There are greenhouses with sliding doors and there are ones with double doors. We have compared for you the advantages and the disadvantages of both variants.


green house
© Marina Lohrbach - Fotolia.com

A greenhouse in the garden is the non-plus ultra for many plant lovers when it comes to their own hobby. This allows for a constant climate at any time of the year , through which crops and exotic specimens crop at any time and fruits or vegetableslet harvest. When purchasing a greenhouse, but many questions regarding your own preferences, because between pavilion greenhouses, cold frames, greenhouses with skylights and Anlehn greenhouses, the selection of different variants is particularly large. Alone in the selection of the greenhouse doors, it can be difficult. Because not always one is immediately sure whether sliding or gullwing doors are the better choice. But what are the differences and what are the advantages of both variants exactly?

Why is the choice of greenhouse doors so difficult?

If you browse the DIY store, an online shop or other suppliers for a suitable greenhouse for your own garden, every company offers this in numerous variations. Not only is there something for every budget, but also for every place requirement and all imaginable preferences. A big difference between the models is the type of access that the greenhouse offers. Many models have a sliding door or double sliding doors, others have one or two double doors. The problem: Both variants look similarly good and differ only in that they are beneficial in different ways. It is therefore important to decide between the various advantages.


Also, the prices are not really different in greenhouses with different types of doors, making the purchase decision is not just easier. Only if you want to change the door system later, you have to reckon with disadvantages such as high workload and immense costs. Therefore, it is very important to decide right from the start.

Advantages and disadvantages of the different doors

Both door types for the greenhouse make their own benefits, but also one or the other drawback noticeable. As a result, gardeners may prefer certain types of doors in terms of sliding doors or gullwing doors through their own experience or visual and other claims, and other users, in turn, do not care which door closes the greenhouse. But now to the advantages and disadvantages of the greenhouse doors:

Advantages and disadvantages of sliding doors

✔ no space to open the door to the inside or outside necessary
✔ door is close to the greenhouse after opening and can not be struck by the wind or quickly damaged by other influences
✔ more stable in severe weather
✔ of many users in the handling and optics as more elegant
✔ provides plenty of space as a double door

✘ if the frame is insufficiently installed or damaged, the door can not be easily closed and operated
✘ Sliding may lessen over time
✘ not quite as tight 
✘ quite in need of maintenance and somewhat more difficult to replace
✘ Frame for double sliding doors on the greenhouse can look unattractive

Advantages and disadvantages of the folding doors

✔ door closes even after years without problems properly
✔ maintenance of the door much easier
✔ door can be replaced usually easier if the need arises
✔ easy to use
✔ can with appropriate seals in all weather conditions to ensure that the greenhouse dense and protected against outside temperatures
✔ provides plenty of space as a double door
✔ can also come with ground- low threshold for accessibility

✘ need space to swing inward or outward
✘ act conventional, instead of modern and chic

For which doors one chooses in terms of greenhouse and because of the advantages and disadvantages - the main thing is that a good access to the greenhouse is granted, which corresponds exactly to their own needs.

What should be considered when selecting the doors?

Greenhouse with double door
Double doors allow access with a wheelbarrow - © Unique Vision - Fotolia.com

If you can not decide between the two types of doors despite all the advantages and disadvantages, there are several things that can be considered in the selection in order to come a little closer to your own desire model.

Size of the doors

Whether you're leaning towards sliding doors or the good old wing doors for the greenhouse, both variants need to be able to offer just the space you need. Meaning: Both variants should only be purchased in the size that allows comfortable passage. A conventional wing or sliding door is usually less than 80cm wide and up to 2m high to allow a person to go through. However, the devices are not yet taken into account, which often have to be carried or pushed into the greenhouse. A wheelbarrow, for example, is about 80cm wide and requires a threshold as low as possible to be pushed into the greenhouse - and is needed in this more often than previously thought. So if you handle this often, you should grab a double-wing door or sliding door,

Incidentally, when choosing a door, you should also think about certain greenhouse fixtures that you would like to make. These must be built up in the greenhouse can be worn or can be assembled in this, so that the device works smoothly.


  • In general,the wider the sliding or double doors are, the better they are in terms of air circulation. When open, they enable good greenhouse ventilation when gardening and thus ensure that germs are less able to survive inside. Also, too high humidity, which does not benefit some plant species, can be better compensated. For this reason, windows in the greenhouse are also of great importance.


Do you want to complete the greenhouse?

If you want to keep high quality tools or rare plant specimens in the greenhouse, there is always the risk of theft. Therefore, when choosing the door, it is also important to make sure that you can complete it if necessary. A simple lock can prevent unauthorized persons from getting into the greenhouse or even wantonly damaging it from the inside. Also, the lock often prevents the wind from causing the doors to hit and also causing damage. If the door does not close properly, for example due to the poor installation of a sliding door, animals can also be found in the interior of the greenhouse.

Is accessibility required?

If access to the greenhouse must be barrier-free, double doors are more suitable. These are in fact also to have with very low and easily passable threshold, which is not only better suited for wheelbarrows. This factor is also to be considered, even if the user himself often has problems with walking and stumbles easily, for example, in old age.

External influences

Furthermore, care should be taken to ensure that the doors and their frames are as robust as possible, so that they can better withstand all weather conditions. A double glazing, for example, is much better for greenhouses than a simple glazing that is easy to damage.

Conclusion

We can not answer the question of the optimal solution on a flat-rate basis. If you are planning to buy a greenhouse , then you should think carefully about the demands you place on your greenhouse and of course on the door. If you want to drive into the greenhouse with a wheelbarrow , you should prefer a double hinged door. These are wide enough and come even without a cumbersome threshold. This also allows barrier-free access. For this, they take space outwards or inwards when the doors are open. Sliding doors, on the other hand, take up less space and look more modern. This does not allow barrier-free access and can not seal as well as hinged doors.

Be sure to consider how to use it before buying the greenhouse. Also your own preferences and the available space should be included in the considerations.