What type of Conservatory Doors Should I Buy?

Conservatory Door design options

If you are going to take the plunge and buy a new fully fitted conservatory, you probably already have a good idea of the room size & budget in your mind, but did you take time the think about the type of doors that would suit your conservatory best – as some designs may have better functionality and for smaller budget conservatories it could be even more important.

If you are building a medium to large conservatory, then you have much more scope, but if you are restricted in space then avoid conservatory door designs that open inward – a small lean-to conservatory with a tilt & turn door is not really a good idea as both the tilting & opening action make the door come inwards and will mean you need to keep a lot of internal space clear to cope with using the door.

• French Doors for conservatories are very popular because they give a decent sized clear opening space as they are a double door configuration and can open out or in.
• Sliding doors are useful in that they do not interfere with internal or external space, but bear in mind that the smallest configuration will require 2 panels with 1 being fixed into position and the other movable (the moving door can be on the outside or inside track). Sliding doors will need to be fitted with anti-lift tracks.
• Bi-fold doors are outstanding when it comes to opening up your conservatory to the outside world, in effect they are a whole wall of glass that moves. They come in panels (or leaves) that concertina fold to the left, right, inside or outside, taking up a surprisingly small amount of space once folded to the side.

Whichever design you finally decide upon, it’s a prudent to have good quality locking systems incorporated for security, energy efficient glass (such as Low-e) to manage heat and it’s also highly recommended (in some cases by building regulations) to use toughened or laminated glass in the doors.