Sliding Patio Door - replacement
 

I have a sliding patio door that is old, nasty aluminum and always feels cold when I put my hand against it in winter, etc. It sweats, and I figure it probably leaks air too.

I don't think there is room to put an inswing French door there, and an outswing would require me to replace the concrete step next to it and put in a full deck above the surface of the small patio.

OTOH, I hear that sliding doors always leak more than French doors (due to the sliding door not pushing up against the seals).

Are there any strong arguments in favor of replacing the unit with French doors?

And, if I do go ahead with a sliding glass door... thoughts on the best brands? I'd like the interior to be wood and hopefully match the Doug. fir trim I am putting in all over the house.

One final tidbit: whatever it is has to be carried down a hill about 20 ft. vertically and maybe 200 ft. horizontally... (but I figure 2 young kids can do that ok).

My parents have French doors and a sliding "French" door. None leak. They were installed 25+ years ago, don't know the brand.

They better be two strapping kids to carry a sliding door anywhere. I installed a new one last summer and those suckers are heavy. I'm a bodybuilder and my brother is no slouch either, but it was a chore to get that thing to my backyard and into place between the two of us. This was a vinyl slider by Anderson btw.

Randy, I put in some Milgard (SP?) double pane with low e glass two years ago, they are sliders and really seal well. I got the energy rebate ones, (you know, one of those subsidies that I don't get (DoH!) You can get them with or without the "dividers" in between the glass, but since they are fake why not just get a nice open view. These things slide and lock like a bank vault door.

+1 on Hugh's comments. Milgard is my favorite vinyl brand. All the door and window mfgr's have tested their products for air and water infiltration.

You should be good with a slider. Easier to have a screen, too.

Changed out a sliding door from aluminum to vinyl a couple years ago. The vinyl is a much better door. The only problem I had was a little water coming in the track because i didn't replace the gutter above the door that was removed when installing Hardi siding. With new gutter in place, no problems.

I just installed a Anderson wooden door, and stained/poly'd it myself to go with everything else...seals like a vault, and I'm very pleased. On the HEAVY Anderson's, the handles are mounted so that it's simply a balancing act to get the base of the door in place via the handles, remove them and push the top in place (other doors I've installed have the handles on the top/bottom instead of the sides)...a PITA. I'm no bodybuilder, but my neighbor and I handled it OK with another "pro with back problems" supervising :).

vinyl is not allowed in the house (outgassing of volatiles; asthma issues + it is the very most polluting plastic to manf.), so Milgard is out

I know some windows have wood on the inside and fiberglass or something on the outside - anything like that is sliding glass doors?

and yes, Hugh, I want that E* subsidy...

Check out the Anderson's...solid wooden doors "the guts and inside trim" with I "think" aluminum or something on the outside.

ps: I got the tax write-off as I purchased the door and windows last year, but I think you're SOL now :(.

Andersen uses vinyl on the outside. Their multi-point lock is very nice.

Fiberglass is an option, and Milgard makes an interior wood veneer version, colored or just a base color on the outside. It's paintable.

Most all the others are aluminum clad on the outside. Check out Kolbe, I've installed a few of those.

thx, IIRC, Orygun still has some tax help on these things

My father has a Pella sliding glass door and it's very well made and 20+ years later , still sealing out the bad weather. Incredibly smooth action to open/close and lock.

Hajom
Weiland
Kolbe (Ultra & Heritage lines)
Marvin

If you've got the area, lift-and-slide/pocket doors are the cat's arse.

I had a really lousy year of employment a while ago and worked for Pella. They have wood / aluminum clad doors that slide and French style as well. However, the one that I would check out is the fiberglass model. Fiberglass offers the benefits of vinyl without many of the issues. You also can paint fiberglass. Down side of Pella is they are VERY expensive. I don't think they are the best value. Also, the wood has tons of pesticides to keep bugs / mold / fungus from growing.

Good luck,
Larry

I've installed both Anderson and Pella, each are high quality as I'm sure are the others listed on this thread. Just don't get the house brand at Home Depot, or one of the no-name window & door companies advertising on TV.

lift-and-slide/pocket doors for the exterior?

Did a lot of research 3 yrs ago, tore out a bedroom window, put in outswing French doors w/Levelors between the lights, fiberglass clad, take paint, no snap in mullion kit. Top quality, not cheap. Check out their sliders.

http://www.replacement-windows.com/windowbb/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=3464

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302846780.jpg

Try Integrity. They are build by Mervin. I have them in my house Not sliders but french doors and their windows.). Fiberglass on the outside and wood on the inside. Great product and cheaper then Pella, Anderson, and for sure Kolbe and Kolbe.

yup.

Here are some examples from a few of our properties:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302847357.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302847380.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302847447.jpg

Pocket door on the left, mitered windows on the right:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302847603.jpg

50' Fleetwood pocket doors (forgot to add them to the list above):
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1302847677.jpg

Yes, Fleetwood make great products.