Experience w/ sliding glass patio doors?
Can anyone offer any wisdom on sliding glass patio doors? I did a search on the topic in here and they don’t seem to be extremely popular, but we’re still leaning that way. We currently have two 6′ swinging patio doors (one side swings in, the other side is fixed) that the wind just howls through. There is a huge space between the door and the jamb (you can see daylight on one door) and I can’t figure out how these things can ever be made tight. My mother-in-law recently replaced her old wooden french patio doors with sliders and she loves them.
There are two different doors available off the shelf here. One is an Andersen Narrowline 200 series, the other a Pella Proline 450. Both appear to be of about equal quality, sight difference in the type of seals used. The major difference is that on the Adersen the slider is on the inside, on the Pella it’s outside.
If anyone has any experience with these I’d appreciate your opinion.
Replies
I've put Andersen Frenchwood and Permashield in several times in remodels. Both are quality units that operate smoothly and adjust as necessary. The screens sometimes need work, they aren't very technological in the Andersen line. I am installing a Narrowline Monday. Have put in numerous Pellas, but not the Proline. Currently the proline was advertised in a bigbox mailer for 750.00, screen included. The Pella distributor was going to honor that price to me, normally it is more to contractors. The customer has chosen the andersen because of the sandtone color matching their house color v. the proline whose "tan" color is too light. Both doors as you say are pretty similar in locking mechanism and appearance. I'll be installing the Narroline monday if you want to email me, I'll give you a blow by blow then. I'm only going to guess here that the interior threshold height is taller on the Andersen. Might want to look at that area if you don't like to pick up your feet and want to avoid a trip area.
Here's an odd (to me) side story on the install. The old door was a Thermatru hinged like yours from the center of the opening. In their infinite wisdom they must have offered a builders (special-lower price) unit that uses two 3'-0" doors, hinged together that makes the Frame Size 6'-3" in width. Other "french style" doors I have replaced have used cut down in width doors, keeping the R.O. 6' in width. Not this one. So, to replace the damn thing requires building in the sides and putzing with the Aluminum siding 3" bigger finish on the outside along with the drywall patch on the inside that won't be able to be covered with like casing to the rest of the room. I wouldn't recommend swapping the same door for the other poorly installed and didn't hold up anyway (door rotted bottom rail) door even if it was available (local source can't seem to find it in the catalogue now). For years quality door manufacturers have offered sized down replacements for those old aluminum sliders. To have to spend the time (money) on this job is a slap in the face to the customer because of that goofy oversized rough opening.
Best of luck on your project.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Edited 10/3/2003 3:56:50 PM ET by calvin
Get the Pella. When I worked for Therma-Tru, I tested and reverse-engineered all of the major brands. Dozens. The ProLine slider is a great door.
You worked for thematru? Where?
Can you explain that 6'3" swinging faux french?
thanksRemodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Really, what did they make that faux? LOL
And one other thing, after putting in 2 10°x6'11'' and 2 10°x8° sliders this week, just say No to Norco... EliphIno!
Billy, you must be looking to pick a fight since you know who evacuated this site.
The faux is the french...........but you knew that.
Those be big doors buddy, what's not to like.Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Oh Cal, just a feeble attempt at humor. Your faux comment reminded of a long ago trim job we had which also involved a French faux and wall scene painter. An exceptionally snotty and snide fellow. By the time he got around to painting (among other things) the worst redition of a coyote driving a car in the little boy's room, our crew had had enough of his superior behavior.
The crew started coming onto the room to check out the "art," and somebody blurts out "Man, what you wanna do that faux?" then, "Yeah man, that looks like a big faux paw!" And, "Does that car have faux on the floor?" and on and on...poor guy packed up and finished by working at night...
and, just so you know that I can get along with other nationalities, half of Mrs Snort is of the French persuasion! I know, I'm a saint<G> EliphIno!
Having sliding panel on outside has a couple of inherant problems.
1) it's very easy to lock you in the house.
2)rollers are always going through blown up dirt and debris.
3) screen on inside, you always have to move screen to open door for air.
any bugs stuck on screen are going to come in when closing door.
Dogs and cats love the interior screen too.
The wind blowing doors tighter is a myth if your andersen leaks air adjust it, it's simple.
Andersens service is second to none and I for one would never have an operating panel on the outside. But that's just me.
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If you were arrested for being a quality builder would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Excuse me for having a different point of view.
Sliding patio doors suck!
They waste space. The energy efficiency blows. For all of the outside wall space they consume, less than 50% is functional. They look cheep.
I've had four houses over the past 8 years. In each, one of the first things I've done is tear out the darn things and replace them with quality French doors.
Would you explain how they waste space? French doors need twice the wall space to fully open. A quality slider installed properly seals out water and air. True, nothing is as beautiful as a true french door, but sometimes space constraints dictate practicality in place of a showpiece. Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Go with Pella. I've put in hundreds. They put the door on the outside so that the wind will force the door inward creating a tighter seal. Plus they have a service department should a problem occur.
In our former home we had the Pella sliding door with the vinyl slats inside the two panels of glass. Good looking sliders, solid and heavy. Hated the inside screen. Plus, they were very expensive, bought the top of the line. Purchased in 1994.
In our current home we have Anderson sliders (replacements) installed in our living room and bedroom, absolutely happy with them. The TH is much warmer. Yes, you have to watch your toe or foot but you get used to that.
Yes, the blinds always confounded me too. Great idea for their windows but in wider applications like doors we also had problems. I had (2) 8' sliders in my last home and yes I was always tweaking them. Now that I moved from the Southwest to the Northeast I don't see as many sold with the blinds and that's fine with me!
If you have larger transport then the pella is great. If you have minivan or small pickup then the andersen is great because it comes "knock down". Both are great units so check sizes because both are different "standard" sizes!!
I love the andersen knock downs.
Only installed one or two pellas that I can remember.
Both good quality doors.
I'd never put a set of french's in my own home.... we got a little thing called winter .....and wind!
might look better ... but function over form here.
The whole appeal of the french's is to have them open as the breese flaps at the curtains gently .... but I live in Pgh ... not Jamaica......
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite