How to Design Patio Doors
Installing the appropriate type of doors leading to a patio is important to make traffic flow well. Since the patio area can become an extended living space for cooking or entertaining, it is best to use doors that operate smoothly and create an open feeling. Since a patio is usually located on the side or back of a home, it is often wise to include a door system that has security features. Most patio doors will include a large amount of glass, but by designing the area properly, this part of the house can be secure and safe. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Patio design books
- Outdoor living magazines
- Catalogs of patio door systems
- Measuring tools
- Sketch pad
- Graph paper
- Brochures on security accessories
Instructions
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Obtain books on patio design, outdoor living magazines and catalogs of patio doors. Note the styles of doors and overall ideas that are appealing to you. Make notes about various types of doors, such as sliding doors or French doors, that can be utilized. Review how doors will operate in the actual space in terms of which direction they will slide or open.
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Investigate sizes of doors and costs of each. Measure the actual door space allocated to accommodate new doors for a patio area. Sketch various doors that might fit with your home's architecture. Consider two French doors that open outward, for example, if the home is a brick colonial. Design French doors that slide sideways on rollers, perhaps, if the house is a vacation home near the beach. Envision the family's foot traffic from the indoor living space to determine if the particular doors you have in mind will work in reality.
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Do not overlook the possibility of installing standard exterior doors with glass panes in the top half only if the patio area is facing an isolated area. Plan to buy motion detector lights for the patio and install a security system to address security concerns. Think about surrounding the exterior patio area with a high wall or fence to further enhance security. Use standard sliding glass doors with large panes of glass that are totally exposed only in areas that are reasonably safe or facing a neighbor's house.
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Create a patio door system with three or more doors side by side, if the wall space permits. Consider using windows in upper sections above several French doors to open up a wall area even more. Plan to use more solid, standard doors, surrounded by panels of glass on the sides or windows overhead if the patio faces public sidewalks or a road. Sketch the final door system you have designed on graph paper to see if it is proportionate with the rest of the house.
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Plan to build a visual barrier when all-glass patio doors will be installed near living areas by constructing a light enclosure around the patio area. Consider building a framework covered with wood lattice, for example. Add security by installing an exterior door in the enclosure itself that can be latched and locked.
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Tips & Warnings
There is always a way to create a nice patio area with glass doors, even in busy urban areas, by figuring out how to block interior views and enhance security. Use artistic walls, courtyards and garden spaces to create visual barriers between the curbside and the patio doors.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit patio by the sea image by Lijuan Guo from Fotolia.com
