French Doors or Sliding Glass Door?

[wabmester]

What does this have to do with retirement? I figure a few of you are retired in Florida or other wet places and have experience with home improvement projects.

We just closed on a new waterfront house, and I'm starting the remodel. We need to replace the water-facing french doors due to some water damage. These doors face into the prevailing wind, and it looks like the water snuck under an improperly sealed threshold.

I like french doors, but they seem like they'd be more suseptible to water intrusion than sliding glass doors. Anybody with experience in stormy locations?

 

[unclemick]

12' over the water on pilings above Lake Ponchartrain(brackish with 70 mph mini gusts) After 20 yrs replaced solid wood door(single not french) with the best heavy sliding door available from Home Depot - new 'pressure treated' and Thompson Water Seal soaked wood frame plus a "piss pot' of GE 100% silicone sealant all around - 3 yrs and counting - so far, so good.

P.S. The wood door ALWAYS leaked during thunderstorms, needed repainting and replanning so it would shut every summer - nothing's square in a 'camp' and being on pilings 'everything moves'.

 

[Cut-Throat]

wabmester,

Get a door with an aluminum outside. I'd go with the French (better locking mechanisms) - Just look for a very high quality door - Like Pella, Anderson etc.

 

[unclemick]

French is better looking - aluminum yes of course. A lot of places out here have French doors on the non water side away from Mother Nature's pounding. Didn't think about locks - don't use them that much - dogs work better.

One thing - our sliding door is located such as to give a panoramic view of the lake plus those poor suckers going to work via I-10 in the morning(5 miles away).

 

[unclemick]

Took the scenic route along the bayou to the supermarket this morning - one place had a door that looked 'French' at first glance, but only one side opened - fake French?

 

[sgeeeee]

No experience with waterfront property or stormy locations. But I have two experiences that have shaped my view.

1) Lived in a development several years ago and all of the houses had French doors somewhere in the design -- front, back or both. Some theft ring figured out that these French doors were not very rugged and could be kicked in fairly easily by hitting them in the middle. Most French doors are weak there. The theives started systematically going through the neighborhood kicking in doors of people who weren't home, pulling a vehicle into their garage and emptying the house. I didn't get hit, probably because I had a well advertised alarm system, but I've had a bias against French doors ever since.

2) When I was growing up my father had a bias against sliding glass doors. He refused to have one in any of our houses. As a result, I've tried to make sure I put one in every house I've owned.

So, what is my advice? . . . . . . Ignore my inputs. I'm just telling stories and wasting time today.

 

[TheFIREman]

Took the scenic route along the bayou to the supermarket this morning - one place had a door that looked 'French' at first glance, but only one side opened - fake French?

Belgian Door?

 

[haha]

Belgian Door?

What is this? There is no place for wit on these boards!

Mikey

 

[wabmester]

Thanks for the wisdom (and wit), folks. I ordered my new doors today. I decided to stick with french, but switched from an in-swing to an out-swing. I don't know if it'll be a huge difference, but I figure the inner bumpers will act as a water barrier of last resort, and the driving wind will help seal the door against the weather stripping. And I figure it'll be easier to train the dog to open an out-swing

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

What is this? There is no place for wit on these boards!

Mikey

T'is true. We're witless.

 

[Jack]

Hasn't the name been officially changed to `Freedom' doors??

 

[brewer12345]

We have a couple of french doors in the house and they seem to be OK (outward opening). Let us know how these work for water-facing applications. I probably would have gone with a hefty sliding door, but a good quality door properly installed will likely work regardless of its design.

 

[unclemick]

"It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature" (Ad??). Also protected 'my door' with a 12' sunroof of polycarbonate(Suntuf), 2x8's, 2x6 crossbraces and metal hurricane ties at all joints. Held during Isadore and Lilly during 2002.

Did I mention that in a prior life, I was an 'En-ga-neer' and use 5/8 hot double dipped galvanized threaded rod for detail work.