Imagine making the most of a spectacular view, optimising your interior space or bringing natural light into your home. You can do all this with a stunning sliding door. Wondering if sliding doors are a worthwhile investment? Well, the benefits speak for themselves…
Let’s explore how sliding doors work, and the advantages internal and external sliding doors can bring to your property.
How does a sliding door work?
Firstly, it’s good to understand the mechanisms of sliding doors so you can choose the best style for your home. In general, you have two types to choose from — inline sliding doors and lift and slide doors.
Sliding effortlessly on its rails, an inline sliding door is set within tracks at the top and bottom. It’s mounted on rollers and simply slides along. This relatively simple mechanism makes sliding doors easy to operate and maintain.
A lift and slide door, on the other hand, requires you to turn a handle to lift the door panel onto its rollers. This type of mechanism allows you to move large and heavy panes with ease – it’s a fantastic choice if you want to create a contemporary wall of glass effect.
Is a sliding door the same as a bi-fold door?
Both sliding doors and bi-fold doors are great additions if you crave being able to bring the garden into your home and it’s easy to conflate the two terms.
Both can replace an entire wall to create one large opening. However, these door varieties work in very different ways.
Made of several separate door leaves, bi-folds are hinged to allow you to push them back on their track. You’ll need plenty of space to stack the folded door, either inside or outside the room, so cosier spaces may benefit from a sliding door instead. And if you’re aim is to frame a spectacular view, you may prefer one large pane of glass instead of multiple panels.
Benefits of external sliding doors
So why choose external sliding doors for your home?
Natural light
First and foremost, installing fully glazed sliding doors to the outside will flood your living space with natural light. If you have a dark and unwelcoming room, a sliding door is sure to transform it. Optimising the available light will also create the illusion of extra space in a petite or cramped room.
Reduce your energy bills
Replacing a solid wall with glass might not sound logical when you’re being energy conscious. But modern glazing technology actually means sliding doors are highly thermally efficient. Double or triple glazing prevents heat loss, while glass coatings can reflect heat back into the room. And by maximising available light, you’ll reduce your lighting bills, too.
Bring the outside in
Enhancing indoor-outdoor flow is another highly prized benefit of installing a sliding door. With an external sliding door leading to a patio or garden, you can seamlessly blend your living space with nature. It’s also ideal for hosting summer parties and social events, allowing guests to come in and out easily.
By that same token, a sliding patio door is an excellent option if you have pets and want to grant them free access to the garden.
Safety and security
Sliding doors once had a bad reputation for being breakable and a security risk. But contemporary advances in glass technology and locking systems ensure that your sliding door is safe and secure, with multi-point locking and shatterproof glass.
A glazed sliding door also gives you a clear view of your outside space.
Benefits of internal sliding doors
External sliding doors make a stunning design feature. But an internal sliding door is a fantastic aesthetic choice when you want to upgrade your interiors.
Style statement
An internal sliding door is a bold design choice for any home. Add a rustic feel with a sliding barn door or industrial chic with metal and glass. If you’re short on space, a pocket sliding door fits neatly into your wall. Meanwhile, a sliding glazed door can bring a touch of vintage chic.
Make the best use of space
Hinged doors aren’t an ideal choice when you want to maximise available space because of the door arc. But a sliding door can enhance the flow between two areas or subdivide a room while leaving the spaces connected. For example, you can subdivide one room to create a WFH office or an en-suite.
A sliding door is an intelligent choice, giving you the maximum area for fittings and furniture. And by using a glazed door, you can divide the space without compromising flow or natural light.
Versatile and functional
Open plan living might still be popular, but an internal sliding door makes your space more usable and versatile by providing the option to separate areas when you wish. Perhaps you need an occasional extra bedroom or a media room for the kids while you’re entertaining friends, for instance.
Refresh your home with doors from A Wood Idea
New doors add aesthetic appeal and value to your home. You can enhance kerb appeal, beef up your security or improve energy efficiency simply by replacing your outdated doors.
At A Wood Idea, we can help you refresh your home with an extensive range of internal and external doors with styles to suit your aesthetic. Browse our full collection to find a door that will truly complement your home.
