Perhaps no single architectural feature is more emblematic of Western living than the glass sliding door. For more than 50 years, sliding glass doors have opened our homes to generous natural light and views, simultaneously giving us easy connections with decks, patios, and gardens. Contemporary sliding, or gliding, doors have come a long way since yesteryear''s aluminum sliders, infamous for their stark appearance, sweating frames, and cold glazing. Today, a new generation of high-quality models offers energy efficiency, durability, safety, and contemporary style. Size and style Sliding doors come in a variety of sizes. In addition to the standard 6-foot, 8-inch height, they''re made 6 feet, 11 inches tall or even 8 feet tall. You can also buy three- or four-door-wide configurations that are as wide as 16 feet. And sliders are made with one fixed panel and one sliding panel, or with both panels sliding. Most manufacturers extend your design options by providing matching rectangular and roundhead transom windows. Some large manufacturers offer several sliding-door lines with a range of prices. You''ll find doors that have wide rails and stiles (horizontal and vertical framing elements) like French doors, and doors with thinner rails and stiles that maximize glazing.

Three Attractive Options Fiber-Classic combined the strength of steel with a wood-grain finish that could be stained or painted. Carrying a lifetime limited warranty, the product was well-received and continues to be a strong favorite among builders. In fact, more than 37% of builder respondents a study said they had used the Fiber-Classic during the past year. That usage rating is higher than the rating for any other brand of door on the market. Classic-Craft: As the market embraced the new technology, homeowners began asking for a door that projected even more of the handcrafted look of a high-end wood door but still with fiberglass. Therma-Tru responded with the Classic-Craft, a premium product duplicating the rich grain of a solid-core red-oak door but without any shrinking, splitting or warping inherent in conventional wood doors. Also backed by a lifetime limited warranty, the new line emulated the best aspects of wood. Like its predecessor, the Fiber-Classic, the new Classic-craft has built a strong following among builders during the past seven years: 36% of respondents to the BRAND STUDY have used the Classic-craft within the past year.

Vinyl and aluminum cladding each have advantages and drawbacks. With vinyl, the color permeates the material, so scratches don''t show. Aluminum will scratch, but it is tougher and available in a wider variety of colors. Neither With basic accessories, a 6-foot-wide clad-wood slider costs about; an 8-foot-wide door. Installation will cost, depending on exterior siding repair needed and the general complexity of the job. Click here for the catalog. Of course, there are economies of scale: The more doors you install, the better the deal on both materials and labor. You can also buy wood sliders factory-primed or prepainted in standard colors; some manufacturers will doubledoors custom-paint them for a premium. For a dual-glazed, solid-wood door that isn''t clad or painted, you''ll pay about. Other materials Fiberglass and steel are particularly durable door materials. Both are made to simulate the look of wood, but fiberglass does this more convincingly than steel. Fiberglass, Factory-primed doors can be painted or given an opaque wood stain. A 6-foot-wide door costs. A 7-foot, 6-inch door with three panels costs about. Steel doors are rugged and typically cost less than fiberglass.