400 Series Replacement Patio Doors

Many people think that a French door refers to the style of grilles on the door—typically Colonial or equal lite grilles, both of which can feature numerous “lites” (the squares or rectangles created by the grilles).

In reality, what defines a French door is the operation of the doors—not the appearance. French doors have hinges on the side and swing open either to the home’s interior (inswing) or toward the exterior (outswing). Conversely, a sliding (or gliding) patio door does not swing at all… it slides on a track and requires no additional floor space to operate.

One of the reasons the 400 Series Frenchwood^® is the best-selling Andersen replacement patio door is because of all of the options you have to customize your door—so if you love the look of a “traditional” French door, but need to save space, consider using a sliding patio door, but leveraging grille options to recreate that traditional many-lite look.

Another visual difference between our sliding and hinged versions, is the hardware differs between the two 400 Series replacement patio doors—they have many of the same hardware styles (for example, both the sliding and the hinged versions of the Frenchwood^® have Newbury as an option), however the function and look is different. A hinged replacement patio door has lever-type handles; a sliding replacement patio door will have a “C”-shaped handle for pulling the door on its track.

Another difference is in the locks: while both sliding and hinged patio doors can be equipped with a six-pin cylinder lock for external keyed entry, only the sliding version can take a footlock. This optional lock allows the door to be locked in a partially open position for ventilation.

One final major difference between sliding patio doors and hinged is panel configuration. By necessity, a sliding glass patio door will always have a minimum of two panels. The hinged version can have just a single panel to operate.

One advantage of French doors, or hinged patio doors, is purely aesthetic. Of course, style is very personal, and there are myriad ways to configure your doors, but French doors are often considered to be a more traditional style; sliding more contemporary.

Another advantage is their flexibility. Hinged doors can be configured to open either inward or outward, depending on the homeowner’s needs. If you need to preserve interior floor space, or you have furniture nearby, then an outswing door allows for that. Similarly, if your door opens out onto a walkway or porch seating, you can elect to have an inswing door. Wall space is also a consideration. A sliding door, by necessity, is a minimum of two panels. If you'd like a patio door—and all of the big views and fresh air it can bring in, but can't fit two panels, a single panel inswing or outswing door is a great choice.

Finally, with double-hinged patio doors (both panels are operable), opening both doors means there’s a markedly wider opening, which can have many benefits, including offering superior airflow.

Because it slides on a track, a sliding glass door is, by necessity, two panels. We LOVE all the light that comes in and the big views. And that is especially true with the 200 Series doors, which have narrower rails (the horizontal top and bottom sections), and the most glass area out of all of our patio door selections. 

Another advantage is the space savings…like their cousin in the window family, the sliding or gliding window, a sliding patio door does not protrude into the space (interior or exterior) and is a great option for walkways, narrow rooms, or places where you may want furnishings nearby.

Just like when we talk about windows, when we talk about the energy efficiency of patio doors, we have to consider the whole picture—from the frame to the glass to the installation.

The Andersen^® 400 Series doors we carry and install offer a wide variety of glass options to suit most every climate zone, including dual- and triple-pane options, and numerous coating types for cold climates, warm sunny climates, and everything in between. Learn more about the benefits of our available glass options here.

400 Series Frenchwood^® doors can be configured to meet ENERGY STAR^® Certification in most areas.

And of course, installation is paramount. The best windows and doors will not perform if they are not installed correctly and professionally. Improperly installed product can lead to damage of your home and door, as well as gaps, air infiltration, and more. At Renewal by Andersen, we know the right way to install every product we sell, in every part of the country and within a wide variety of unique home construction styles—and of course we warrant our products AND our installation.

_{ENERGY STAR is a registered trademark of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. See website for specific configuration details.}

Yes! You can work with your Design Consultant to decide which type of high-performance glass option is right for your home and climate zone. Options include:

400 Series patio doors also offer enhanced triple pane options; ask your design consultant for more information on choosing triple pane. 

Visit the Glass Options page to learn more about each of the different types of glass available.

All of our patio doors feature tempered glass; all of our sliding doors have the unique Andersen^® reachout locking system that pulls the door panel snugly into the jamb for weathertightness and enhanced security.

For additional peace of mind, consider adding a six-pin key cylinder lock (available in hardware-coordinating styles and finishes). This lock allows the gliding door to be locked and unlocked from the exterior.

Another security option for our sliding glass doors is an auxillary footlock. The footlock provides an extra measure of security when the door is in a locked position. The lock can be set so the door is fully closed or partially open to provide a secure venting position and is available in all hardware finishes.

The time your job takes varies depending on the number of windows and doors, the size of your crew, and the complexity of your structure—and a large majority of our replacement jobs are completed in as little as one day!