Who makes the best sliding doors and french doors

[TimSullivan]

I don't know your location but I will share what I have done in a few applications in windy areas of Western NY. We first installed slides with storm doors on them but the storm unit never held up and we had to find a better way.

I was able to have custom slides built that were actually doubled. That is there were two complete units so in the winter with the wind pounding them, there were four layers of glass, double the weather stripping and a two inch dead space between the units. The difference was amazing. One house was on a lake and the wind would drive the cold into the room and the owners had installed electric aux. heat to the room. We installed the double unit and the comfort level was greatly improved and the extra electric unit was removed.

In summer most people left the inner door open and just closed the outside door to make it easier to pass through. the cost surprisingly was only about 40% more for each unit but it paid it back in comfort and savings on heat.

[I_am_the_walrus]

Thanks for the information.
I am located near the Ohio/West Virginia border(I live in/on planet West Virginia)believe me I am listening to everyones advice and experiences.

Regards

[Pat]

Hey Walrus, Koo koo kachoo! There are frequently exceptions to most generalizations but... I submit to you that from an energy conservation standpoint, spending equal dollars on a slider vs a French will result in better performance from the French. Stated another way, you will have to pay more for a slider of equal performance to a French.

If you want the light and the look but don't actually need to open both sides of the French door, you can mount the "fixed" side of the French pair as a truly fixed, i.e. inoperable door. As it is permanently affixed it contributes essentially zero infiltration resulting in much less infiltration than the typical French double door installation. You wouldn't use hinges but for "the look" you might consider putting some hardware on it.

Patrick

[I_am_the_walrus]

Hey Pat::::I am the walrus, goo goo goo joob goo goo goo goo joob

[I_am_the_walrus]

Folks,
I am still listening...

[Argee]

I've installed a lot of sliding doors. Andersens (before they came assembled), Pella, American Craftsman, Peach Tree, etc.....If you decide on the Andersen, go with the Frenchwood, it has a heavier frame, heavy window frame. It's their top of the line. American Craftsman is vinyl. Pretty well constructed, heavy duty frame, has welded seams, but not sure how well it will hold up after it's been pulled on a thousand times. Peach Tree builds a solid unit. I've heard positive and negative feedback on them. Pella builds an absolutely supreme unit. What makes their's unique is the width of air space between the glass. I'm not sure of the exact dimensions, but they made it wide enough to install a set of blinds between the glass. The wider the air space, the more insulating factor of the window. Another unique feature of the Pella is the screen. It opens to the inside of the frame rather than the outside. A nice feature if your going out in the winter and theirs an ice build-up in the track. They are a massive well constructed unit. Another one I've looked at but haven't installed is mfd. by Atrium Door Co. Just looking it over I would put it on a par with the Andersen Frenchwood. A well constructed heavy duty door. That said, if I were to go out today an purchase a sliding door for my home, it would hands down be a Pella.

But as with any of these units, proper installation is the key. They need to be plumb and square in the opening they're going in. They need to be fully supported across the bottom, insulated around the entire frame and flashed at the top so as not to let any of the elements in. The best test you can give any door is after it is installed, is to stand buck naked in front of it on a sub zero day with a 40 MPH gale and not get a shiver. [img]/forums/images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] And, oh yeah, make sure your neighbors are not out in their yards..... [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img] [img]/forums/images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[beenthere]

That is a good test you described. One I use regularly (almost every night while adding a stick of wood to the wood stove, but not always in the buff) and one that will let me attest to the high quality of the Marvin sliding doors and windows. Not a shiver with the 40+ mph, 15 below, wind from the NW. No neighbors that can see me either.

[John Bigsby]

I recently purchased a home with Pella sliders in it.... however it was their upgraded unit from Doors In Motion. www.doorsinmotion.net They sent their pella door slabs to them and had doors in motion build their high end automated sliding patio door with a pocket door!!! I have now a 16' wide by 9' tall opening and at the touch of a button it parts and vanishes into the wall!! It is amazing. I dont have mine video'd yet, but if you look up doors in motion on you tube I found a few of theirs. I see on their web page they actually can make curved track units and 90 degree corner systems as well!! It makes me wish I would have saw this before I started building our home!!!

[Alan_L_Texas]

I haven't tried the french doors, but Andersen makes fine windows. I put a 5' casement window over a tub in an add-on to my old house in 1986. When I moved out in 2000, that windows was as perfect as the day it was installed. Even with a north wind in the wintertime, sitting in the tub was perfectly comfortable, my wife says (I'm a shower man myself).

When I build my new house, all the windows will we Andersen.

[GSS]

We just replaced most of the windows in our 1877 farm house and added 2 french doors. Decided to go with Semco . They offer a great extruded aluminum/wood window with many features offered by the larger window manufacturers. Easy tilt for cleaning, nice hardware, low E, tinting, good variety of exterior colors, etc.

The french doors are really nice. They have all of the above window options and three-point locking mechanisms on each working door of the unit. See a variety of pictures of the windows and doors here. Go to the House folder.

Our gas bill has been reduced dramatically since the window install and the blown-in cellulose.

- Gerald