
Indoor-outdoor living has become popular in new home designs and renovation projects. Homeowners want to be close to nature, so they choose walls of glass to enjoy expansive views and large sliding glass doors that connect to a deck or patio.
While traditional sliding doors come in just a few standard sizes, the possibilities for custom configurations today are endless! From innovative styles to energy-efficient materials, here are expert tips on selecting those extra-large sliding glass doors you’ve been dreaming about.
What defines a big patio door and why are they popular?
A big patio door is an oversized sliding or multi-panel door system that seamlessly connects indoor and outdoor spaces. These doors often start at widths of 8 feet and can span up to 60 feet, with heights reaching 12 feet or more, depending on the configuration.
Oversized patio doors include features like stacking or pocketing panels, which allow the door to open wide, effectively removing barriers between your home and the outdoors. Their large glass surfaces flood interiors with natural light and provide panoramic views, making them a centerpiece in contemporary and traditional home designs.
Andersen MultiGlide Door from the Big Doors series
Big patio doors are popular for their aesthetic and functional benefits. They enhance the sense of space and improve indoor-outdoor flow, making them a must-have for those embracing open-concept living. These doors also leverage advanced technologies, such as insulated glass and durable frames, to balance expansive views with energy efficiency. Whether installed in a cozy home or a luxurious modern retreat, big patio doors deliver an unmatched level of sophistication and functionality.
Styles of Large Sliding Glass Doors
Conventional sliding glass doors feature two glass panels, with one of them sliding along a metal track to stack behind the inoperable side. This traditional style is space-efficient and easy to operate, but it's just the beginning of what’s possible!
Folding Doors
Folding doors, often referred to as bi-fold or accordion doors, are designed to completely transform a space by allowing multiple panels to fold and stack along one or both sides of an opening. Unlike sliding doors, these panels hinge together and pivot smoothly on a track, creating a large, unobstructed pathway when open. This functionality makes them a versatile choice for connecting indoor and outdoor areas or dividing spaces within a home.
Andersen Bi-Fold Doors Configurations
Folding doors excel at creating a wide-open feel while maintaining flexibility. When closed, they form a sleek, modern wall of glass, filling a room with natural light. When open, they provide a nearly seamless transition to the outdoors, making them ideal for patios, decks, or expansive garden views. Their innovative design offers maximum control over ventilation, privacy, and space usage, making them a standout option for both residential and commercial applications.
Andersen Folding Outswing Door
The Andersen Folding Outswing Door redefines indoor-outdoor living with its innovative design and exceptional functionality. This versatile door system features panels that fold neatly to the side, creating openings up to 10 feet tall and 48 feet wide, perfect for transforming spaces and framing views. Its top-hung operation ensures effortless movement, while flexible configurations allow the doors to open from the left, right, or center.
With contemporary panel widths up to 48 inches and options like Stormwatch protection for coastal areas, the Folding Outswing Door provides both style and durability. When closed, it forms a sleek wall of glass, enhancing natural light and adding a modern architectural statement to any home.
Marvin Ultimate Bi-Fold Door
The Marvin Ultimate Bi-Fold Door is another option that delivers the perfect design, functionality, and performance blend for creating a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. With the ability to span openings up to 55 feet wide and 10 feet tall, this door features large glass panels that fold smoothly and stack compactly, maximizing natural light and airflow.
Its durable extruded aluminum exterior and warm wood interior provide both modern aesthetics and lasting quality. The Ultimate Bi-Fold Door offers design flexibility with 81 configurations, a range of finishes, and optional features like a single swinging access panel for everyday use and a retractable screen for unobstructed views.
Double Sliding Patio Doors
A patio door usually has two or more framed glass panels, and at least one of them opens. A double sliding patio door opens by having both of the panels slide sideways over fixed panels on either side. Tight seals between the panels keep the weather out. A sliding patio door always has some door panels covering part of the opening.
Marvin’s Ultimate Sliding Patio Door in wood
For the renovation of this classic mid-century modern home, the architects chose the Ultimate Sliding Patio Door from Marvin to complement the large fixed-glass windows. The patio door’s wood interior has been custom stained to match the home’s original wood finishes, and the homeowners chose black aluminum exterior cladding. The Marvin Signature Ultimate Sliding Patio Door is available up to 16 feet wide, so it’s an ideal way to create a large window wall with access to the outdoors.
Multi-Sliding Glass Doors
Unlike a standard patio door, multi-slide doors have several moving panels. The panels overlap so that when you slide them open, they’ll stack off to the side for a larger opening. They can also be hidden in a wall pocket. Since the frames of each panel overlap at the edges, they have narrower framing and a wider glass area.
Andersen MultiGlide Door
Blurring the lines between indoors and out, multi-panel sliding glass doors can replace large sections of wall, letting in natural light and dramatically expanding living space during pleasant weather. Multi-sliding glass doors are a great option when you want to create a “disappearing” wall between indoor and outdoor living areas.
Marvin Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Door, three-panel configuration
In this contemporary home, Marvin Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Doors were chosen to create a sense of continuity between indoors and out. Each door is divided into three panels that stack off to one side, allowing two-thirds of the wall to be open. These extra-large sliding glass doors are engineered for performance too. Marvin sliding glass doors set a high standard for quality with insulating glass, UV coatings, and seals that keep the weather out.
Marvin Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Door
The panels can move in a single direction or part in the center; push-button motorization makes operation easy. Marvin’s Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Door panels can be configured to cover openings up to 60 feet wide and 12 feet high, and retractable screens are available for year-round comfort. Marvin offers added security through a Lock Status Sensor that connects with your smart home to indicate when the door is closed and locked. A low-profile sill option can be used to create a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor spaces.
Marvin Signature Ultimate Multi-Slide Door with a low-profile sill
Lift & Slide Doors
Similar to Multi-Slide doors, Lift & Slide doors are sliding doors made up of several glass panels that stack neatly to one side when the door is open. They are called “Lift & Slide” because the door panels slide effortlessly, using a carefully-engineered carriage system that lifts panels off their track for weightless operation – no motorization is necessary.
Andersen Multi-Slide Door hidden in a wall pocket
The panels can move in a single direction or part in the center to create a “disappearing” glass wall. For seamless transitions, Lift & Slide doors also have a recessed sill option and a wall pocket to conceal the open panels.
Marvin’s Signature Ultimate Lift & Slide Door panels
These homeowners chose a multi-slide door with a Lift & Slide mechanism for easy manual operation on a large wall opening.
Marvin Ultimate Lift & Slide Door panels with recessed storage
Marvin’s Signature Ultimate Lift & Slide Door panels can be configured to cover openings up to 47 feet wide and 12 feet high. Suitable for traditional or modern architecture, the panels offer side stiles and top rails in both 4 and 6-inch widths.
Andersen Liftslide doors
Sliding French Doors
If a sliding glass patio door has divided lights or a grid, it’s typically called a French door, and just like a patio door, the Sliding French Door always has some door panels covering part of the opening. Sliding French Doors combine the elegance of a traditional French door with the space-saving design of a sliding glass door.
Andersen 400 Series Frenchwood gliding patio door
Andersen’s gliding patio door is a very popular option as well. Its quality wood framing offers a classic French door look while saving space as a gliding door.
Marvin Signature Ultimate Sliding French Door
This living room uses three pairs of sliding French doors to provide better views and access to the pool area while maintaining the home’s traditional charm. Marvin’s traditional wood design features wide side stiles and bottom rails, and a choice of either raised or flat panels. It can be configured to fit openings up to nine feet tall and 16 feet wide, using a single, double, triple, or quad panel design.
Andersen’s E Series Gliding Patio Door, 4 panels
The large sliding patio door on this home puts a modern twist on classic French doors. These doors are fully customizable using a variety of window grids and a broad range of interior and exterior colors.
Best Materials for Large Glass Sliding Doors
Large sliding glass doors have unique challenges to meet. They must be engineered to withstand extreme weather conditions and temperatures. They need to be easy to operate, with durable hardware components that last for decades. Finally, they need to match your home’s architectural style. For these needs, we recommend one of two material options: wood or fiberglass.
Wood
The sliding glass door material with the most custom finish options is usually wood or wood with aluminum exterior cladding for durability. You can choose the species of wood, the wood stain color, or paint color to create sliding glass doors that are unique to your home. Combine painted door exteriors with stained interior frames, or vice versa.
Andersen Big Doors paired with specialty shape windows
Andersen’s Big Doors series and Marvin’s Ultimate collection both offer lots of design flexibility with door options in aluminum-clad wood or all-wood doors.
Fiberglass
For durability and energy efficiency in a harsh climate, fiberglass is one of our top recommendations for large sliding glass doors. Fiberglass offers superior thermal performance and excellent color retention over time. Fiberglass options are available in Marvin’s Signature Modern and Elevate collections. Interior finishes include aluminum, factory-finished pine, or bare pine that can be custom painted.
A fiberglass door from the Modern collection suits this contemporary dining room perfectly.
Marvin Modern Multi-Slide Glass Door
Find the Best Large Sliding Glass Doors at Ring’s End
Sliding patio doors, French doors, and extra large sliding glass doors are available in an impressive range of materials, with custom options to suit any project. Whether you’re building a new home, undergoing an extensive renovation, or simply replacing a sliding glass door, we can help you find the best sliding glass door for your project.
Ring’s End is the premier resource for sliding glass patio doors and multi-slide doors. You’ll love our showrooms featuring an extensive selection of designer door and window options. Our team is ready to help you navigate through the choices, set up an installation plan, and arrange for safe delivery your new doors. You can even schedule an in-home appointment with one of our window experts. Get started today!