When connecting indoor living spaces with the great outdoors, patio doors play a crucial role. However, homeowners often overlook an important decision: should the door swing inward or outward? This choice goes beyond aesthetics, impacting functionality, security, and energy efficiency. Whether building a new home or renovating an existing one, understanding the differences between inswing and outswing patio doors helps you make the best choice for your lifestyle and home design.
By delving into factors like weather resistance, security, space considerations, and more, we will provide everything you need to know to choose the perfect patio door for your home.
Inswing Vs. Outswing Patio Doors: The Basics
Before diving into the specifics, you need to understand the fundamental difference between these two door types. As their names suggest, inswing patio doors open into the home’s interior, while outswing doors open toward the outside. This simple distinction has far-reaching implications for door functionality and home design.
Inswing Patio Doors
Inswing patio doors are the more common choice in residential settings. They are available in most home improvement stores and come in standard sizes and styles. An inswing patio door opens inward into the living space, has hinges on the interior side, and often features a gasket at the bottom edge.
Outswing Patio Doors
While less common in homes, outswing doors often appear in commercial buildings for safety reasons. They have unique features like opening outwards toward the patio or deck, hinges on the exterior side, and a compression gasket for better sealing.
Pros and Cons of Inswing Patio Doors
Inswing doors have been a popular choice for years. They are easy to find at most home improvement stores in standard sizes and styles. It’s easy to install screens on the exterior side of inswing doors.
However, the swing path takes up valuable interior floor space. Inswing doors are also less secure than their outswing counterparts and are more vulnerable to forced entry. The sweep gasket at the bottom of the door wears down over time, potentially allowing water and air leaks.
Pros and Cons of Outswing Patio Doors
Outswing patio doors are less common in residential settings, but they offer unique benefits. The door’s swing path primarily does not interfere with interior furniture placement or traffic flow. The outward motion saves space compared to an inswing door. Likewise, the doors are more secure and difficult for intruders to force open. The design also creates a tighter seal against wind and rain.
On the downside, you may need to special order outswing doors, as they are typically unavailable in local hardware stores. You must keep the door’s swing path clear on the patio or deck, which presents limitations for furniture placement and traffic. Installing screens on these doors is a complicated process.
Weather Considerations: Choosing the Right Door for Your Climate
The local climate in your area plays a significant role in determining which type of patio door best suits a home. Weather conditions affect the performance and longevity of both inswing and outswing doors.
Cold and Snowy Climates
In regions that experience heavy snowfall, inswing doors have a clear advantage. They open even if snow has piled up outside, which isn’t possible with outswing doors. However, it’s worth noting that outswing doors generally provide a tighter seal against cold air infiltration.
Hurricane-Prone Areas
For homes in hurricane-prone regions, outswing doors are often the better choice. Strong winds from a hurricane can more easily force an inswing door open, while an outswing door becomes more tightly sealed when pressed by high winds.
Rainy Regions
In areas with frequent rain, both door types have their merits. Outswing doors typically provide better protection against water infiltration due to their compression gasket design. However, well-maintained inswing doors with properly adjusted sweep gaskets also perform admirably in rainy conditions.
Security Considerations: Keeping Your Home Safe
Many homeowners initially assume inswing doors are more secure because the hinges are on the interior. However, these doors are more susceptible to forced entry as they’re easier to kick in. To enhance security for inswing doors, install a deadbolt lock, use a security bar or door jammer, and reinforce the door frame.
Outswing doors are generally more secure against forced entry. Kicking in an outswing door is virtually impossible, and the exterior hinges have non-removable pins to prevent tampering. To further improve security, use multi-point locking systems, install hinge bolts, and add security window film on glass panels.
Space and Design Considerations
The direction in which a patio door swings significantly impacts interior and exterior design. For example, inswing doors require clear floor space inside the home to accommodate their swing path. The swing path limits furniture placement and affects traffic flow in smaller rooms.
Outswing doors need adequate clearance on the patio or deck. This affects the placement of outdoor furniture or planters.
Installation and Cost Differences
Choosing between inswing and outswing patio doors affects installation complexity and overall cost.
Installation
Inswing doors are generally easier to install due to their widespread use and standardized sizes. Outswing doors may require specialized installation, particularly weatherproofing and securing exterior hinges.
Cost
While prices vary widely based on materials and features, inswing doors are less expensive due to their greater availability. Outswing doors might have a higher price tag, especially if you need to custom order. However, outswing doors’ long-term energy efficiency and security benefits could offset the initial cost difference.
Maintenance and Longevity
Both inswing and outswing patio doors require regular maintenance, specifically regular cleaning and lubrication of their hinges.
Periodically adjust the gasket of your inswing door to maintain a proper seal. If you have an outswing door, check and maintain the compression gasket seal and clear the exterior swing path of obstructions. The exterior face of both doors may need repainting or refinishing due to weather exposure.
Making the Right Choice for Your Home
Selecting between inswing and outswing patio doors ultimately depends on various factors unique to each home and homeowner.
For other patio door options, read our sliding patio door cost guide.
