Deciding what type of door to choose for an exterior opens up a very wide range of possibilities. Architects, designers or decorators find themselves in a market in which different materials, designs and, above all, types of outdoor doors with different opening formats abound.

In recent times, the type of door that is most used are sliding doors, mainly due to the security, customization options and comfort they offer.

There are several exterior sliding doors, but the model, broadly speaking, can be specified as follows:

They are doors that retract completely in on themselves when opening thanks to tracks and wheels that allowthe door to be hidden behind a wall, the façade or the fence of the house or space they protect.

This type of exterior sliding door is usually machined and therefore opens and closes comfortably at the touch of a button. This, added to the security it offers to protect the property and the possibilities of using different materials and designs, makes it one of the favorites of owners today.

What are the main types of outdoor sliding door? What materials are they made of? Is it a good idea to opt for motorized models? Are aluminum doors customizable? All these questions are the ones that a builder or architect usually asks themselves when responding to the demands of their clients.

Different Types of Outdoor Sliding Doors

Although they may vary slightly, the mechanism and structure of sliding doors that are installed outdoors is quite similar, so the different types of outdoor sliding doors will depend on the aforementioned variables.

Materials

The choice in terms of materials for an outdoor recessed door is one of the most complex decisions.

Opting for a hard and resistant material will be better both from the point of view of the useful life of the door and its maintenance and to make it difficult for possible attempts to enter the protected area.

In that sense, aluminum becomes the best possible option. Hard, resistant, with hardly any maintenance measures and, above all, with a wide range of customisation possibilities.

So much so that people who want a wooden door do not have to do without the comforts of aluminium, as this material can be finished with a finish imitating cherry walnut wood, for example.

Other options are concrete, brick or real wood, but architects and designers specialising in this type of structure often advise their clients against this compared to the possibilities offered by aluminium in all dimensions.

Structure

Most doors are recessed to facilitate their opening and not create discomfort when they are open.

This structure, moreover, may or may not be automated. The decision generally has more to do with the customer’s budget than with other types of reasons, but the truth is that the high demand for motorized doors makes the price increasingly competitive.

The reality is that a motorized door provides extra comfort on a day-to-day basis, since you will not have to get out of the car or make any kind of effort to carry out the closing.

In addition, they are more secure, as they are more resistant to external attacks from people who try to force them.

Aesthetics

They can be adapted to the aesthetic wishes of clients or architects or interior designers.

From the most traditional models, with thick horizontal slats, to much lighter fencing with narrow vertical bars or even other types of models such as ventilated slats, aircraft slats or any other shape that the customer wishes to value.

The ease of handling aluminium makes it possible to carry out practically any type of structure, so that it complies with the design proposed by the architects.

A popular option for the exterior of homes is aluminum fencing, which allows you to decorate your home and be protected with a material that lasts for life.

How to Choose the Right Type of Sliding Door

Are there keys to choosing the best type of sliding door for outdoors?

Knowing the variables and all the details that come into play in its manufacture, it is possible to propose three values that every door must have to be a suitable option:

✅ Safety

The doors must be secure, robust and offer significant resistance to any break-in attempt that may come from the outside.

For this reason, it is always advisable to trust companies that are dedicated to the construction of outdoor sliding doors professionally and that, therefore, know first-hand the best ways of installation and are specialists in securing anchors, locks, etc.

✅ Beauty

The door is an element that will accompany the owners of homes or private properties where they are installed for a long time.

That they are aesthetically attractive and that they are not too striking a blow to the eye is a point of special relevance when choosing an exterior door model.

✅ Usefulness

The exterior door must be easy to use, one more comfort and not a nuisance in the day-to-day life of the people who are going to use it.

Therefore, it is always better to opt for companies that work with the best materials, customization options in terms of size, etc. and offer technical assistance in the event of possible failures of the motorized system, etc.

All these tips will help architects or designers to have a thorough knowledge about the types of exterior doors and thus advise their customers optimally.

Whether you are looking for sliding doors or roller doors, Portalum is at your disposal to answer any questions that may arise in this regard.