French vs. Sliding Door: Which Is Better for Your Balcony?

If you’re looking for a balcony door, there’s a good chance that you’re already choosing between two popular options, the French door and the sliding patio door. Which one will suit your balcony better? According to experts in door replacement services, the answer depends on which offers the most advantages given your balcony’s specific needs.

The French Door

A French door is characterized by a pair of panels that swing open. Depending on the orientation and type of hinge used, the door panels can swing outwards, inwards, or even both ways. A French patio door can create a very wide opening – as wide as the frame itself. This makes the French patio door the better option than the sliding window in terms of ventilation and allowing easier access.

French doors installation needs plenty of floor space on both sides so the panels can swing freely without bumping into anything. Because of this, we strongly advise having French doors installed only by certified experts like our specialists, which already have experience in installing perfectly-sized French doors on balconies and patios.

The Sliding Door

A Sliding door features one or more panels that slide along rails on the top and bottom edge of the door frame. Because the panels do not go beyond the door frame itself, this type of door can fit in areas where even a small French door will not. However, it can also afford to be bigger glass surfaces than a regular French door because the panels are fully supported by the door frame (unlike a French door which has all the weight of its panels on the hinges.

The sliding door works best if you want to prioritize a better view or if your balcony is too small to accommodate any other type of door. For this reason, homes with small patio entrances also pick a sliding patio door. You should also take note that French doors are often used for traditional designs and sliding doors are more popular among contemporary homes, although there are always a few exceptions.

Get your balcony doors custom-made and installed by the best in the business. Renewal by Andersen® of Rapid City provides the leading door replacement experts in South Dakota and Spearfish, SD. You can contact us at (307) 472-2199 or fill out this contact form to request a free estimate.