When it comes to of patio doors, one is automatically reminded of elegant homes in old-fashioned Hollywood movies. In fact, such doors have always been portrayed as an endemic element of the ‘lifestyles of the rich and famous’. However, that is not the case anymore since an increasing number people are now installing the same in their homes so as to acquire that distinctive touch of both elegance and class.
· Pivot Doors
This is the most common type of patio doors around. It is also colloquially referred to as a ‘pivot door.’ The name actually describes its central property. I.e. it pivots back and forth. In terms of functionality, it is roughly analogous to the ‘hinged’ type of door since it too, is a ‘swinger’ rather than a slider. However, unlike a hinged door the pivot door does not have any hinges located on the walls but a pivot box mechanism on which the door moves back and forth. Actually, the full weight of the door is located directly on the pivot which in turn is located in the ground directly below the center of the door. In this way, even very large doors can be opened and shut with the simple push of the hand. However, it is difficult to incorporate a separate screen door with the main pivot door.
· Sliding Patio Doors
A typical sliding patio door usually has two separate panels. One is locked into place while the other slides back and forth on either oiled rails or cantilevers. It is a handy set up for cramped spaces since it does not require extra space for swinging either in or out. Moreover, they will not break or bang even if they are left opened and unattended unlike their swinging counterparts.
· Hinged Patio Doors
These kinds of Patio doors are different from pivot doors though like the later they too are essentially swinging doors. They are mounted on walls though a set of hinges capable of swinging the door back and forth as the case may be. These doors are composed of two or more panes that are connected to hinges, which are in turn placed inside the walls next to the doors.
· French Doors
French doors are considerably more common in larger homes than in smaller ones. They are designed to swing inwards in the room itself rather than out wards. This is why they are not suitable for a room that has a lot of furniture, since they require plenty of room to be opened and closed. Most French doors are equipped with multiple glass panes and tend to be bigger than many other types of patio doors out there.
· Bi-Fold Patio Doors
These types of patio doors are in a class of their very own. A bi-fold patio door is roughly analogous to an accordion and the panels can slide into a tight roll when it is closed. As such it does not require a lot of space and is the least intrusive type of patio door around.