quality bi-fold doors. Search the Internet for photos and companies that offer comparative quotes without obligation. In the meantime, I wonder if I should close off the kitchen with a frameless glass room divider: the dishwasher is quite noisy sometimes…