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Okay handyman types out there in C-D land. I am looking at a townhome and it has 2 sets of sliding doors. I really really dislike sliders....they are noisy sliding open and closed, don't regulate the heat/cold well and I just don't care for them. Since they open onto an enclosed patio I am considering changing them out for french doors, which have to be more energy efficient... Is this possible? Is this a pain in the behind or could a handyman handle this?
We replaced sliders with French doors and the opening had to be made quite a bit larger. I would only have someone do that kind of work if they had done it before. Also, there are gorgeous high quality sliding doors that rival any French door. You should look online for images, look in catalogs, etc. before you decide.
It depends on the size of the slider. You can get prehung doors to fit the space and it's an easy fix. If the sliders are odd size, you may need to build down the opening or build the opening larger to accomodate pre hung doors. It's not that difficult. I've done it and a good handyman or carpenter can do it with proper planning.
Not that big of a project, actually. That is, assuming you do your homework and get doors of the appropriate size. If they are the same size as the opening or smaller, a decent handyman can do it. If the opening needs to be made bigger, you'll need to check with your local codes to see if you need a licensed carpenter to do the job. Some municipalities require permits any time you make an opening larger in a load bearing wall.
Personally, I'm with you on the sliding doors. IMO, they are noisy, they stick, they are unsecure, and they are just plain ugly.
I have had this done twice on rental properties. Would have preferred to simply replace the sliders with good looking sliders. I think a well installed sliding door is easier to secure from intruders and less likely to be damaged over time. Issue is you can find very nice looking replacement french doors for a much better price than good looking sliders. In both cases, the new doors were a bit larger than the removed sliding doors so the opening had to be expanded and totally reframed. I had a very good contractor who did a lot of work for me on several projects so he did not charge me very much for the change out. But, if I replace sliders again I would look at both kinds of replacements and compare whole job costs.
We're planning on doing this eventually out to our patio. Our sliders are a standard 72" wide, and we would replace with a standard 72" french door set - so we don't expect any issues.
For security, we are probably going to get the heavy duty lock sets that have the bolt that goes up and down to secure the one side. Then the other side locks/deadbolts into that side. Secure enough for us, as it will open onto our patio/fenced yard, and if you enter our home that way your walking into the area our 4 dogs occupy.
Okay handyman types out there in C-D land. I am looking at a townhome and it has 2 sets of sliding doors. I really really dislike sliders....they are noisy sliding open and closed (not always true, it depends on the quality and the install), don't regulate the heat/cold well (they work as well as any other insulated glass type fenestration) and I just don't care for them (and I don't have an argument for that). Since they open onto an enclosed patio I am considering changing them out for french doors, which have to be more energy efficient... Is this possible? (Yes, it's possible but...) Is this a pain in the behind or could a handyman handle this? (Yes, but...)
Suggestions?
Here's the thing, most sliders are either 6' or 8' wide. The widest standard size for french doors is approx. 6' (3/0 DH).
2 Doors 3'0" x 6'8" each
Required rough opening:
75"w x 83 3/4 "h
Here's where it gets sticky- if you replace a 6' for a 6' it's not going to fit without major re-framing. Rough openings for 6' sliding glass doors are 72 inches wide by 80 inches.
See the difference. Obviously, you could go with a smaller width for the opening but you still have an issue with height. And the repair of siding or whatever the exterior cladding is, along with the d/wall and trim work on the interior.
As for sliders, a polyurethane foam insulation core - offering six times the energy efficiency of wood and higher still for aluminum - faced on both sides with vinyl or aluminum. These typically cost $400 to $1,500 for a 6-foot-wide door.
Sliders that more closely resemble divided-lite doors have both snap-in grilles (which I totally don't like), GBG (Grid Between Glass), or SDL (Simulated Divided Lite). These give you the look of french doors with the convenience of sliders. A pair of 6-foot-wide doors like these costs about $850 to $1,800.
Another option is a miniblind or pleated shade encased between the two panes of insulated glass; the interior glass panel is removable so the binds can be easily cleaned. Listing at about $1,200 to $2,100, these are pricey, but they save the cost of window coverings.
There are different level of low-E coatings (depending on what region of the country you're in) along with options of argon filled.
Any of the following manufacturers build good quality sliders (but remember, that only half the job- it has to be installed correctly): www.andersencorp.com www.hurd.com www.marvin.com www.pella.com www.weathershield.com
Our sliders are a standard 72" wide, and we would replace with a standard 72" french door set - so we don't expect any issues.
As you can see from my post above^^^
That don't work!
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