What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Using Stacker Doors In Your Home?

If you have never heard the term before, stacker doors (also commonly referred to as ‘stacking doors’) are very similar in appearance to sliding doors, except that they are made up of more moving panels. Each of these panels will slide into place on top of a stationary panel that is (usually) attached to the wall. Often, these doors are constructed out of glass with a timber frame in order to allow maximum light penetration and to make the most of available views.

Stacker doors are found in many areas of the home, but especially in walls that overlook patio or alfresco areas that need to be opened up when entertaining or during summer to allow breezes in. They’re also used (albeit on a much smaller scale) as shower screens and even as wardrobe openings because they don’t take up as much room as regular doors.

But what are the advantages and disadvantages of installing these doors in your home? Could they be the solution that you have been looking for?

Advantages
• Stacker doors take up very little room in the home, making them ideal for use in homes that don’t have a lot of open spaces.
• They allow for wide, unobstructed views of your yard and the landscape beyond, helped greatly by the fact that their aluminium frames are quite thin in design.
• They are relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to other non-standard styles (such as bifolds).

Disadvantages
• The panels are known to become dislodged, especially after a few years of use. Whilst this can be fairly simple to repair, it can just be an inconvenience in the meantime.
• The channels that the stacker doors run in must be kept completely free of debris to prevent them from sticking, which means that they must be regularly cleaned out.
• If you choose the wrong type of glass for your frames, they will let in a lot of heat during summer and let out a lot of heat during winter.

When deciding whether stacker doors are the perfect choice for your home, you must first weigh up the pros against the cons. For some homeowners, the disadvantages listed above are a complete deal breaker and they will look for another door style; for other homeowners, the above disadvantages are nothing more than a mere inconvenience that can easily be fixed. Take stock of your situation and choose your doors appropriately.