By Todd, owner of Windows Plus
A patio door should open your house up to the backyard, not let in drafts and water. On this job on Maple Crest Court in Louisville, the homeowner had a pair of hinged patio doors that had simply worn out. Here’s what we found, what we put in and why a sliding door was the right call for this house.
The problem
The old setup was a pair of white hinged, French-style patio doors with blinds built into the glass. Years of weather had left the doors and the trim around them weathered and peeling. Hinged doors like these tend to sag over time, which leads to sticking, rubbing and air leaks along the edges.
The homeowner wanted three things: a door that sealed better, more usable space on the patio without a door swinging into it, and a back of the house that looked fresh again.
What we installed
We replaced the hinged doors with a new sliding glass patio door in a clean white finish to match the house, with blinds built in between the glass so there’s nothing to dust or tangle. Our crew rebuilt the trim around the opening, then set and sealed the new door for a weathertight finish.
Why sliding made sense here
- No swing space. A sliding door glides on a track, so it doesn’t take up room on the patio or inside the house. Furniture can sit closer to the door.
- Less to sag. Without hinges carrying the weight of a heavy glass door, there’s far less to drop out of alignment over the years.
- Better seal. Today’s sliding doors seal much better than older patio doors, which means fewer drafts and less water getting in during storms.
- Built-in blinds. Privacy and light control without blinds hanging on the door.
The result
The back of the house looks sharp again. The homeowner has a smooth-gliding, well-sealed patio door with easy privacy control from the built-in blinds, no more drafts and no more sticking. The whole job was done in a day.
Hinged vs. sliding patio doors: how to choose
Sliding isn’t always the answer. Here’s how I help homeowners decide:
- Choose sliding if you’re short on space inside or on the deck, want a wide view, or want the lowest-maintenance option.
- Choose hinged (French) if you love the traditional look, want both doors to open for a wide opening, and have room for the swing.
- Either way, look for a well-insulated glass package, a solid locking system and a sill that sheds water.
Signs your patio door is due
- It sticks, drags or takes two hands to open
- You can feel a draft or see daylight around the edges when it’s closed
- The lock doesn’t line up or won’t latch
- Fog between the glass panes
- Water on the floor after a heavy rain, or soft spots in the sill or subfloor
We don’t repair patio doors or rollers. When a door has reached this point, replacing the whole unit with a new, properly sealed door is the lasting fix.
Thinking about a new patio door?
We replace patio, entry, French and storm doors across Louisville and the surrounding area, backed by a lifetime transferable warranty, and our own crews do the install. See our sliding glass doors and door replacement pages, check our current offers, or schedule a free in-home estimate.
