With summer nearly upon us, now is the time to be making the most of exterior frameless glass doors. It might be a bit of a cliche to say, but they really do help to bring the outdoors in. Even when you’re not actually out in the garden you can still feel the benefit of fresh air, plenty of natural light and unobstructed views. By simply sliding them across, you remove that boundary between the internal and external.

Unobstructed, Panoramic Views With Exterior Frameless Glass Doors

The greatest advantage exterior frameless glass doors have over their framed counterparts is their ability to maximise your views. If your property looks out on picturesque countryside, a stunning beach or a carefully tended garden, you don’t want your view spoiled by imposing metal framework. Instead, the floor-to-ceiling glass panels give the impression that there simply isn’t anything there at all. They create the illusion of the external and internal becoming one, with no barrier between them. Open up the doors and you can do just that!

Your Choice Of How They Move

With exterior frameless glass doors, you have two main options when it comes to deciding how they move and operate: sliding or bifolding.

In a sliding glass door system, each individual glass panel slots behind the other. A metal, plastic or wooden track is set within the floor and the panels are fitted into it. Rollers on the underside of the glass panels keep the motion smooth as you move them back and to. The final glass panel in the series will need to remain fixed as there isn’t anything for it to slide back behind. For this reason, sliding exterior frameless glass doors typically work best in larger spaces where more than two panels are being used.

Bifolding doors require more floor space than the sliding version as the glass panels need to jut outwards as they’re opened. However, you can choose a system in which the glass panels are pushed out towards the garden rather than into the room if you are keen to place furniture close to the doors.

Whereas the glass panels in a sliding door system move behind each other, those in a bifolding system are hinged and fold in on each other, like a concertina fan. As you pull the panel sideways it will seamlessly move out and across, each panel stacking up on each other. All of the glass panels can be folded away against the wall, completely opening up the space. We would certainly recommend this option if you have a smaller slot and wish to avoid having any fixed glass component.

The Strength Of Exterior Frameless Glass Doors

One of the biggest concerns people have about exterior frameless glass doors is in regards to the strength of the glass. There’s no need to worry. At Glass & Stainless, we use a form of safety glass known as tempered glass. Four to five times stronger than the standard annealed glass used in items like glasses and mirrors, it is more than capable of withstanding the stress of being subjected to the weather and frequently dragged back and to. In the highly unlikely event that the glass does break, it will shatter into small and rounders shards that will cause minimal injury.

If you’re looking to make the most of exterior frameless glass doors this summer, get in touch with the experts at Glass & Stainless today.