Patio doors - sliding, inward or outward opening?

[Bucketsofbloodydinosaurs]

What have you got and what is good / bad about it? Just a quick poll for the day when we can afford to remodel our kitchen (about 10yrs but one can dream.)

We have french doors that open outwards. I love em'

we have sliding which work well for us.

we have two sets and both open outwards.

Good points - they look nicer than sliding ones and if they open out then you save space indoors.

However, you can't keep outside pots/plants near the window because then you can't open the door. Also, if you have blinds on them (we have wooden ones) and it starts to rain without you noticing then your blinds get wet.

You have to secure them somehow otherwise they swing about in the wind and this weakens the hinges. However, it's hard to secure them (or at least it's hard to secure mine because we have steps immediately outside so you can't hold them open with a plant)

Make sure you decide properly which should be the primary opening door. I suspect we got this wrong.

outwards, definitely

we have sliding ones.
they don't look as nice as proper doors but they do work well. can't think of any other downsides to them

French doors (inward, outward opening ones) are more aesthetically pleasing but you have to allow clearance for them to open so if they open inwards you cant put furniture there & outwards as mogwi says you cant put anything outside. You do have to anchor them - DH never remembers and apart from the chance of them getting damaged I always worry about little fingers.

Sliding doors - you dont have to worry about clearance or fingers the same but they dont look as nice. I would recommend putting some kind of sticker or stained glass transfer on them as if they are very clean the littluns have been known to run into them full pelt not realising they are closed!!

Depends on which is most important to you both have pluses & minuses!!