Open the door to new possibilities with these 6 different styles of back doors.
Your back door gives you access to your deck, patio, or backyard as well as a second entrance inside your house. There is minimal need for a door to hide the interior of a house from neighbors or the street because the back of the house is frequently a private area. There are several alternatives, including sliding glass doors and French doors, to choose from. Consider using low-E glass or built-in shades in between panes to minimize sun fading on furniture. To reduce the expense of heating and cooling, whatever door style you choose, make sure it has double-paned glass and adequate weather stripping. Get ideas for your new back door by reading this guide.
Who’s that knocking?
Sliding Doors
Sliding doors are a common sight. Instead of folding outward, they glide behind one another. A track system that runs along the bottom and top allows sliding doors to open and close. To accomplish this appearance, many tracks spaced apart from one another are used, with each door sliding along. Alternately, one door might slide behind another before moving slightly outward.
Given that there are fewer moving elements to take into account, this configuration is typically slightly more affordable and simpler to install than a folding door. Additionally, you won’t have to worry about the blinds and curtains snagging when you hang them safely behind the door. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the offset tracks will somewhat widen the door’s footprint. The door’s limitation to a single panel of collapse raises yet another potential disadvantage. Because there is no need to create additional space in the room for a swinging, hinged door, sliders are ideal for confined spaces in your home.
French Doors
The French style is among the most straightforward and well-liked types of exterior doors. For almost as long as glazing has existed, so have these doors. They are just a pair of double doors with one or more glass panes on each of them. The nation from which French doors first gained popularity is where they get their name. The French aristocracy enjoyed an abundance of rolling gardens in the late 17th century, but they lacked the windows necessary to gaze out. Thus, balconies throughout the nation started to sprout windows the size of doors.
They enabled natural light to enter the interior, which greatly increased the impression of space and also allowed the aristocrats to look out. This was a revelation during the time before electric lighting. This characteristic has continued to make French doors appealing even now. They will make it possible to combine a patio and a living room into one seamless environment because they are next to one another. They are typically less expensive than the other door types on this list, but they are also only available in one configuration and cannot be made nearly as huge as some more contemporary alternatives.
Folding Doors
These doors can be made to open and close without extending too far into the corridor by adding a second fold to the door’s center. The same quality holds for larger folding doors. Modern bi-fold doors are made up of many separate panels that are joined together by hinges so that the whole thing can fold in on itself. To prevent the door from swinging outward and to distribute the weight evenly across the door, each panel is fastened to a rail by a miniature rolling carriage. As a result, doors of this kind can be constructed in huge sizes; the largest is over seven meters wide. A folding door can be the perfect solution if you need to connect a particularly long section of wall with your yard.
Although folding doors are often more expensive than other door types, they are far larger and more stunning than standard French doors and can be collapsed much more completely than sliding doors. Furthermore, while they don’t swing outward as much as conventional doors, they do extend outward when they open, necessitating caution when hanging internal curtains. It’s important to note that folding doors can be arranged in a variety of ways. The type that folds out from one side is the most prevalent. However, there are also “French-fold” designs, which are essentially two folding doors that extend from either side of the entrance and come together in the middle. Finally, some designs just have one panel on one side, which allows for simple, draft-free access that is especially useful in the winter.
Hinged Doors
Most access to the outside from inside the house is provided through hinged doors. These are standard doors that may be made of glass, wood, metal or PVC. They have a large, outward or inward opening. Doors that swing inward require more space inside to open, so they are inappropriate for interiors with limited space.
Stable Doors
Standard doors and stable doors are the same size. However, stable doors are made of two doors stacked on top of one another. Historically, this design has been used to feed horses without letting them out of the stable. They make a wonderful little service hatch for those summer garden parties and are also a common addition to cottage-style kitchens. You should make sure the seal between the two sections of the door is tight for the best potential thermal performance.
Standard Single Doors
Of course, you might also decide to install the most common type of front door on the back of your house. Because they don’t provide as much glazing for potential intruders to peek through, traditional single external doors are more common and secure than the other options. There are many different materials available, each of which offers a few somewhat distinct qualities, similar to the other designs we’ve covered. Most wooden exterior doors will have a strong “engineered” core that is encased in a veneer of high-quality timer. This method prevents warping while also assisting in cost-cutting.
Are you surprised by the variety of backdoor models presented here? We’re certain you are! Check out these creative designs and ideas before spending your money on a standard door. While there isn’t a single optimal door for every home, you must assess each door’s potential advantages and disadvantages. If you need help finding and/or installing a new back door, our skilled team of experts at Valor Home Services is here to help. Call today to learn more information.
