Which is better, sliding or French doors?

French and sliding doors are two popular styles of patio door amongst homeowners. If you’re a homeowner or installer, you may be curious to know which is better for you or your next project. As we supply both, we at Great Harwood Windows thought we’d create this short comparison guide, to help you decide which is best.

French doors

• French doors feature a stylish, yet distinctively traditional, design. Whilst this means they’re a great fit for old style properties, they’re equally suitable for use on more contemporary homes.
• Comprising of two separate doors which are opened either inwards or outwards, they can be opened fully, creating a wide aperture. Conversely, sliding doors can open either left or right as much as their frames will allow. The result of this is that, when opened, the aperture is wider on French doors than on sliding ones. This means they’re able to provide more ventilation to properties.
• French doors and sliding doors both feature multi-chambered internal profiles, ensuring for an exceptional thermal performance.

Sliding doors

• Sliding patio doors are operated via a smooth opening mechanism, where they slide to one side in order to open. Unlike French doors, which open either inwards or outwards, this means they’re great for projects where space is a commodity.
• Sliding doors feature large expanses of glazing and slender sightlines, which allows large quantities of light into the property. North-facing properties, where light is hard to come by, can benefit from the extra light they allow in.
• The wider expanses of glazing that are present on sliding doors ensure that views of external spaces are less restricted.

Exceptional sliding and French doors supplied & installed across Lancashire

Great Harwood can supply either set in UPVC or aluminium, depending on project requirements. We use Veka and Liniar profiles for our UPVC options and Alufold and Smarts for our aluminium door systems. Regardless of material or style, advanced multi-point locking systems are present for a high level of security. Both sets are available with either double or triple glazing, whilst we have the full RAL colour range at our disposal, ensuring for suitability with properties of any style or age.

Interested in either set for your next home-improvement project? Give us a call on 01254 690009 or send us an online message.