Pivot Doors: A Fresh Patio Trend That Brings the Outdoors In

If you’re a homeowner thinking about patio options to open up the back of the house and looking to invest in something more expansive than French doors or sliders, there’s a growing trend that just might be the perfect solution: glass pivot doors.

You’ve probably seen the popular oversized sliding glass doors that create a glorious, seamless flow from the inside of a home to the patio. They’re stunning, especially when they go all the way up to the ceiling.

But the new trend takes the idea of moveable glass walls one step further. Pivot doors open more fully and allow more of an unobstructed view (when the doors are open) than any other product available. Because the large glass panels swing around pins mounted at the top and bottom of the panel, much like a turnstile, pivot doors only obstruct view with the slim width of a door turned sideways, which is just a couple of inches.

Big glass doors that create a moveable wall system are nothing new. They’re typically made up of custom sized sliding panels that move along a track in the flooring, or bifold doors that hang from a track along the ceiling.

“I wasn’t happy with how thick the frames were on residential doors readily available to the Phoenix market. By working with the manufacturer’s engineers, we’ve designed a pivot door product that can be completely customized in size and configuration at a modest price compared to residential products that don’t reach the same level of elegance and durability,” says DunRite Windows & Doors owner, Sal Sucato, a Rosie-Certified Partner.

Working with a local manufacturing company, Sucato reimagined a commercial pivoting door design, long used for office and building entry doors and conference rooms, into a slimmer residential application. It has a slim frame that is just 2.75 inches wide, unlike residential products that are typically five to six inches thick on each side.

The thin, elegant frame allows the glass to dominate, instead of the door. “It’s the ultimate wow factor,” says Sucato.

It offers the strength of a commercial product intended for continual use, in a modified, less bulky form that works for residential settings. “It’s slim and sleek, and flexible enough in design requirements that we can manufacture almost anything a homeowner can dream up, even recreating something seen on Pinterest or Houzz,” Sucato adds. “We’ve built them in a wide variety of sizes, including one design of three pivot doors that spanned the entire back of a home.”

It worked so well, in fact, that the commercial manufacturer now offers it to their own residential clients.

It’s not just for patio installations. The modern pivot style can be designed into a custom door that accentuates a home’s entryway, used to mimic expensive $20,000-$30,000 wrought iron doors. “Not only is a custom pivoting front door less expensive than a custom welded door, but a pivoting door also saves the homeowner the cost of hiring a contractor to fortify the home so that it can support the weight of the iron doors.

This aluminum product is extremely strong, but lightweight.”

It’s also available in custom colors, limited only by the imagination. “I’ve seen it done in a bright blue color that was spectacular.”

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Podcast

From movable glass walls to pivoting doors, Sal Sucato of Rosie Certified DunRite Windows And Doors talks about the latest innovations to open up the outside inside your home. He explains the Low-E window factor and how it can keep your home energy efficient and comfortable in addition to reasons why replacing windows on your own is not a good idea. Plus and education on frames and glass.

 

Sponsored By DunRite Windows & Doors 

Founded in 2001, DunRite Windows & Doors is a family-owned business that installs products from top window and door manufacturers carefully screened for their quality and warranties, including Andersen, Thermatru, Milgard, Pella, Anlin, Masonite and more. From double-pane windows to ceiling-height, big sliding glass doors or customized pivot doors - DunRite offers a wide variety of replacement options, backed with a Rosie-approved reputation for five-star service, great prices and a smooth, hassle-free experience!

 

Photo Credit

• Arcadia, Inc. 

 

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