Garden doors
Garden Doors in Scarborough
Garden doors are a pair of hinged doors, mostly glass, that swing open onto a deck or patio like French doors. They open the full width of the doorway, which a sliding door cannot do. Fortress Windows & Doors installs them across Scarborough with our own crews and a lifetime warranty on parts and labour.
Reviewed by Steve McCue and Steve Mercer, owners, Fortress Windows & Doors Inc.
Since 1989
Owner-run, family business
Canadian-made
Built for Ontario winters
Our own install crew
No subcontractors
Lifetime warranty
Covers product and labour
Garden or sliding
Garden doors or a sliding patio door?
The deciding question is usually the furniture. Garden doors swing, so they need clear floor space on the side they open toward. If the dining table sits a foot from the opening, a slider is the practical answer.
If the space is there, garden doors give you the whole width of the doorway. On a two-panel slider one panel stays fixed, so you only ever get half. They also suit an older or more traditional house better than a slider does. We install both and can show you how each would work in your room at the measure visit.
What goes into them
Glass, locks and the sill
Most of a garden door is glass, so the glass decides how the room feels in February. We use sealed units with a Low-E coating and argon fill, the same package that goes into our windows. The coating reflects heat back into the room and the argon slows heat moving through the gap.
A multipoint lock pulls the active door tight into the frame at several points, which helps the weather seal as much as security. And because the door opens straight onto a deck, the sill takes rain and snow head-on. A drip cap above the door and a sealed sill below it are what keep that water out of the subfloor.
Installation
How we install garden doors
The old door and frame come out together, and the subfloor under the sill gets checked. On back doors, this is where years of small leaks tend to show up as soft wood. It gets repaired before the new unit goes in, otherwise the new doors will not stay level for long.
The new unit is set level and square, insulated and sealed, and the two doors are adjusted until they meet evenly along the centre and lock without force. Our own crew does the work, overseen by co-owner Steve McCue, who has installed windows and doors for 37 years.
Good to know
Before you order
Pick the active door
On most pairs, one door opens day to day and the other stays latched until you release it. Choose the active side based on how people walk out to the yard, not where the barbecue sits.
One written price
Pricing comes as one written quote after an in-home measure by Steve Mercer, a former home inspector. Financing is available on approved credit.
Warranty
The True Fortress Exclusive Lifetime Warranty covers the doors and the labour to service them, not just the parts.
Outside Scarborough
We install doors across the east end and into Durham, including Pickering and Whitby. Our Barrie office on Pepin Court covers Barrie and Orillia. The service areas page lists the rest.
Our process
How the job runs
From first call to final walk-through.
Book a measure
Call (416) 291-5795 or use the quote form.
In-home measure
Steve Mercer measures the opening, checks the sill and the floor, and goes through glass and lock options.
Written quote
One price, with hardware and install included.
Install day
Old door and frame out, subfloor checked and repaired if needed, new unit set and sealed.
Walk-through
We adjust both doors until they meet evenly and lock without force, then check them with you.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between garden doors and French doors?
Garden doors are a type of French-style door: a pair of hinged doors, mostly glass, that open onto a patio, deck or yard. The name is usually used for exterior doors at the back of the house.
Are garden doors better than sliding patio doors?
It depends on the room. Garden doors open the full width of the doorway and have a more traditional look, but they need clear floor space to swing. A sliding door does not swing into the room, so it suits tighter spaces.
Are garden doors energy efficient?
They can be. The garden doors we install use Low-E, argon-filled sealed glass and a multipoint lock that pulls the door tight against the weatherstrip. An old door that frosts up on the inside or lets in a draft has usually lost its seal.
What warranty comes with Fortress garden doors?
Garden doors we install carry the True Fortress Exclusive Lifetime Warranty, which covers the product and the labour to fix it.
Do you install garden doors in Scarborough?
Yes. We install garden doors across Scarborough from our office at 4725 Sheppard Ave E, Unit 405. Call (416) 291-5795 to book a free measure.
Get a free quote on garden doors
One written price from an owner. Call (416) 291-5795 or book online.