Can I Replace My Sliding Patio Door With a French Door?

Replacing your sliding patio door is a great way to enhance the look of your home. It also ensures better security and protection for your interior. Oftentimes, homeowners simply replace their old sliding patio doors with new sliding options — a sensible choice that can make the replacement process simpler.

But if you’re looking to create a more significant impact on your home, opting for a French door would be a good change. Continue reading to learn more about the things that you need to consider when changing your sliding doors to French doors.

Advantages of French Doors

While sliding patio doors offer several benefits, like ease of operation and a larger, unobstructed view, French doors can provide a different sense of style and add more elegance to your home.

French doors can swing or slide, depending on the design you pick. Keep your usual sliding-door style or switch it up to a swing door when you replace it. Either option works with French doors.

If you go with a swinging door, its location will influence the direction it opens. Remember that swinging doors need extra room to open and accommodate hinges — look around the area for potential obstacles that might interfere with the door opening.

Patio Door Options

When shopping for a French door to replace your old sliding door, there are multiple ways you can customize its design to ensure the door matches your interior and exterior. From materials and colors to door handles and grids, you can make your sliding French doors your own.

Materials

Choosing the right material is essential when replacing a sliding glass door with a French door. The material will affect your door’s price, look and life span. If you want the best French door for your home, you must pick your material carefully.

Here are some of the most common choices for French doors:

• Vinyl: Vinyl is one of the least expensive French door materials. It’s a good option for homeowners looking for energy efficiency and minimal maintenance. However, vinyl can become brittle in the cold, and it might warp in extreme heat. Consult your door professional to ensure your door material fits your environment well.
• Aluminum: Aluminum is another extremely popular French door material. It’s incredibly long-lasting and low maintenance, reducing your long-term costs. Aluminum is a great option for customizing your door design, and it will withstand years of wear and use.
• Wood: Wood is the traditional choice for French doors. Wood gives your door a timeless, natural look. However, wood is expensive and needs regular maintenance to preserve its condition.
• Fiberglass: If you’re looking for energy efficiency, consider fiberglass doors. Fiberglass is highly durable and can expand and contract with your doors’ glass, preventing air leaks.
• Andersen^® Perma-Shield^®: This option is vinyl-clad wood, in and out, with excellent resistance to cracking, rot and corrosion. These doors have undergone a unique fabrication process in which the color of the French doors are blended with the Andersen^® Perma-Shield^® material to ensure long-lasting beauty.

Upgrades

There are many upgrades that you can incorporate into your new French door to boost your home’s overall design and appeal.

Whether you’re looking to see more energy savings or create a special door design, here are some upgrades you can choose when you replace your sliding glass door:

• Premium styles: Premium designs and colors can transform your home. A premium French door creates a timeless, sophisticated look that elevates your home.
• Custom grilles: Personalized grilles add a unique design to your door’s windows. Use custom grilles to reflect your style or add a touch of flair to a French door.
• Grids: Add grids to your French doors for a classic, traditional look. Non-grid doors reflect minimalist designs, while these decorative features can add visual interest to your home.
• Sidelights: Sidelights are those window strips on either side of your door that can make your doors stand out. They let extra light in and take your door design up a notch by creating vertical emphasis.
• Energy efficiency: If you’re seeking to improve the energy efficiency of your patio door, Renewal by Andersen can help. With our team’s knowledge of the local climate, we can offer appropriate and personalized recommendations that meet your specific requirements. Our experts will ensure the proper installation and optimal performance of your new door.

Hire a Qualified Contractor

Finding the right contractor is crucial to the success of your patio door replacement project. Make sure you’re hiring installers who have experience in replacing sliding patio doors with French doors. Since they have done it in the past, they can offer sufficient advice on what to look out for in this kind of switch. You can also rest assured that they won’t make serious mistakes during the installation process.

Once you have found a reliable and competent contractor, make sure to communicate your patio door requirements and preferences to them. This will also help minimize errors and guide your contractor in delivering results to your satisfaction.

Get an Estimate From Renewal By Andersen Today

If you want to replace your sliding glass doors with French doors, turn to Renewal by Andersen. We offer top-notch door and window replacement services. We also take pride in our range of replacement doors and windows, which deliver excellent performance and a long life span. With our expertise in various door and window styles, our staff can help you find the right products for your home. Whether you need sliding doors or have questions about our outstanding warranties, Renewal by Andersen can get the job done.

Call us at 866-609-5033 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free in-home consultation. We serve customers in Maryville, Tennessee and the surrounding communities.