Patio Door

What's everyones preference for a new Patio Door? Needs to be a slider, not hinged.

Anderson perma shield will last the rest of your life.

Not as good as they used to be but pretty good.

Let me add that installation is the key.
Quality of labor more important than the door.
Absolutely flat sill, Square. Note I did not say plum. If sill is not level than side should not be plum. Put maybe a 16 of an inch bow towards sash on latch side and a up to 1/8 bow up on head. Shim top bottom and middle
tight. The door is a bettering ram if handled roughly. Sometimes the opening is twisted enough to be an issue also.

Simonton 5500 series.

My Marvin's have served me well for 17 years.

I think the answer depends on your price range. Scott mentioned Marvin, they're really really nice but too pricey for me. Last summer I replace my old worn out 30+ year old LP with a vinyl Pella 350. I don't like the wood Pella because the sliding panel is on the outside instead of inside. Time will tell if the vinyl is UV resistant.

I'll expand on my answer a bit. I've been in construction full time since '77 and grew up around it before that. I've installed many brands of patio doors.

Andersen used to be the best. That was 30+ years ago. Andersen spends a great deal of money telling everyone how great their products are while other companies spend that money on R&D.

Pella used to be very good as well. Back then they didn't have a very good dealer network. Now that they're more readily available, they aren't as good as some other brands.

Hurd might have the best door made but people are still afraid to use them because of the bankruptcy and previous problems. They are built like a tank and the extruded aluminum cladding is the best I've seen.

While I haven't installed Marvin doors, I've seen them and they do look like a very good product.

Crestline is OK at best.

Premiere is OK at best.

I'd stay away from most any of the cheaper brands you see at the box stores.

Simonton are vinyl. You can get them for new construction or as a replacement door. They are the best vinyl door I've seen.

I agree with Carpenter. Installation is extremely important. The best door will not perform well if the installation is poor.

IMO windows and doors are not a good place to try to cut costs.

my anderson doorwall (10 years old) is delaminating.outside covering is peeling off.

Have had no problems with my 20+ yr old wood Pella's that I installed myself. I like them because the inner pane is removable and the blinds are between the glass. The cords are kind of a pain, sometimes getting tangled but the doors themselves work great. Have 2 installed, one get's the heck used out of it with dogs going in and out all day/nite long.

If you go with an "ALL GLASS" patio door, make sure it's automotive type SAFETY GLASS. It'll be more expensive initially, but it can save in the long run. I've seen too many instances of someone walking or running through a plate-glass door & getting sliced to ribbons. JMHO

Doc