Here are a few of the popular brands among the many on the market:

• Marvin
• Anderson
• Pella
• Loewen

These are generally regarded to be very good manufacturers. Pella replacement windows tend to be on the more expensive side. However, it is sometimes hard to make a one to one comparison among the different kinds. For example, the particular sliding glass door sets you might be comparing from say Pella and Marvin, may match in size dimensions, but may vary in the type of glazing used (one might be triple paned, the other double paned), the material used for the frame, the design etc. So be sure to examine carefully what you would be getting with each, to see if the more expensive option is more reasonable.

Marvin and Loewen replacement windows might be cheaper than Pella, but still tend to be more expensive than other available brands. Nevertheless, these brands really do appear to be superior, so the price is probably justified. Loewen comes with Doug Fir standard. Marvin can be upgraded with Fir.

Pella’s sliding glass door is designed differently from the other brands mentioned here. For eg. Pella has the tracks on the exterior. While this makes Pella different from other brands, some argue that this reflects a flawed engineering design. There have been complaints of water getting into the rails which will cause them to rot in a few years. Considering the cost of these windows, one would expect freedom from these alleged flaws. But do not allow such negative feedback to deter you from keeping the Pella option open. You must investigate yourself.

Once you have decided on the measurements for the sliding glass doors you require, then you can check out the manufacturers’ websites to see how they compare with each other. Depending on what information you need, you may have to call the companies to get the pertinent answers.

Related posts:

1. Replacing Sliding Glass Doors
2. Window Treatments For Sliding Glass Doors
3. Dog Doors For Sliding Glass Doors

I would suggest you go over the basic concerns one usually has in getting sliding glass doors. As you shop, see that each of your concerns are addressed.

So, if you are concerned with the glass shattering, then you might want to get double pane glass. If you’re concerned with insulation, then explore low-e glazed glass. If you have pets to consider, then ask the sales-person about getting patio panel dog doors for sliding glass doors. Basically, educate yourself on what you should be concerned with, and shop with the aim to alleviate them.

Aside from what was covered in the entry about alleviating your concerns, there are a couple other factors that should have your attention as you do your shopping.

One is the frame. What kind of frame should you get? This would depend on how much money you can afford to spend, and also probably whether you live in a part of the world which experiences winter, or very cold weather. If you have the money to spend, you might consider gettng a solid wood frame. If not, you have the option of getting an aluminum frame that has a wood covering. This is called a wood clad frame. It gives the look and feel of the true wood frame, but is much cheaper. In case you have cold weather to consider, then you might want to get what is called a thermobrake aluminum frame. This will prevent the formation of frost on the interior of the aluminum panel.

The second factor is the type of lock to get. Sliding glass doors usually come with a single point lock. This is some kind of latch that hooks into the door frame. However there is a security risk with this. For what a lot of people do not realise, is that even when the doors are locked with this mechanism, it is possible to actually lift the doors themselves out of the frame. Therefore, for better security, try to get a double point lock which hooks into both the top and bottom of the door frame. Depending on the kind of lock you get, it may need some occasional maintenance (see Maintaining the sliding glass door lock).

Hopefully addressing these considerations will make your shopping experience an easier and better one.

Related posts:

1. Dog Doors For Sliding Glass Doors
2. Sliding Glass Door Security Techniques
3. Maintaining The Sliding Glass Door Lock