Contemporary sliding or "gliding" doors have come a long way since yesteryear's aluminum sliders, infamous for their stark appearance, sweating frames, and cold glazing. Today, a new generation of high-quality models offers energy efficiency, durability, safety, and style.  At Bayside Windows and Doors, we deliver and install in Clearwater, St. Pete and Tampa, Florida and most of the West Coast of Florida. 

Though conventional aluminum sliders maintain a strong foothold in the market, sliding doors made of wood and other materials have given the genre an entirely new identity. The most popular sliders offer the warmth of wood on the inside and the durable cladding of vinyl on the outside.

Because wood is vulnerable to moisture and sun, it must be given a durable finish. You can buy all-wood sliders that are factory-primed or pre-painted in standard colors; some manufacturers will also custom paint them for a premium.

As alternatives, there are doors made from fiberglass composites that resemble wood but will not crack or warp, and rugged steel sliders, which are usually less expensive. Still other doors are faced on both sides with a vinyl or aluminum skin; a polyurethane foam insulation core fills the shell, offering six times the energy efficiency of wood.

Sliding Door Glazing
Of course, the largest part of a sliding glass door is glass. To make such a door truly energy efficient, high-performance glazing is key. Fortunately, this is standard with most high-quality sliders. You will find dual glazing, or--more typically--double-paned glass with low-emissivity (low-e) coating and, in some cases, argon gas filling.

In addition, some companies offer decorative stained or beveled glass with true brass caming (leading). Like other types of doors and windows, sliders are available with real or false divided lights. Most manufacturers let you specify the glazing you want when you order.

Sizes & Options
Beyond the standard 6-feet, 8-inch height, sliding doors are made 6 feet, 11 inches or 8 feet tall. You can also buy three- or four-door-wide configurations that run up to about 16 feet wide. Sliders are made in single-opening and double-opening styles. To extend your design options, most manufacturers provide matching rectangular and circle-head transom windows intended to fit above doors.

Bayside Windows and Doors offers a variety of sliding glass doors from many top manufacturers.  Call today for pricing and info.

727-504-2383