One thing that’s always handy to homeowners is space.

Whether you’ve accumulated far too much clutter over the years, are too sentimental to get rid of your now grown-up child’s belongings, or perhaps ordered a slightly oversized table, making the most of your living space is a constant challenge.

Patio sliding doors have risen in popularity in recent times, partly thanks to their ability to combat this.

This blog post will explain what sliding doors are, whilst exploring their benefits and the possibilities available to you.

What are patio sliding doors?

Patio sliding doors open by gliding to one side along a track, creating a wide opening when fully stacked.

Usually made from uPVC, aluminium, or timber, the outer frames are thin as they are predominantly made up of vast glass panes, allowing clear views of the outdoors.

Regarding their operation, they slide within their wider frame, with the handle sliding the doors to the desired position.

Sliding doors can be customised in a whole range of colours and are available with various hardware options.

close up of Reynaers patio door

How can patio sliding doors expand my living area?

Increased natural light

Thanks to their expansive glass panes, sliding doors are an excellent way to allow maximum natural light to flow into your home.

Natural light can give your home a larger feel for a few reasons. It eliminates shadows and dark corners, whilst reflecting against surfaces like walls and ceilings to create a real sense of spaciousness.

As well as giving your home a larger feel, regular exposure to a good amount of natural light comes with several other benefits.

These include increasing vitamin D production, regulating your sleep cycle, reducing stress and eye strain, and enhancing creativity.

Transition outdoors and indoors

When fully open, sliding patio doors create a wide space that allows easy access between the indoors and outdoors of your home.

This is handy when hosting guests, as large furniture items can be shuffled around simply, for example taking the chairs outside for a summer barbeque.

It also makes it easier to keep an eye on children and eat dinner al fresco style should you fancy.

patio sliding door

Space Efficient Design

Unlike traditional hinged doors, patio sliding doors don’t require any swing space to operate, instead neatly stacking to one side, a side of your choice on installation.

This is particularly effective in smaller rooms or conservatories, where every square foot counts.

It also means you can place items and furniture far closer to the sliding doors, as you won’t need to worry about them getting in the way once the door is fully open.

What are the other benefits of patio sliding doors?

Panoramic Views

Thanks to their wide glass panes and slimmer frames, sliding doors (sometimes referred to as sliding glass doors) provide fantastic views of your outdoor space.

If a rainy day comes around (as they do fairly often in the UK), and you’d still like to admire your garden or patio area without getting drenched, you can sit in the comfort of your living room and gaze at the sky and nature beyond.

They’re also weatherproof, so there’s no need to worry about passing storms or extreme heat harming the performance of your door.

Highly Secure

It goes without saying that whilst the points mentioned above are luxurious, any external door still must excel at the basics for your peace of mind, which patio sliding doors from Bedford Bi-folds do.

Featuring some of the most secure locks and handles the industry has to offer, they are incredibly strong and durable, with buyers able to install advanced PAS24 options should they wish.

Incredible Energy Efficiency

Homeowners who install patio sliding doors can look forward to saving costs on energy bills thanks to their impressive thermal performance.

Achieving U-values as low as 0.8 W/(m²K) (A+) translates to minimising heat loss in the colder months, but also repelling it when unwelcome on warmer days – reducing your reliance on costly appliances like radiators, electric heaters, and fans.

Increased Property Value

Patio sliding doors are incredibly desirable, and as a result, will increase the value of your home. Their aesthetic appeal, thermal efficiency, and easy operating system are all characteristics that appeal to prospective buyers should you ever wish to sell.

interior shot of home office with large sliding door

Endless Colour Choices

At Bedford Bi-folds we can guarantee you will find the perfect shade for your patio sliding door, as we can install them in any RAL colour on the spectrum.

This means you can complement, match, or enhance the existing aesthetic on your property with no added fuss – whether you’d like a contemporary Anthracite Grey, Black, White, or a brighter choice.

It’s also worth noting that we offer a variety of glazing options, finished with either double glazing or triple glazing. This means you can opt for a more transparent look or a more decorative one for added privacy.

About Bedford Bi-folds

At Bedford Bi-folds, we are proud to be FENSA-approved installers and offer comprehensive 10-year guarantees on all our supply and installation work.

As well as beautiful sliding doors, we also offer various other door options, such as the popular bi-fold doors, French doors, and composite doors.

Our high quality window offering includes casement windows and flush sash windows, whilst we also provide roof lanterns, blinds, and more.

To get in touch, you can fill out an enquiry form here. Alternatively, you can book an appointment at our Bedford showroom, or call us on 01234 342669, where one of our friendly customer service team will be happy to offer their expert advice.