The doors you have to your home's patio or deck are very important, as you want to ensure they offer a nice view of the outside area, that they fit the space inside and out, and that they blend well with the decor and style of your home. Note a few tips on how to choose the best patio doors for your space so you know you're happy with those doors for years to come.

Clearance

You may love the look of French doors, but note that they need lots of clearance to open. This is also true if you decide to get any type of door with a side hinge, or folding, accordion style doors; note how far the door, or the panels of a folding door, would jut in or out of the home, and how much space they need to open. If those doors would interfere with furniture, foot traffic, and the like, a sliding door can be a better option.

Style

As said, you may love the look of French doors, but if you have very casual furniture and a rustic deck or patio area, this style may seem out of place. Also, note if solid glass panels for a folding patio door would seem too modern in a more traditional home; having some type of frame around them can tone down that wood and make the door seem more fitting.

Note, too, how many grilles you want in the glass of the door; grilles are small lengths of wood or metal that create frames in that pane of glass. Those grilles can add some visual interest to an otherwise dull glass door, and also increase privacy inside, but they might also detract from the view to the outside.

Material

Wood doors are very traditional and attractive, but usually need regular maintenance, including repainting or staining. They're also notorious for showing fingerprints and for getting smudged by pets. Vinyl doors are lightweight, easy to clean, and need to little to no maintenance, but they may not offer the look and style you want.

Aluminium doors are also very lightweight and need little to no maintenance over time; they also don't show fingerprints and won't rust or corrode, so they're easy to clean and can last for many years before they need any type of repairs. Consider getting the metal powder coated, which refers to having a colour added to the surface, to enhance the look of the aluminium.