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Patio doors are generally described as doors to the rear of your property linking the house to the garden and come in various opening options, such as bifolding doors, sliding doors and French doors.

The type of patio door you will select will depend on whether it’s replacing old doors or is for a new build or extension, the size of the door opening, and the view to your garden.

When chosen thoughtfully, modern patio doors can be a striking addition to your home and enhances the property’s aesthetics viewed from the garden. From the inside, they not only provide a pleasant view but also flood your space with natural light, and offer easy access to your garden and provide a focal feature.

You’ll find patio doors widely used in high-end architectural glazing for some of the best house designs that feature expansive floor-to-ceiling glass. In essence, they have the potential to add a ‘WOW’ factor to any property!

What are patio doors?

Patio doors come in different materials, types, and functions. They usually allow access from a room to a paved area or garden. Nowadays, patio doors also include sliding doors, French doors, frameless doors, slide & turn doors, and bifolding doors.

They can be made of aluminium, steel, timber, PVCu, or a hybrid combination of wood and aluminium. Serving as a fully functional door in the home, patio doors bring in natural daylight and offer a means of ventilation.

Different types of patio door

The type and style of patio door you choose will depend on many factors.

Find out which types of patio door are best suited for various scenarios. Everything is considered, from materials to configuration and use.

Find out more

Patio door Solutions

Understanding the options available can help you choose the right patio door in the most suitable material.

Sliding

Large glass door panels that slide across each other.

Bifolding

Folding door system with multiple panels that stack together when open.

Slide & Turn

A space-saving solution that allows for easy opening and closing.

French Doors

Double glass doors ideal for small openings and for a heritage, steel-look.

What is the best material for patio doors?

When looking to replace or install a new patio door in your home, there is an excellent choice of materials, and there is no absolute best material for patio doors. Factors to consider are budget, house style, door function, personal taste and longevity.

Our at-a-glance comparison table provides an overview of the different types of patio doors available with their frame material options.

	Aluminium	PVCu	Steel	Timber	Hybrid	Frameless
Single door	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
French door	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Bifolding door	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Sliding door	✓	✓		✓	✓
Slide & turn door	✓	✓		✓		✓
Steel-look door	✓		✓
Doors with windows/screens	✓	✓	✓	✓	✓
Ultra-slim sliding door	✓					✓
Pivot door	✓		✓
Automatic door	✓
Doors with open/moveable corner	✓		✓	✓	✓	✓
Flush/timber-look doors		✓
Special shapes	✓		✓	✓	✓
Oversize patio doors	✓		✓			✓

Table comparing the different types of patio doors and their available frame material options.

If a combination you would like for your project is missing, you can, you can contact us for advice.

When buying new patio doors, the current materials used in manufacturing all offer the following benefits:

Excellent door energy ratings and U-Values thanks to insulated profiles and glass
Choice of double or triple glazing for most products
Latest security and weather protection due to their design and high-quality hardware
Extensive choice of colours and colour-matching service
Solutions for lower thresholds, improved access or meeting specific requirements

6 ways patio door materials differ

Price
Design, such as contemporary or traditional
Specifications
Quality of the components, including screws, joins and tracks.
The capability of the product, such as sizes, strength and integration with other products
Security, weather and other accreditations

How your patio door integrates with your design and structural requirements will also determine the choice of material and brand. For example, you need to consider cladding, gutters, fascias, corner posts and steelwork, aluminium panels and even integral blinds.

In aluminium especially there is a big choice when it comes to finding who makes the best bifolding doors. For sliding patio doors, there are over fifty aluminium sliding doors to choose from, so invariably it is worth seeking advice on some of the best patio sliding doors on the market today.

Summary of patio door options

Aluminium patio doors

Offers very flexible patio door size options
Specialist configurations such as open corner and pocket sliding doors
Multiple opening options such as tilt and slide, slide and stack doors
Provides a better choice of frame styles
Slimmer frame possibilities
Endless colour options

PVCu patio doors

The most affordable patio door solution
Provide the best timber-look option without buying real wood
The foils and woodgrain foil options are excellent

Steel patio doors

The slimmest and most luxurious option
Unbeatable sightlines and design detail only available with steel
Similar matching internal doors and screens
Fire-rated options available

Timber patio doors

The best natural material
Warm to the touch feel
Excellent natural thermal insulation
Long service life
Quality guarantees and minimal maintenance

Hybrid or composite patio doors

Best of both materials, quality wood inside, low maintenance durable aluminium outside
Excellent U-values and thermal insulation
Distinctive styling creates altogether different-looking glazing

solarlux hybrid patio doors in a german house

Frameless aluminium patio doors

The best choice for minimal frame profiles and maximum glass area
Creates distinctive and contemporary patio doors in the home
Suitable for larger openings
Still comes with the security, energy-efficiency and weather protection of wider framed doors

frameless slide and turn patio doors in a character home

Patio doors threshold options

A door threshold is located at the bottom of the doorway and covers the gap between the door frame and the floor. It is usually made from a strip of wood or metal and acts as a seal to stop rain and draughts.

With larger door sets a low level, easy access and even flush threshold, such as those found on bifolding doors, is also available on sliding doors, pocket doors and open corner designs. French doors, by nature, don’t have a flush threshold, but most door brands offer a low threshold option similar to those used on front doors.

Getting a low threshold is easier when designing doors as part of a new extension rather than when replacing dated doors. However, a good installer has the skills to modify an existing opening, allowing the doors to sit lower.