Whether indoors or veranda, today nearly every homeowners generally prefer either the Sliding doors or French Doors. If you are unable to reach a decision, which door type is right for you, compare sliding doors next to French doors like from space, safety, cost and looks. Both of them share the same purpose; creating a threshold. Yet, they vary a great deal.
Here is a side-by-side comparison of Sliding Doors and French Doors for you;
1. Cost
Price is a prime deciding factor between Sliding doors and French Doors. Depending on the quality, frame, installation the cost for a sliding door may vary from $350 to $600. On the other hand, French doors generally made of pine, oak or mahogany wood are relatively expensive. Classic French door with a single slab could be $800 which may rise above $1000 for an elegant piece.
2. Safety & Control
Undoubtedly, French doors are basically doors and thus much safer than Sliding Doors. Once locked, one can be certain that they are closed. In general, sliding door creates a delusion of an entrance without any door. In fact, before the days of tampered glass people got badly wounded while walking into the door thinking they are open. However, still people mistakenly walk into them.
Though rarely yet due to direct sun and humidity there have been incidents of sliding glass doors getting shattered. Maximum housebreaks are done by popping the sliders only. But, the French Doors could not be levered open. Deadbolt and steel rods provides further security to the French Doors.
3. Style & Appearance
What door would go with your interior depends solely on the design of your home. French Doors are elegant, and could be painted in any fashion adding to its style. Conversely, slider doors possess a smoother and modernized look and sometime come with screens which are of great use.
4. Space
Apart from the budget and aesthetic concerns, space available is another yet major deciding factor. Sliding doors relatively take up less space in fact fixed space to open. While French doors swing in or out to open, thus need a lot of space for that. Hence, you need to place the furniture in such a way that there is abundant space for the door to function freely.
5. Function & Control
Function is another good reason to make your pick easy. A 6-feet slider door would give you a passage of 3-feet only. On the other hand, 6-feet French door when fully opened would give you 6-feet opening; enough space to move in large furniture.
Again Slider Door functions on rollers which could wear out easily by the heavy weight of the doors. Not to forget dust getting into the tracks, slipping off the tracks; which are pretty difficult to deal with.
6. Energy Efficiency
Whether French Doors are energy-efficient or not used to be a big debate, but no more. Today, French doors come with UV protected, high-performance fiberglass, which is 4 times better than any other sliding glass door. Apart from the glass, they come with weather strips that seals out the outside air water.
Finally, economical Sliding glass doors come with hidden costs like the extensive electricity bills, security risks. Though pricey, but French Doors are long lasting with less maintenance, much secured and savings.
