Doors are available through improvement home centers, lumberyards, entry and millwork shops. When you buy a sliding door system, be sure all components are from the same manufacturer. Check the warranty, and follow installation and care instructions. And last, buy quality: A well-made door will return your investment with easy care, smooth operation, energy efficiency, and great looks for years to come. The popularity of wood Although conventional aluminum sliders remain popular, other materials have given the genre a boost. According to Julie Ruth, vice president of codes and regulatory compliance for the , the wood patio door has grown tremendously in popularity. Most high-quality wood sliders supplies are milled from clear fir or clear pine by large window and door companies. Because wood is vulnerable to moisture and sun, it must be given a durable finish. For exceptional durability, many manufacturers protect the exterior sash and frames of these doors with vinyl or aminum cladding. Clad doors offer the best of both worlds - excellent durability outside and the natural warm look of wood inside.

Perhaps no single architectural feature is more emblematic of Western living than the glass sliding door. For more than 50 years, sliding door 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.

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 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.