Patio Doors 101

Whether you’re building your dream home from the ground up in California, renovating a just-purchased historic home in Oregon or adding onto your existing Nevada ranch home, look to Milgard for guidance on patio doors.

With an easy selection process and a range of finishes, designs and materials, Milgard simplifies the patio door-buying process from start to finish. Here’s what you need to know about selecting the right patio doors for your new — or new to you — home.

Designed for smooth operation, a traditional sliding glass door opens along a horizontal track at both the head and sill.

Ideal for: Tight-fitted spaces, rooms with lots of furniture that can’t accommodate an in-swing or out-swing door, balconies, porches and small patios

French-style in-swing and out-swing patio doors provide an elegant and timeless appeal both indoors and out. In-swing doors open to your home’s interior while maintaining usable space outside. Out-swing patio doors open up to your outdoor living area, freeing up indoor space. 

Ideal for: Homes with small outdoor footprints or entryways. 

Get a front-row seat to your backyard or patio space with pocket glass doors. When fully open, these panels slide into the wall for completely unobstructed views of the outdoors.

Ideal for: Creating indoor-outdoor entertaining spaces, without the door taking up any additional space

Fold panels on top of adjacent panels to achieve a distinct look that can expand the footprint of your home’s dining or entertaining areas. Bifold glass moving walls come in both custom and standard sizes, so you can retrofit them to any home.

Ideal for: Indoor-outdoor living

Stack the deck in your favor with glass panels that slide atop each other while giving you natural light and plenty of room to breathe. These doors operate with ease and create an eye-catching transition. 

Ideal for: Any indoor-outdoor spaces

Milgard’s vinyl formula uses high-quality titanium dioxide and stabilizers, which contribute to energy efficiency and high performance throughout the life of your patio doors.

An affordable patio door frame option, vinyl is also virtually maintenance free and works well on any home in any climate.

Explore Milgard vinyl patio doors

If you want the look of a traditional wood profile without the potential for warping, swelling or rotting, look to fiberglass patio door frames. A blend of glass fibers and resin compose the material and, as a result, fiberglass expands and contracts very little, whether you live in a desert locale or cooler climes.

Learn more about fiberglass patio doors

Aluminum is a great choice if you’re looking for new-construction or replacement patio doors. Characterized by slim profiles and narrow sightlines, these low-maintenance frames offer lightweight strength, making them an excellent choice for sliding glass doors and moving wall systems. Our aluminum frame doors feature anodized or baked-on finishes for enduring color color and mechanically joined, sealed corners that keep their shape over time.

If you live in a coastal area, choose a different material for your patio doors in order to avoid the effects of salt air and water.

Browse our selection of aluminum patio doors