The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Exterior Accordion Doors

Do you want to bring together the comfort of indoors and a stunning outdoor view without sacrificing space? Exterior accordion doors, also known as folding doors, are the perfect solution to make a seamless transition between the interior and exterior of your home. The customization options are endless, allowing you to create the exact door you want for a grand entrance.

Why should you consider choosing exterior accordion doors for your outdoor living space? 

Here are a few reasons why this type of door can tie together your home and yard, along with some tips for choosing a style that suits your home. 

Why Choose Exterior Accordion Doors?

Before you start shopping for your next exterior door, it’s important to weigh the benefits of each style available to you. Accordion doors are a luxurious option that can benefit your home in terms of space, flexibility, and more. Not only are they beautiful, but they have some benefits over traditional doors. 

Here are a few reasons to go with an exterior accordion door for your next home upgrade:

• Save Space: Is space at a premium in your home? Accordion doors could be the right fit because they can stack or fold on one side of your entrance, maximizing available space. When traditional doors make your space feel smaller, accordion doors expand what’s possible. 
• Energy Efficient: Another reason to consider accordion glass doors is their energy efficiency. At Panda, we have options for thermally broken folding doors that can insulate your room for greater temperature control or allow plenty of fresh air to circulate. The glass also allows natural light to illuminate your space, minimizing the energy used to run artificial lighting. 
• Lower Cost: If you have a particularly large opening, installing multiple traditional doors to cover the space can be cost-prohibitive. Accordion doors are designed for this purpose, cutting costs.  
• Durability: While Panda products are durable and crafted to stand the test of time, every system is backed by a 10-year warranty.

Key Features to Consider

If your goal is to elevate the style of your home, it’s essential to select the right accordion door for your design. More than that, you can’t forget the importance of a practical, functional option that will enhance your everyday quality of life. Here are a few things to consider when shopping. 

Durability and Weather Resistance

There are no one-size-fits-all solutions when it comes to your exterior accordion doors. Pay close attention to the material options for your door with plenty of frame options ranging from wood and PVC to glass and aluminum. 

How should you decide which is right for the practical application in your home?  

Consider some of these benefits of each material to help your shopping move smoothly:

• Wood: Wood can be an expensive option compared to others, but nothing can compare to its natural, timeless beauty and warmth. Keep in mind that they may require more long-term maintenance to keep them in excellent shape. 
• PVC: This style of accordion door is a budget-friendly option, but PVC doors may not have the same longevity as wood and aluminum. 
• Aluminum: Aluminum is both lightweight and durable, making it easy to slide your door and fold it. 
• Wood clad: Combining the elegance of wood with the strength and durability of aluminum, wood clad doors provide the benefits of both to create an exterior accordion door that is attractive and long-lasting. 

You should also keep in mind the finish and coatings of your new door. Especially in coastal areas with a higher risk of corrosion, the finish of your exterior accordion door matters for longevity.

Insulation and Energy Efficiency

Many homeowners would love to throw open their doors at all times, letting in the maximum amount of natural light and fresh air. However, this can be detrimental to your power bill because it causes your home to work harder to maintain a stable temperature. Accordion glass doors give the best of both worlds: natural light without overworking your heating and cooling system. 

You can select an accordion door with thermally broken doors to maximize energy efficiency. This reduces the heat transfer from the outdoors to the indoors, making your home comfortable year-round.

Security Features 

You want to ensure your home is safe, no matter what type of door you install. Look for doors with a multi-point locking system that makes it difficult for would-be thieves to pry open your lock from the outside. Additionally, you can opt for doors with concealed throw pins. This makes it harder for them to pop an exterior accordion door off its track.

Laminated security glass should be on your must-have list for a secure door. The layers of this type of glass make it much stronger than tempered glass, resulting in glass that is difficult to damage but still maintains the aesthetic of natural light filtering into your home. 

The frame of your door also plays a role in security. A weak metal frame allows burglars to kick in the door, even if you have multi-point locking systems and laminated glass. 

Aesthetic Appeal

Perhaps the top reason why homeowners go with accordion doors is because they are extremely appealing from a design aspect. There are many options to choose from ranging from the style of how the door opens to the materials used in its construction. Each one will give you a unique look that can enhance the look and feel of your property.

Choose a warm and welcoming style or something sleek and modern – the choice is yours with accordion doors! 

Customization 

If you have a large or unique space, accordion doors can be a great fit for you. A custom-fitted accordion door is ideal for spaces with high ceilings and even curved openings. A standard option from a home improvement store might be generic and cost-effective, but it won’t suit your home as well as a custom option. Our accordion doors are the solution for any space. 

Enhance Your Space with Accordion Doors from Panda

Panda Windows & Doors can help you design a space that suits your home. Our exterior accordion doors utilize state-of-the-art engineering with limitless customization options to suit any design element that you want to play up. We also offer coastal applications to minimize corrosion and child-safe features to prevent harm. 

Whether you decide on an accordion door, French door, or sliding door for your exterior application, we can help make your vision a reality! Reach out to us today to learn more about our systems.