Looks are not what makes a door high end. It's items like the structural componenets of the door. Is it just hollow core or is it fiberglass re-inforced? Does the threshold drain water through the frame or is it solid. Does it use a single point locking system or is it multi-point? How many stips of insulation does it use, cheap doors may only use one or 2. Better doors will use 4. Does it use heavy duty steel ball bearing rollers or are they cheap plastic. Is the screen top hung or does it roll on a floor track? As with anything else, you will get what you pay for. A $1.99 widget doesn't become a $6.00 widget just because it has pin stripes.

If you want a good quality door that will last, it will cost you more. The 2 best doors on the market today IMO are Sunrise, Soft-lite and Provia.

If you are looking at Sliding Doors, I personally think that the Sunrise and Okna sliding glass doors are the two best on the market.

Sunrise has a ton of options available and the Okna is a brand new design with the lowest air infiltration that I have seen in addition to a high DP (DP-60), 4 mil thick glass, and a full integrated aluminum sill.

Andersen Permashield Patio Door. I've installed hundreds and they are extremely reliable. Parts are always available. I never have callbacks.

I have a picture where a river overflowed and the water line is half way up the door.....minimal leakage.

Here it is....

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

That's a great picture.

That is pretty crazy. The house is otherwise ruined but that is a great picture.

I'm on the gulf coast, central fl, and also need two units...8x8'. Looked at the gorell 4200 and the simington.
anyone have suggestions...tks...RC

Both make solid products and are good companies.

Andersen Permashield with "SmartSun" (cardinal 366 glass) without a doubt.

I just replaced 3 thermatrus with the Permashield and it is a quality door. Much better value than Andersens 400 or A series Gliders.

Buy them at Home Depot but DO NOT LET A HD installer put them in!

The Permashield lets in a lot of sun and is built like a tank.....Their PS 51168 door weighs over 250lbs!!!!

Good luck and stay away from Pella's crazy engineering on their Impervia(screen on the inside lets bugs in).

Andersen with Cardinal 366 glass (Smart Sun) is a winner!!!!!!

It is funny how RBA people trash vinyl, and don't disclose that their product is mostly vinyl.

I realize this is an older thread but I'll throw in my 2 cents. I replaced a Pella Proline (aluminum clad wood) with vinyl sliding door. The Pella wood frame rotted out after a few years. Pella admitted they used a glue that did not hold up.

I do not want a repeat of that situation. Thats the risk of getting a clad wood door. If moisture gets in there you are S.O.L.

The vinyl door I installed was a Pella Thermastarand has been there for 3 years now and needless to say there is no concern of rotting. The newer door is also much more energy efficient. However, I the bottom rail chips easily and I now have one chip that is hard to repair. I am looking in replacing another Pella Proline sliding door that rotted and am shopping for other brands.

Lowes carries vinyl made by Atrium. I might order the better model instead of the stock one. It costs more but its a beefier door.

With all due respect winkster53, like I said, I had a Pella Proline, an aluminum clad wood sliding door which costs almost $2k. The wood of the door rotted bc water got thru the clad. Pella is facing a class action on these doors (and windows). If the installers were getting call backs most likely its the installation workmanship and not the product. I put in my own doors and take extra measures to do it right.

Btw, whoever has or had Pella Proline doors and windows circa mid 90s, there is a law firm in Chicago handling the class action.

And what does " a hunk of junk" mean???

I would agree with winkster. I don't believe he is suggesting that you should go back to a wood clad product, but that you look for a superior quality unit regardless of material. Thermastar and Atrium don't have the performance (u value, air leakage rating, etc) or reputation to fit that bill. I too have replaced many Thermastars and in fact one was less than a year old.

At this point you have seen the benefits of vinyl over wood, I'd take that a step further and up the quality. Okna and Sunrise are my favorite vinyl doors, Softlite is pretty good. The latter two may be able to be found through a distributor in your area, and in fact, Sunrise is made in your home state. If for some reason you are restricted through purchasing through Lowes, I'd suggest the Plygem premium door as the only option that I would consider.

I have already researched these doors. Those manufacturers you mentioned are difficult to come by in my locality which translates to not enough of them out there - at least in my locality. Maybe the reason why theres not enough history of them. The doors I mentioned are accessible to me whether from Lowes, Home Depot or Menards. Other popular brands out there are Jeld Wen and Crestline. I have had the Thermastar for 3 years and been happy with it. But bc of my experience with Pella I do not want to get another Thermastar. These doors have to meet an energy standard so they are comparable in performance.

Anyone can bad mouth any product but without specifics it is meaningless.

Tobybul2, just offering some advice from the other side of the fence, obviously you can do with that what you wish. It thought that my comments on why those products were inferior were pretty specific.

1) air infiltration : an independently certified rating that tests how leaky a window or door product is

2) u value: the most common measure of thermal performance, also independantly certified. Also be advised regarding your comment on "energy standards", that the products that you are not considering no longer meet Energy Star certification which is now a u value of .27 vs the old requirement of .30 for you northern region. IF they have introduced a glass package recently that does qualify, it is almost certainly by using a surface 4 low e coating which drops condensation resistance precipitously.

Regarding availability, as i stated above, a couple of them most certainly are available from a building supply house or lumber yard in your area such as ABC supply, Allied, or Richards. I even mentioned one that is available at Lowes if that is your only option.

Kudos to you for not just trusting the recommendation of the box store rep that probably has no idea about the items mentioned above which are all specific and measureable. Incidentally they have also all been around for 20 years or more and are among the top 100 window and doors manufacturers in the US (there are thousands in existence). You are in the right place to get advice about choosing a good product, but again, what you do with that is at your own discretion. I currently sell only one of the 4 products that I recommended (and compete against the other 3) so I have no interest here other then to help you choose a product that will serve you well for much longer than the 3 year mark. Whatever you decide I wish you the best.

Thanks for the advise. I have to weigh things based on what is available to me keeping in mind ease of availability, selection, return warranty, etc. since I am a diy'er. Thats what box stores specialize in. Unfortunately, the challenge with dealing with non-box stores is in fact warranties. Box stores pretty much don't care and take anything back. Its usually the opposite with local building supply stores. Just the nature of the business. Just have to do your due diligence when selecting the product. Also, any new door will better in performance than the 1997 door I am replacing.

a sliding door is large, cumbersome and difficult to uninstall , I would not by a door because the great return policy.This is something you wanna do once.

Great question. Actually the product warranty is through the manufacturer regardless of where you purchase it. If the product is defective or needs parts, you would source that from the place that you purchased it from either way, as they deal with the manufacturer on your behalf. Same process either way.

Good point Tod.

HomeSealed Exteriors, LLC -

I live near Minneapolis, MN and need help finding someone to replace a sliding patio door and some windows. I don't want an installer from a box-store, but the individuals I've contacted don't follow through. I'd appreciate any tips on how to find someone, and how to determine if they're qualified and will do the job right (flashing, level, insulation, etc). I'm pretty easy going, not fussy, but throughout our "fixer-upper" projects I've learned there are people who tell a good story, then I realize after the fact they cut corners or didn't really know what they were doing.

Our home was built in 1988, I think it's considered a "custom split level", we bought it a few years ago from the original owners and have been replacing/repairing as finances allow. I'm a DIYer with the easier stuff, but I know my limits, and doors/windows out of my scope! I also need some help with siding repairs.

Your product advice above is a great start.

Thanks!

Amy

spumonijo, I've referred a few people to Larson Siding and Windows out of Rochester with good results. Not sure if they service your exact location, but worth a shot.

Beyond that, look for personal referrals from people that you trust that have had good experiences. Look at consumer and trade organizations like BBB, Nari, Houzz, and any place else where reviews are posted. In addition, you can research products, and when you find a few that you like, contact them for dealer referrals. Companies that care about their craft typically offer high quality options. In addition, if you receive a referral directly from a manufacturer, it is probably a company that has a good history and will be around to service you in the future.

... just a few ideas..

Looking for information on Spencer Walcott Mathews Brothers patio sliders vs. Inovo by Simonton. Can't find information on Spencer Walcott since it appears to be distributed only in tge Northeast.

If you live in the northeast, look into okna, soft lite, vytex, or sunrise patio doors.

stay away from pella or andersen "perma shield" , total garbage and cheap looking.

you can probably locate a dealer in your area, where do you live?

Thanks for reply Window1. We live in Columbia County in upstate NY (near Albany). Have gone to local businesses and there are limited brands available. Have quotes for Inovo by Simonton, Spencer Walcott and awaiting quote on Andersen Narroline. Is Narroline garbage as well? Not sure if brands you mention are available in my area or within my budget. Looking for decent 8 foot sliders in the area of $1,400. Appreciate any help I can get...I am clueless.

The Andersen doors are actually pretty good to be honest. I think once you get into the good vinyl brands, they are a bit better on some of the performance numbers...but the Andersen door is a nice unit.

A lot of the Andersen doors have good air infiltration numbers, the U- values are only average.

So you are telling me that I am right.....? Man...this Monday is looking up buddy.

Notquite yet, it would depend on what performance numbers you were referring to and to what vinyl brand and glass package and what you meant by "a bit better".

Would you use Anderson Narroline on a bay front house?

We need 3 sliding glass door for a remodel. We’re replacing sliders from the 70’s that are aluminum framed. We are in Arizona so we need something that holds up to temperature extremes. It get down into the 20’s in winter and up into the 100’s in summer. 2 of the doors face east and get morning sun (and a stunning view). Suggestions?

Do you want vinyl, aluminum clad wood or something else? Recommendations will come once you narrow it down some. Also, do you have a budget?

We’re probably looking at aluminum, although we’re open to suggestions. I believe what’s in there now is International. They’ve been there for 45 years and aren’t in bad condition, considering. But current reviews on International and pretty awful.

You should check and see if you can still use aluminum. International is back in business after some stumbles but not sure if they are still in Arizona. If you can't use aluminum, I would first recommend fiberglass in Arizona but if budget is an issue, the best quality vinyl window and door available to you and stay away from any dark colors with the vinyl. Note to your stunning views, fiberglass will give you the narrowest frame and the energy efficiency. Marvin Essential would be a good choice.

We got a quote for aluminum International but after the reviews I read, I’m pretty gun shy. We also got a quote fiberglass Pella but WOW the price shocked us. We can find a Marvin supplier and get a price from them. We need two 6 ft doors and one 8 ft. Thanks for your help.

The Andersen door is still a good roller.

Looking for a higher quality patio sliding door that would be available in Idaho. Some of the others mentioned don't have dealers out here.

Any advice on which is a better sliding patio door - a Mathews Brothers Walcott II or National Vinyl's EnduraView? I've got 2 quotes and the pricing is comparable - just don't know if one is better than the other. TIA!

I don't think either would be considered anything other than builder grade.

We will replace 2 sliding glass doors (72"x80") with metal frames, likely original to our 49-yr-old house, because they've fogged and one is hard to move. Our contractor recommends Viwinco and the distributor he sent us to seconded that and showed an S-Series unit (vinyl clad exterior & interior) with Northern Zone glass pkg. We also looked at Anderson Narrowline 200 Series. Is Anderson worth the additional cost? Online I read mixed reviews of Viwinco, all at least 5 years old, along with recommendations for Sunrise (no local dealer in NE Pennsylvania) and Okna. Okna is carried by big box stores but I don't know what model to look for. At our "advanced age," we don't know how long we'll remain in the house. What do you recommend?

"Is Anderson worth the additional cost?"

Yes, definitely over the Viwinco for sure. Okna is not usually carried by stores only licensed dealer installers but would be a very fine choice as well. I know the 800 series windows are excellent and on doors I would assume a step above their entry level product would be very good.

Okna is based out of PA. Very likely that there is a dealer in your area. And don't talk about your age like that....you aren't "advanced"...just mature and you have plenty of tread in the tires to go. Happy Sunday.

Thanks millworkman & WonW. I mistakenly interpreted the results of my "Okna patio door retailers" search; looking at the sites listed proved they don't carry Okna. Awaiting a response from the company website to locate a dealer. Happy Sunday to you both!

What part of PA are you in?

Northeast, near Clark's Summit/Scranton.