I would go with a four panel door, with two fixed panels on the ends and two movable panels in the middle. A three panel door would be the worst choice as it would give you the smallest opening for air circulation or moving in large furniture.

If they still make them that big, get two 5-foot sections for the best aesthetically pleasing look.

Oh, yuk to four panels in only 10 feet! Think of all those posts you'd be looking at. And don't forget about the posts of the screen doors (you'll have 4 more of those).

I've not seen sliding doors with one stationary panel of a smaller size than the other two panels and I would think that would look odd, especially from inside.

We have three panels, 4 ft each that cover 12 feet (Atrium 'Vista' brand slider door). I wouldn't want any smaller opening. By us, the middle one slides to left (looking from inside). My BIL got the same door only his left panel moves to the middle.

Some manufacturers won't even make a two panel 10 foot sliding glass doors as a dual glazed 5 foot movable panel would weigh so much it would be hard for a weak person or child to move, and also hard on the track due to the weight as the doors would still only have two sets of rollers on the movable panel. I still say a three panel would be the worst choice as it would give you a smaller opening than either a two panel or four panel door. Either a two panel or four panel door would give you almost a five foot opening, while a three panel door would only give you about a 3.3 foot opening. And a four panel would have only two movable screens, not four as stated by the previous poster.

Oops, perhaps a poor choice of the word "posts" on my part. I should have said "stiles" or frame laterals.

Imagine a four-panel sliding patio door with the 2 movable glass panels halve-way open (screens remaining closed) for air circulation. You will have 9 door stiles (or frame laterals) to look at (or out through) on a 10 foot wall (window) space!!!! Pretty disturbing to the eye, me thinks, to have 8 very narrow openings for your "picture" window view.

As side notes:

.The framing material on vinyl replacement windows and patio sliding doors is much wider than on the old original equipment aluminum-framed sliders or windows. Example: On a 4-foot sliding door "panel" section the width of the actual glass inside the frame is only 42 inches. (After about two days you won't even notice that you have less actual glass width and heigth per section than you did before.)

.Yes, the moving glass panel is heavy, but it slides soooooooo much easier than the old aluminum screecher one used to. We've had ours 4 years, have had no trouble, and I can open it with one hand.

I have a 12 foot wide opening with 3 panels of 4 ft each, where the left AND center panels both move giving an 8 ft wide opening when completely open. Yes they are very heavy to move which is why I'm considering changing to a bifold patio door which will give more flexibility. The only thing I don't like about those is the price.

What did you end up doing?

If you are still deciding, I would advise against a 4 panel door for your 10 foot space. As another poster said, that will result in a lot of posts within a small area. The result will be less glass and a more crowded look.

Once you factor in all the posts required for a 4 panel door, and the large section in the middle where the two closing panels meet, you will loose a lot of light and your opening will not actually be that much larger than a 3 panel door.

I think 3 panels would work very well and, after allowing for the posts, will leave you with an opening that is around 3 foot wide. A 36" opening is very respectable - also, you will then only have one moving panel which equals less moving parts (see: things that may/will break some day) and only one screen door.

A 4 panel door will generally be less weather resistant: two moving panels must join in the middle and try to create a seal with one another, which weakens the door's structure. this counts when a storm kicks up and you get a lot of wind driven rain. with a 3 panel door, each end of the moving panel will always close/seal against a FIXED panel. This is more stable and reliable. i'm not making this up - check the DP rating of a 3 panel door Vs. a 4 panel door for the same manufacturer. The 4 panel doors always have a lower rating.

Another negative score against the 4 panel door is that you are forced to have the opening in the center of your room - which makes it difficult to furnish, as you must allow a passage way through the center of a room. Not an efficient use of space in many situations.

3 panels allow the flexibility to have the opening on the left, center, or right side.

I'm not an authority on this... just my opinion :-)

Good luck! Please let us know what you decided and if you are pleased with the result.

an updates?

It is relevant to my interests so I was hoping OP could tell me what she did. I also have the ability to put in a 10 ft patio door and with many options I don't know which way to go

I have an 8 foot patio door which I recently replaced. The old door had 2 4-foot panels, so I replaced them with the same. The 4-foot panels are heavy - actually one is stationary, but the one that moves is heavy enough. I don't think I would want a 5-foot one. (I am a physically fit 60-year-old woman, to give you an idea of my ability.)

Weight of the pull is the primary concern here for me as a contractor. They can make these doors extremely large, however, with the heavier and thicker glass...you need to be sure you can open the bugger.

For ten feet, is it resolved that 4 panels should not be considered?

"For ten feet, is it resolved that 4 panels should not be considered?"

No, all a matter of personal preference and how the door is going to be used.

I know this is a super old thread, but I could use some help. We have been given the option of a two panel slider that is 120” wide (60” opening), or a three panel slider that is 130” wide (43” opening each panel with the third panel being stationary). We need a screen so our options are limited. Obviously the two panel has a standard screen mechanism. The three panel has two panels that, when open, can stack (or layer) on the third panel, but the screen is only one panel wide. I have fibromyalgia and need to be able to open the door(s) with little resistance. Any advice? Thoughts?