There’s no one manufacturer that makes “the best” sliding glass door, but there are many excellent products available. We have decades of experience with many brands, fine-tuning which products we trust, thanks to excellent quality and customer service from different manufacturers. We sell only those products that meet our high standards, and back the installation with our lifetime installation warranty at no charge.

We also have enough experience to know the pros and cons of different manufacturers and product lines, which ones are optimal for our climate, and which upgrades are worth the extra investment.

We’d be honored to share this expertise with you, and make recommendations for your specific home and budget. We won’t pressure you to buy, but we can help you make a more informed decision. Schedule an appointment today for more information.

Yes, French doors tend to cost more than a standard sliding glass door. However, they’re more secure against break-ins, and more durable with a longer lifespan. They’re a set of double-doors with glass inserts, with all of the same solid framing a door typically has, where sliding glass doors are simply a large panel of glass with a simple metal frame set on rollers. They’re less solid and simply set into the frame.

French doors come in a wider variety of materials, such as vinyl, fiberglass, aluminum-clad wood or all wood, compared to sliding patio doors. They also offer far more design flexibility, with a variety of style, color, finish and energy efficiency options that aren’t available for sliding doors. You can select from a variety of privacy options, such as mini-blinds between the panes of glass, and privacy glass (frosted, satin or patterned), and are typically far more energy efficient.

As an added benefit, you can adjust the height of glass in one or both doors, adding a half, three-quarter or full size panel of glass. The shorter panels are the perfect place for installing a pet door.

In many cases, replacing sliding glass doors with French doors is an upgrade.

We often recommend upgrading to French doors instead of sliding glass doors, or we may recommend certain products over another due to the security of the product. Our customers’ safety is very important to us.

While security of sliding glass doors continue to improve, most have a standard latch that hooks on the door frame, instead of a lock. This is less secure than traditional door hardware.

Sliding glass doors, especially older aluminum ones, are commonly the point of entry for break-ins.  They don’t typically break the glass, they simply jiggle the latch open, and/or lift the sliding glass door panel right off the track.

Commercial products may be more secure, in some cases, and we’ll recommend those where appropriate.

Because sliding glass doors are primarily a double-paned glass unit set into a frame—with glass running from floor to ceiling, or at least above our heads—walking or falling through the glass is a safety concern. For that reason, all sliding glass doors have tempered or laminated glass to increase safety. Tempered glass is heat-treated to crumble upon impact, instead of falling in shards, and laminated glass has a clear, thermoplastic film that holds most of the glass in place if it breaks.

Additionally, sliding glass doors use glass that is much thicker than window glass, which gives it added strength and impact resistance.