Beyond the view: 5 ways glass doors elevate your home’s design and function
Glass! Everyone wants it — and in larger sizes than ever before. Its good looks are undeniable, but that’s not all it has going for it! Find out how a glass door can elevate your home’s form and function.
A glass door can help transform the look, feel, and perhaps most importantly the livability of your home. The emphasis on the outdoors is especially suitable for a home with a look that’s modern or transitional — a modern take on a traditional architectural style. Let’s go through the five benefits a glass door can add to your home.
1. Add natural light and open up your space
A glass door is a practical way to light your space so you can avoid using artificial light during the day. A home that’s naturally lit helps put you in tune with nature. You notice the light changing as the day wears on, and you make the most of your views. It’s also a practical way to integrate expansive glass as a door adds functionality while also creating a floor-to-ceiling window effect. The glass has a way of making a space, even a small one, feel larger because it dissolves the barrier between indoors and out.
There are so many ways to integrate glass doors into a home. Will Taylor added four sets of E-Series Hinged Patio Doors to his “Scandi Barn” addition, where they have a powerful effect. “My favorite part of the addition is how light and airy it feels, even on a gray day” said the content creator, author, and host.
Glass door styles to know about
| Type of door | Where does it work best? | Products to know about |
|---|---|---|
| A gliding patio door (commonly called a sliding glass door) slides parallel to the wall to open and is typically two panels, but can have three or four panels. | A gliding patio door can work in any room and especially where a more modern look is desired. Additionally, it’s a great choice where there isn’t space for a door to swing open. | Gliding patio doors are available through all our product lines. |
| A hinged patio door (commonly called a “French door”) swings to open and typically includes two panels, but can include three or four panels. | A hinged patio door is a great choice when you want a double opening. It’s a nice choice for a transitional home as it leans more classic in style. | Hinged patio doors are available through all our product lines except 100 Series. |
| A Folding Outswing Door includes panels that accordion together and slide along a single track. It can be up to 10' tall and 48' wide. | A Folding Outswing Door works best where it connects an indoor and outdoor living space, like in between a living room and a patio/deck. It’s an especially nice choice where you want to maximize your opening because the panels stack minimally to the side. It also works well in a remodel because it runs along a single track so doesn’t require extra-thick walls, like some of the other Big Door options. | The Folding Outswing Door is a product that’s available through our Big Door Series. |
| A MultiGlide™ Door includes oversized panels that slide along individual tracks. It can be up to 10' tall and 50' wide. | A MultiGlide Door can work anywhere a Folding Outswing Door works — i.e., as a means of unifying indoor and outdoor spaces. It’s a great choice where you want a door that can disappear into the wall or automate. | The MultiGlide Door is a product that’s available through our Big Door Series. |
| A Liftslide Door includes oversized panels that slide along a single panel and are precision engineered for nearly effortless operation. It’s our largest moving glass wall system and can be up to 16' tall and 60' wide. | A Liftslide Door can work anywhere a MultiGlide or Folding Outswing Door works. In addition, it’s a great choice where you’re looking to create the most unique experience as a Liftslide can curve, meet at corners, and more. It also offers the best performance of our Big Doors, so it can perform as needed in any climate, particularly harsh ones — like hurricane zones for example. | The Liftslide Door is a product that’s available through our Big Door Series. |
| Our Entry Door or front doors are available with a full glass panel for a more modern look. | Our Entry Doors are designed to be the entrance of your home. | Our Entry Doors are their own highly customizable product line, with a huge variety of panel styles, glass options, and more selections available. |
| A Pivot Door is a type of premium front door that operates on a pivot box rather than traditional images. It can be ordered with a full glass panel. | A Pivot Door is a showstopper that deserves to be the entrance to your home. | A Pivot Door is a product that’s available through our Big Door Series. |
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2. Create seamless indoor/outdoor living
One of our favorite spins on open-concept plans is letting your indoor living space spill over into the outdoors. There are so many ways to do it, and climate doesn’t have to be a limitation either. We’ve seen homes from Michigan to California and places in between add moving glass wall systems. Doing so makes the most of all your living space and adds functionality too — whether you need room to host a party or you just want to enjoy the breeze on a nice day.
Living room and terrace are one when this Liftslide Door is opened up. With its flush track and uniform flooring material, the transition between spaces is totally seamless.
3. Improve energy efficiency and comfort
Free your mind of the worry that more glass will let in more cold air and ultimately make your space uncomfortable. Modern glass doors are designed to perform efficiently — keeping outdoor air outside and helping to support your desired indoor air temperature for greater comfort overall. Here’s what you need to know:
- Glass type: Our patio doors and Big Doors (oversized patio doors of various types) come standard with dual-pane glass. Two panes of glass with an argon-gas blend filled air space in between helps stop the transfer of energy. For even better performance, triple-pane glass is also available on a wide variety of door products. With an additional air space and the option to add more glass coatings, it’s our most efficient glass option.
- Glass coatings: Low-E/Low-E4® glass is the standard low-emissivity coating option available with our products. This helps products keep indoor air inside and outdoor air outside for a more consistent temperature, helping your home feel more comfortable. But Low-E/Low-E4 glass isn’t the only option. We offer a variety of glass coating combinations that can boost performance in ways that are advantageous to specific climate conditions.
- Thermally broken frames: All our doors are available with frames that are either thermally broken or thermally improved (our Andersen® Aluminum Multi-Slide Door is the latter). This means they’re designed to reduce the transfer of energy from indoors to outdoors and vice versa.
So rest assured, whatever your climate, we have door options that help deliver efficiency along with expansive glass.
When the architects specified a 20'-wide Folding Outswing Door for this Minnesota home, they knew it had to perform for temperatures that dip below zero in the winter and rise into the 90s in the summer. This door had the data to back up the performance they needed, giving them the confidence to move forward.
4. Enhance style and boost curb appeal
Glass is an integral feature of a modern home along with thin, unobtrusive framing around the glass. This is part of the reason black frames are such a popular pick for a modern home — they recede so your attention is on the view. Think of modern doors as frames for the view; they’re made for looking through not at.
Transitional homes, which combine features of a traditional architectural style with modern style, often borrow this heavy emphasis on glass. For either style of home, a door with expansive glass will always be a winning choice.
How to integrate glass doors to the front of your home
In addition to emphasizing your home’s style, the right glass door can add to your home’s curb appeal. Here are a few of our favorite ways to integrate a glass door into your home’s street-facing side:
- Add a Pivot Door as your entryway: An all-glass Pivot Door can set the perfect tone for a modern home.
- Favor French doors over windows: Gain easy access to a front yard patio with this classic approach that’s perfect for a transitional home.
- Create floor-to-ceiling feels: A gliding patio door, MultiGlide Door, or Liftslide Door could erase the walls for a glass house effect that also facilitates outdoor access.
- Corner doors for the ultimate modern moment: Establish your home’s style, frame panoramic views, and expand your living space by integrating corner Liftslide or Folding Outswing Doors into your home’s facade.
Viewsheds that run all the way through a home are ultra-modern, and the effect is created by doors in this modern lake home. A bi-parting, four-panel A-Series Gliding Patio Door on the porch sits opposite a MultiGlide™ Door facing the lake.
5. Combine safety, privacy, and smart design
Balance the transparency of glass with the right features to increase your peace of mind and help create the privacy you need to truly feel at home. Here are the features to know:
- Tempered glass: This type of glass is harder to break and a standard option on all our doors. Laminated glass is also available for added strength, enhanced security, and increased sound control.
- Blinds-between-the-glass: Encased between the panes of glass for easy cleaning and child and pet safety, this option is available with A-Series patio doors, 400 Series Frenchwood® patio doors, and 200 Series Perma-Shield® Gliding Patio Doors.
- Patterned glass: Satin etched glass obscures the view while still allowing in light. This option is widely available with patio doors, as well as Big Doors and Entry Doors.
- Yale® Assure Lock®: This smart lock lets you lock, unlock, and monitor your home through an app. It can be added to our A-Series Hinged Patio Doors, E-Series Hinged Patio Doors, Folding Outswing Doors, MultiGlide Doors with automation, and Entry Doors.
In addition to the features above, there are so many ways to customize your door with selections that bring your style to life. From wood stain to finish color and hardware to size — consider every Andersen door customizable.
The Yale® Assure Lock® provides enhanced security for sliding and patio doors, combining smart access with stronger protection — an important factor when selecting the right patio door for your home.
Your glass door FAQs answered
Are glass doors hard to maintain?
All our doors are made of durable materials that are low maintenance. The exterior materials we use for our doors will never need to be repainted. Glass is simple to clean — get pro tips on how to clean.
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