Types of Sliding Glass Doors

Door walls, pocket doors, gliding doors, sliding doors, sliders and patio doors all refer to the same basic concept--a door, mostly glass, that typically leads out to a patio or rear of the home. But that is where the similarities end. Differences in materials, appearance and types of sliding glass doors make this decision a difficult and important one.

Types

Whether you call them sliders or gliders, a number of different sliding glass doors are available. Some have rollers on the top, bottom or both, but that is not where the primary differences are. Sliding doors can come in wood, fiberglass, or vinyl-clad wood. Pocket doors are typically single-paneled doors in which the door panel slides into a hole or pocket built into the wall.

Function

Sliding glass doors, regardless of the type, operate in the same typical function. They slide on rollers or wheels, with some able to be adjusted. They are typically not used as a primary entrance door, and offer a large amount of daylight opening or visible glass, with some only having a minimal amount of framing.

Considerations

Wood sliding glass doors are great looking, but are prone to warping before installation, and even after they have been painted or stained. Vinyl-clad doors are resistant to warping or bowing, keep the outside well-protected from the elements and allow for the wood look on the interior. Fiberglass doors do not have the warping issues and are weather-resistant, but are typically not painted, keeping the appearance static for the life of the door. Sliding glass doors are useful for the space-conscious where hinged doors need a wide berth, and pocket doors are even more of a space saver.

Features

Pocket doors are a unique sliding glass door because they use the wall as housing for the operating door panel, where other sliding doors would simply overlap the stationary and sliding door. Newer sliding glass doors are typically fitted with a more energy-efficient e-glass than "clear" dual-pane glass. It is also a federal regulation that these doors be fitted with tempered glass.

Identification

Pocket doors are typically single-panel gliding doors with an upper and lower track that continue into the wall to the left or right of the glass panel. The rough opening of the door is traditionally the same as a gliding door for initial installation, but can truly save space after installation. French doors, though traditionally a hinged door, are wood doors with or without vinyl cladding on the exterior. There is less visible glass because the bottom rail is two to three times taller than the sides are wide.

References

• Consumer product safety commision 16 CFR 1201