Advice sought - can we survive with lift and slide (triple glazed) door to back garden alone

[markharro]

We are just finalising our plans and our architect has allowed for a lift and slide door that will be the exit to the back garden from our kitchen diner and a separate door from the adjacent living room that will be a conventional hinged door also opening to the back garden. Its location is basically adjacent to the lift and slide. 

I am questioning whether we need the expense of a further 3g door when we could substitute a much cheaper window for example. The question then is how practical is a lift and slide as the only exit into our back garden which is the main outdoor area of the plot. We often come into the house from the back as well rather than use the front door. Would we find sliding the lift and slide open and shut constantly a complete pain in practise, especially in winter I guess when it couldnt be left open?

thanks 

[Bozza]

Yes if your design allows for it get a separate door would be my thoughts.  Can you get a fully glazed hinged door that looks more like a window.  Not sure about a traditional back door into a living area though.  
 

I went for loads of Rational window doors, but these cannot be unlocked from the outside.  

[jack]

13 hours ago, markharro said:

We are just finalising our plans and our architect has allowed for a lift and slide door that will be the exit to the back garden from our kitchen diner and a separate door from the adjacent living room that will be a conventional hinged door also opening to the back garden. Its location is basically adjacent to the lift and slide. 

I am questioning whether we need the expense of a further 3g door when we could substitute a much cheaper window for example. The question then is how practical is a lift and slide as the only exit into our back garden which is the main outdoor area of the plot. We often come into the house from the back as well rather than use the front door. Would we find sliding the lift and slide open and shut constantly a complete pain in practise, especially in winter I guess when it couldnt be left open?

thanks 

 

We've got a 5.5m triple glazed lift and slide, and a regular glass door. I think it'd be very annoying having to open the sliding door every time you wanted to go out into the garden.

 

In fact, if I were doing this room again, I'd ditch the sliding door altogether and put in some large opening windows instead (maybe with a pair of French doors in the middle). The way it's laid out at the moment, there's really nowhere to put furniture without having it back onto glass of some sort.

[Conor]

We put bi-folds in our last place with a slave door for exactly the same reasons. Used it a lot and can't imagine the hassle of a heavy lift and slide.

 

[JohnMo]

Not sure would like that, wife would definitely throw the teddy.

 

We settled on french doors and fixed panel.  Ours is 2.7m wide, but could easily be upscaled. We have a lock on the outside, for ease of use. Also just been air tested no leaks.

[MJNewton]

On 19/05/2022 at 21:26, markharro said:

The question then is how practical is a lift and slide as the only exit into our back garden which is the main outdoor area of the plot.

Completely practical in my experience.

 

We’ve got a 4-panel lift-and-slide set of doors, with the centre two openers and the outers fixed. It’s our only exit from the family room to the garden and it’s absolutely fine. Wife and 4yr old daughter use it regularly without any issues whatsoever. 

[Jimbouk]

I have lift and slide as the only access point to our house, work perfectly.

 

Only downside is opening a tall hole when wet and cold outside, 

[Jenni]

Depends how you like to live I guess. If you think you'll go through it a lot but generally like to keep it closed, then a big heavy slider could be cumbersome. 

 

I have a small (2.4m 3 panel) lift and slide, it's mostly open to some degree, unless really cold out. I love that I can leave it open an inch, or 8 inches, or fully and no flapping about in the breeze.

[Bitpipe]

We have 4.5m lift and slide (Gaulhofer) to living room from patio area and it's in constant use so no problem there - despite size and weight you can move with one finger. We worked hard to have a near level threshold between inside and out so there is only a few mm high rail to navigate, not a big step.

 

In the utility, which is adjacent but a separate room, we have a 3G door, which gets used less but is useful if you have muddy feet etc.

 

I'd question the logic of two entrances to the same space though - have one and then choose the type (hinge door, slider) that works for you.

 

We have a second slider in the dining area, so right next to the living slider, that opens over a Juliette balcony to a mezzanine to the basement. Bit of a waste and would have been better as a higher level window, but aesthetically it looks nice and balanced from inside and out, just a bit impractical.