Garden doors that swing wide
A garden door is a hinged patio door, it swings open like a regular door rather than sliding. The payoff is the clear opening: nothing sits in the middle of it, so furniture, appliances and anything else awkward goes straight through.
Limited lifetime warranty, transferable · Custom-built to your opening · Family owned and operated
Where garden doors suit a home
Garden doors suit the back of a house with room to swing and a reason to want the traditional look. On a wide deck or a walk-out at grade, the swing costs you nothing and you get a much better opening than a slider of the same width, where half is always fixed.
They read more formally than a slider, which is why they turn up on the rear of century homes and on elevations where the door is visible from the garden or the street.
Construction is 24-gauge steel with a vinyl-wrapped, maintenance-free frame, pre-finished in white Polytex. There is no exposed wood anywhere to warp, split or rot. The lock is a recessed astragal type carrying a lifetime replacement guarantee, and the unit can be built to operate left or right.
Features
- Hinged panels giving a full clear opening, nothing fixed in the middle
- 24-gauge steel construction with a vinyl-wrapped, maintenance-free frame
- Pre-finished white Polytex panels; no exposed wood to warp, split or rot
- Triple weather seals
- Recessed astragal lock with a lifetime replacement guarantee
- Built to operate left or right
- Optional exterior sliding screen, decorative grilles, and Low-E or Low-E argon glass
How they compare
Against a sliding patio door: the garden door gives roughly double the usable opening for the same overall width, because a slider always keeps one panel fixed. The slider needs no swing space and handles wind better. Deck size usually decides it.
Against a steel entry door: similar construction, different job. A garden door is glazed nearly full height to bring light into the room; an entry door is a solid panel with an insert.
Swing direction is worth thinking through before the measure. An outward swing keeps the floor clear inside but is exposed to wind and snow load; an inward swing is protected but claims floor space you may be using.
What is the difference between a garden door and a sliding patio door?
A garden door swings open on hinges like a regular door, while a sliding patio door glides sideways on a track. Garden doors give a wider clear opening and a more traditional look, but need swing clearance inside or out. Sliders take no floor space at all, which matters on a small deck or in a tight dining room. Both are available with screens.
Are patio doors secure?
Modern patio doors are secure, using a recessed laminated steel lock on sliding units and a recessed astragal lock on garden doors, both carrying a lifetime replacement guarantee. The rolling sash cannot be lifted out of its track once locked, which was the weakness in older aluminium doors. Multi-point hardware and laminated glass options are available where security is the main concern.
Can I install a storm door over a new entry door?
No, a storm door should not be fitted over a new entry door, because trapped solar heat builds up between the two panels and can warp the door or damage the finish. This applies to both steel and fibreglass units. If you want the extra draft protection a storm door offers, tell us at the consultation and we will address it through weatherstripping and sill adjustment instead.
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We measure every opening, talk through the options that suit your home, and give you a written quote. No pressure, no obligation.