Thread: Metal framed exterior glass sliding doors

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Each sliding glass 'door' is 8 feet wide or each 'panel' is 8 feet wide?

"Rust"?

I've only seen "aluminum" sliding glass doors?

Actually, I have seen 8' wide sliding glass doors with steel frames...once. It was a while ago, but as I recall it was in a very contemporary design (obviously a one-off done by an architect) where the doors were 8' tall as well as 8' wide. There were three 32" panels; two actually slid. If memory serves, the construction time was late 60's or early 70's. They overlooked an interior courtyard with a pool. These doors were rusty also.

In any case, if the frames ARE steel and rust perforations exist, it will be almost impossible to stop the rust. You can treat the outside, but unless the interior of the frame is dried and treated to prevent further rust, you're sunk.

I installed a 20 foot wide (6'8" high) sliding glass door in an addition I did for a client. It was 4 - 5 foot wide panels, the center two were active (opened).

I also installed a 16 foot wide (6'8" high) sliding glass door in and addition for another client. It was 2 - 8 foot wide panels, both active.

Both were aluminum framed. I've just never seen steel framed sliding glass doors, but I can see steel ones rusting out, just like steel doors do.

Those were the two widest ones I've installed in my projects. I've inspected homes with 16 foot wide sliders, 4 - 4 foot panels, all of which were active, with one center panel and its adjacent side panel sliding back past the door opening, resulting in a 16 foot wide opening. The track also allowed the screen doors (one for each panel) to slide out-of-sight beyond the wall opening too.

I am in the process of building a home on a lake in Central Florida. I have seen homes built in the 50's and 60's with very wide single panels of sliding glass. For example, I've seen a home with three panels which are six feet wide each covering an area of 18 feet. When I started looking around I noticed that the widest sliding glass door I could find was four feet wide. I don't believe that the wide sliding glass doors I've seen in the older homes were custom made but I suppose it is possible. Does anyone know what the widest and tallest standard size sliding glass door is and where I might find it? I may have to go to a custom size if they aren't available any longer in that wide size. Someone on here indicated they'd seen an eight foot wide door! That would be great if one is made that size. Thanks.

Clay White - What's the deal with all the disappearing posts?
Personally, I don't see why anyone should take the time to answer your questions if you're just going to ruin the thread by deleting all of your posts.

Larry, talk to your local glass shop, you might be surprised what is readily available and how easy it is to get "custom" sizes. Commercial supplies aren't readily available at Lowe's, etc., but that does not mean you have to recreate the wheel if you want something different.

Originally Posted by Jim Luttrall

Larry, talk to your local glass shop,

First, though, talk to your local building official, there may not be any which are rated for the pressures which would be imposed on them, not without going to a massive commercial / high rise unit, and even those will likely be limited to 3 feet to 4 feet wide. As you will recall, in 2004 there were, what, 4 hurricanes which crossed over Central Florida ... least Central Floridians 'forget' about hurricanes.

Regardless of how cheap a custom made window is, it there is no product approval on it, then you are not allowed to install it anyway.

I agree that go to some glass shop and you will find more easy way
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steel doors