TOP TIPS FOR BUYING PATIO DOORS
Tip one – Look for patio doors that will last.
Patio doors are a great investment – flooding a home with light and making the garden a natural extension of the living area. But don’t forget they will be exposed to all weathers, so it is important to choose a material which will stand the test of time.
Timber is still an aspirational patio door material, both for classically-styled homes and contemporary properties. And, with advances in modern, factory-applied preservative treatments, timber patio doors also offer excellent long-term performance. All JELD-WEN’s patio doors are guaranteed for 10 years and the company’s DreamVu™ patio doorset comes with an optional Lifespan™ 60 year guarantee against rot and fungal attack. This also provides a 15 year guarantee on Hi-build paint finishes.
It is also worth investing a little more for JELD-WEN’s Hi-Build factory finish in a choice of opaque paint colours or translucent wood stains. These are applied in a quality controlled factory environment, with each coat gradually built up to the optimum level. The result is a professional finish, which is guaranteed to last for ten years in the case of JELD-WEN’s factory paint and six years for a stain finish.
Tip two – Invest in energy efficient patio doors to save on heating costs.
Energy efficiency is high on the agenda of most homeowners these days, and, if you have an old set of draughty patio doors, then upgrading them could provide major savings in the long term. There have been many advances in glazing technology over recent years, which means patio doors are available with lower U values than ever before. U values measure thermal performance, which means in simple terms, the lower the U value, the more energy efficient a product is.
All of JELD-WEN’s patio doors are fully compliant with Part L of Building Regulations in terms of thermal performance. The company also offers a range of options, including triple glazing, glass coating and gas filled units, which further enhance thermal performance. Ask your builder or merchant for more details or visit the website www.jeld-wen.co.uk.
Tip three – Choose patio doors that allow the maximum amount of light in.
The inherent strength of timber means that timber patio doors have slimmer frames, letting more light into a property, creating feelings of enhanced space and with stunning aesthetics inside and out.
JELD-WEN’s Canberra folding sliding patio doors offer the ultimate in style and elegance, opening up your room to create more space and flooding it with natural daylight. And lighter homes have been found to benefit the health and well-being of those who live in them – so it is no surprise that many homeowners are choosing to upgrade their living space with timber patio doors.
Tip four - Create a co-ordinated look with matching sliding folding and French doors
A popular trend now is to match sliding folding patio doors with co-ordinating French door styles. Recognising this trend, JELD-WEN has developed its popular Canberra and Wellington sliding folding doors in attractive French doorsets. The Oak Canberra French doorset is made from the same solid oak laminated 54m door leaves and hardware options to provide a suited look to the exterior of the house.
Similarly, the Wellington French doorset provides the perfect complement to the folding sliding Wellington door and is available in a 44mm engineered softwood design to provide a uniform look. The French doorset is also available in fully finished white to provide a superior appearance and long lasting performance.
Tip five – Protect your home with extra security measures
Don’t give burglars the opportunity to break in – a high quality multi-point locking system is standard on all JELD-WEN patio doors and several ranges are also available with a ‘Secured by Design’ option. Doors that are classed as Secured by Design are approved by the Association of Chief Police Officers, providing enhanced security features and greater peace of mind.
Tip six – Make the most of the trend towards oak
Oak is still very much on-trend and homeowners recognise how adding patio doors in this popular timber can increase a home’s value and provide a more distinctive appearance. JELD-WEN offers a wide choice of patio doors in oak finishes – including the Canberra, Wellington, Smoothfold and Oak Fold ranges. To provide the ultimate appearance to the exterior of a property, these could be complemented by JELD-WEN’s Oak Stormsure windows and oak external doorsets, such as the Kensington Oak range. For more details, request a copy of the homeowner catalogues by logging onto www.jeld-wen.co.uk.
Tip seven – Be kind to the environment
To ensure timber products are sourced from sustainable forests with a strict reforestation programme, it is always a good idea to check for the logos of the FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification).
As the majority of JELD-WEN’s patio doors are manufactured in the UK, they have less impact on the environment and a lower carbon footprint.
Tip eight - Enhance your lifestyle
One of the main reasons that homeowners choose to fit timber patio doors is to enhance their lifestyle. Sliding folding patio doors are a great choice, as they open up the living space and allow for al fresco dining on a patio area, bringing the home and garden closer together. Patio doors are extremely easy to use and take up little space, as the whole living area can be opened up and the doors folded away concertina style. The Canberra patio door, for example, is available with up to six doors and with left hand or right hand opening, to suit the style of the home. These stunning patio doors extend the possibilities for Summer barbecues and outdoor living, giving you the chance to gain even more enjoyment from your home.
Tip nine - Check that your manufacturer offers bespoke sizes
If your patio door opening is not a standard size then your doors will need to be made to order. JELD-WEN produces patio doors to bespoke specifications and can supply cost effective, made-to-measure doors within a short time frame, because of its UK manufacturing base and quick response times.
Tip ten – Finishing touches make all the difference
They say it is the simple details that make all the difference and this is certainly the case with patio doors. Options, such as ironmongery, that co-ordinates with other windows and doors in the home - and finishing touches, such as integral blinds within the patio door (available as an option on JELD-WEN’s Canberra folding sliding patio door, can create that real wow effect to a home.
For more information about patio doors, contact JELD-WEN www.jeld-wen.co.uk Tel: 0845 122 2890.
