Should I remove my existing house doors leading into my sunroom or conservatory?

This is a very common question and the answer I’m afraid is not a simple yes or no. Every client has a different reason for adding a sunroom or conservatory to their home. For many it is an escape area from a growing family. The sunroom or conservatory offers a peaceful haven away from the T.V. and teenagers, or maybe it is used as a home office and in these cases leaving the room open plan is not a good idea.

If it is room that will be used all day every day and you want it as an integral part of the home then removing the doors and creating a larger open living space can be very successful. On the other hand if the conservatory or sunroom will only be used in the evening or Sunday morning then by creating an open plan area you are increasing your future heating costs as it will have to be heated whether or not it is being used.

Security is also an important consideration, while all our conservatory and sunroom doors have seven security locks and all the glass is internally glazed, these specifications are not industry standards. We do not recommend removing the house doors until you are sure you have adequate security with your new conservatory doors.

Should I remove my existing house doors leading into my sunroom or conservatory

I have found that the question is often asked by clients who have existing doors which are unsuitable for the job. These generally fall into two categories; the first being Patio sliding doors of which only one half opens. The second pane of the door is a fixed section and therefore creates a fixed glass screen between two rooms, so a 6ft door opening will leave an open area of less than 3ft when you allow for handles etc. The second problem is where there are two doors opening out but they only open out 90 degrees eating into the floor space and using up valuable space for furniture n the conservatory or sunroom.

Neither of these options are perfect and in this climate people understandably do not want to throw out good doors.

One solution if the client wants to retain their doors is we can remove their existing hinged doors and move them to the outside of the wall reveal which will then allow the existing doors to fold back fully on the house wall and not use up as much room.

At our Conservatory Designs showroom we have a sample of internal doors we offer, these are typically 6ft wide but we put in a fixed window on each side and then put a set of doors in the centre opening out, by using the screens on each side the doors have a smaller sweep when they open out, they will be able to fold back on the house wall fully so no valuable floor space is wasted, in fact they can be left open all day and only shut at night if required. With seven locks as with all our conservatory and sunroom doors, you benefit from an extra level of security.