French Doors vs. Sliding Doors

Many homeowners want to open up their home a bit, allow the breeze in, and have an indoor/outdoor option when entertaining.   You can open windows but they cannot create the expansive space in the way that doors can.

Many homeowners want to open up their home a bit, allow the breeze in, and have an indoor/outdoor option when entertaining.   You can open windows but they cannot create the expansive space in the way that doors can.  Homeowners often wonder what is better for their home – sliding doors or French doors.  There are pros and cons to each type of door so before you have a contractor install your new door, carefully consider what door may be best for your home.

• Sliding Doors
  • PRO: Sliding doors are space saving when compared with french doors. If you need to place furniture near the doorway, a french door may hit the furniture every time it is opened, or not be able to open effectively but you will never experience that problem with a sliding door.
  • PRO: Sliding doors have a more contemporary aesthetic than French doors. French doors tend to be associated with a more traditional style home but sliding doors have a far more contemporary feel which may better suit your home décor or architectural style.
  • PRO: Sliding glass doors enhance your home’s natural light.  Because they are large panes of glass on a track, they allow a substantial amount of natural light into your home so that you rely on electrical lighting less.
  • CON: Sliding doors tend to have a smaller opening than French doors.  If you want a larger opening for entertaining or moving furniture, French doors may be a better choice.
• French Doors
  • PRO: French doors are generally safe than sliding doors.  Sliding doors tend to be easier to pry open than French doors.  In fact, when a home is broken into it is rarely through the front door.  More often, the sliding door is pried open or popped off its tracks, giving easy entry into a home.  French doors that swing out are much safer because they cannot be pried open.  Further, French doors have far more sophisticated locking mechanisms than sliding doors.
  • PRO: French doors offer dramatically improved energy efficiency over sliding doors.  Today, French doors are made of high performance fiberglass that is more thick than sliding glass door thickness and prevents solar heat transmission.  French doors will keep your energy bills down and your home more comfortable.
    • CON: French doors tend to be more expensive than sliding doors.  If you are on a budget, this may be a deterrent from purchasing French doors.