Glass pocket doors vs traditional sliding doors - which one is right for your home?

It is widely recognised and understood that the pocket door is an innovative and stylish way to create space in a room. It is also an increasingly common way to create flexible space in an open plan area, by opening and closing doors to create flow where needed, and to close these spaces down to create more intimate or private spaces at other times. It is true that the traditional sliding door has similar benefits to the pocket door, and where you have a glass pocket door, it is common for people to consider the sliding door as an option alongside the glass pocket door. So here we have carried out a study of each type of door to help you choose the right one for your home.

What is a sliding door?

We know very well what a pocket door is, but what is a traditional sliding door? As the name suggests, the sliding door has been around a long time, and in terms of benefits it shares many of the same qualities as the pocket door. The sliding door runs along an overhead track, but when it opens, the sliding door doesn’t run into a wall cavity – the ‘pocket’ – like a pocket door, but instead runs externally along the wall adjacent to the door. So the sliding door is always visible.

What are the disadvantages of a sliding door?

The design of sliding doors is often wooden and offers a more rustic feel, but sliding doors can be glass also, hence their comparison to glass pocket doors. However, a drawback to the sliding door is that it resides externally to the wall, and because it is always visible, it doesn’t provide the same minimalist appeal of the pocket door, which completely disappears from view when open, and hence is neat and unfussy, and ideal for the contemporary home.

Another disadvantage of the traditional sliding door is that it sits proud of the wall and hence doesn’t provide the same levels of sound and thermal insulation. Pocket doors can be installed to fit neatly and snugly in pocket door frame systems, and you can install seals and strips to prevent noise and air transmission. So this keeps room temperatures regulated and also avoids noise travelling. However, because the sliding door sits proud of the door frame and runs externally along the outside surface of the wall, it is much harder to create the same levels of noise and thermal insulation. There will always be gaps around the door when it is in the closed position.

In general, the traditional sliding door is considered a more old-fashioned product. In the 21^st century we like minimalist items which are neat and seamless, and because the pocket door completely disappears from view when it is opened, this fits into this stylish, contemporary image. This is particularly the case when it is a glass pocket door. Of course not all homes have this same modern appeal, which is why sliding doors may be more suitable to an older and more traditional style of home.

Finally, because the sliding door sits proud of the wall, and runs along an overhead rail that takes it externally along the wall, this does mean that it encroaches a little into the room. This is minimal and unavoidable, but an open sliding door does present a small hazard for anyone passing by, who could knock into it and cause damage or injury. While the sliding door does share the same qualities as the pocket door in creating space compared to the traditional hinged door, the sliding door does encroach into a room very slightly, and is more of a consideration, space-wise, than the pocket door. For example, you couldn’t hang a picture on the wall next to the door, because the open sliding door would cover it or knock it, and you couldn’t install a small sink, or a cabinet or cupboard, because this would become an obstacle to the sliding door when opening.

Glass pocket doors vs traditional sliding doors: the conclusion

The glass pocket door opens up space in a room, looks modern and stylish, and also enables light to flow into a small space, making it feel less claustrophobic and therefore, more usable. But in conclusion, while the traditional sliding door shares many of these same qualities, it is still visible when open, it encroaches very slightly into a room and means you have to consider what you can store or install immediately adjacent to the door, and it does have more of a traditional feel.

If you want to install glass pocket doors in your home then check out our range of glass pocket doors at Pocket Door Shop, and order online today.