Reusing Patio Door Ideas

French style patio doors can make decorative dividers or sun rooms.Row of glass doors image by Lucid_Exposure from Fotolia.com

If you have recently replaced your patio doors or have access to used doors from other homes, you have an excellent building material on hand for all sorts of projects. Patio doors tend to be glass sliders or French doors, so the large amounts of open glass can help you create useful and decorative architectural features.

Greenhouse/Sun Room

Use sliding doors as the walls for a greenhouse or sun room by creating three walls out of at least two patio sliding door sets and using an existing wall of your home as the fourth wall. Use wood posts between each door or metal strips to connect the doors and make corner bends. You can even use a framed slider as the entry point into your greenhouse or sun room. For the roof, check used building stores for recycled skylights, or try clear plastic roofing from a lumber store. Sliding doors work best for greenhouses because they have little framing to block the sun, and if you keep them framed, you can open and close them to adjust the heat. For sun rooms, French doors work well, although the framing may obstruct some of the view.

Create a box out of four used patio doors and add cut glass shelves inside to create a glass display case for your favorite collectables or art objects. French doors with wood framing are fine for small curios and are easy to build with because of the wood construction. Vinyl or aluminum-framed sliders will require corner brackets that are set so that interior shelves can attach to them. If you don't have four doors at your disposal, use one or two as glass facing for an open bookshelf or curio cabinet. If you choose this option, remember to weight your shelf so the door does not cause it to topple forward, whether it is open or closed.

Avoid spending hundreds of dollars on fancy Shoji-style screens to divide your rooms or create private dressing areas. Instead, take three patio door panels (French doors work best, but other styles are usable) and attach them together with hinges so you can fold them in such a way that the three-door unit stands up by itself, either in a zigzag or wide "U" shape. Paint the framing to match your decor and place curtains on one side of each door pane for privacy. If you need additional support for your room divider, add "L"-shaped brackets to attach it to the floor and a wall at one end.