External doors play an important role in keeping the interior of your home safe, warm and protected from the elements. But for many people, the downside is you are shutting off the outside world, blocking natural light and obscuring attractive views of your garden and whatever lies beyond.

External glass sliding doors offer the best of both worlds. Secure, durable and well insulated, double or even triple glazed sliding doors nonetheless invite the outside world into your home, with clear views and high levels natural light all year round.

In addition, sliding doors also make access between indoors and out that much easier. When the weather is fine, you can throw open your external doors to provide a direct continuum between your garden and the inside of your home. This also ideal for letting sunlight and fresh air permeate your home.

External glass sliding door types

One of the great benefits of installing glass sliding doors is that they are extremely flexible. Different types can be used to add an external entrance to virtually any exterior wall space, from patios to balconies to elevated terraces.

Here’s a quick run down of the main glass sliding door types.

Single glass sliding door

The classic patio door, the single glass sliding door comprises two glass panels, one fixed and one installed on runners. To open, the door panel slides behind the fixed panel. Unlike some varieties of indoor sliding door, a patio sliding door will be mounted on top and bottom rails to provide additional sturdiness and security.

Multiple glass sliding door

Based on the same principle as the single version, a multiple sliding doors feature several panels all mounted on rails to move horizontally over to a single fixed position when fully open. Multiple glass sliding doors can be used in much larger spaces, providing the option to open up extensive wall spaces while still maintaining plenty of light and open vistas when closed.

Bi-fold sliding doors

As an alternative to multiple sliding doors, bi-fold glass sliders combine the classic fold action of a bi-fold door with a sliding rail. The effect is that the panels do not just fold open, they can also be pushed and slid to the side to maximise the aperture. The main benefit of bi-fold sliding doors over multiple sliding varieties is that the rails are simpler and slimmer. With a four-door multiple system, for example, you need four rails on which to carry all the panels, which makes the tracks quite thick and cumbersome. With a bi-fold sliding design, you can achieve the same effect with a single rail.

French sliding doors

A tweak on a classic design, French sliding doors incorporate the familiar pair of opposed doors, but they open by sliding on a rail rather than outwards. Many people find this much more convenient on an external entrance than swing doors. For example, it reduces issues with doors banging on windy days.

Glass & Stainless have extensive experience in designing and installing external glass sliding doors in a variety of contexts. Get in touch today to see how we can help you.