We present to you a new category, Fight! In it, we examine in detail and without embellishment the pros and cons of certain types of furniture or interior items and then issue a verdict: what is best to use in what cases and what should be avoided in general.

Today we will have a competition between two types of doors: classic swing and fashionable sliding doors. So, what are their pros and cons?

Swing doors

Each of us is familiar with swinging doors. They are installed both in country houses and in palaces. Swing doors have a thousand-year history and have come a long way from a piece of bark covering the entrance to the dugout to a solid and beautiful design.

What are the advantages of swing doors?

1. An unfading classic. If you do not know what kind of door you want - choose hinged. They are familiar to everyone and will not cause confusion in your home or among visiting people.
2. A huge selection of models - Among all types of doors, the swing has the largest selection. In addition, swing doors have an impressive price range, you can find the cheapest and most expensive models in this category. Associated with this is the following clause:
3. You can pick up an inexpensive but normal-quality door. If for other types of doors, the quality of the fittings is extremely important, however, the swinging doors function fairly calmly and for a long time even with inexpensive fittings. 
4. The simple and reliable mechanism, swinging doors last for a long time. The whole design is not very capricious and can withstand many cycles of opening/closing, and can endure abrupt closing and “slamming”. 
5. If the hardware is out of order, it is easy to replace it with a new piece and doesn’t necessarily require a professional to install it.
6. Easy to install. With the proper knowledge, the installation of a swing door is straightforward and should not present any difficulty. 
7. Easy to open, regardless of the weight of the door. The ease of opening depends more on the state of the hinges.
8. Good insulation properties. Swing door when properly installed tightly enters the joint, thereby being a serious obstacle to sounds, smells, and humidity. These doors also retain heat well, which is why swing doors are always used as entry doors.

Cons of swing doors:

1. They have a so-called opening radius, that is, they require a certain amount of free space to open
2. It can beat against the wall or furniture, if not installed with special limiters.
3. Mandatory installation of the door frame. This is an extra cost and reduces the doorway in width and height.
4. Poor fit for non-standard openings. Despite the huge variety of models, hinged doors are quite conservative in size. And if for wide openings double doors could be used, but for high ones - up to the ceiling – swing doors are not suitable.
5. Over time, the door leaf can skew and the door will begin to scratch the floor and enter the jamb poorly.
6. A frequent problem when choosing inexpensive hardware is when hinges rust and the door begins to squeak and open with difficulty. This problem is especially relevant for doors in high humidity environments, as well as entrance doors.

Sliding doors

Sliding doors have gained worldwide popularity relatively recently, although they have been used in East Asian countries for centuries. Then door leaves were made of cane or rice paper, and the main advantage of the design was its ability to let in light.

What are the advantages of sliding doors now?

• Space-saving. Unlike swing doors, sliding doors have no opening radius.
• Well suited for separating small spaces: such as storage rooms and walk-in closets.

• Unique and stylish. Since the sliding doors are a relatively new trend in Europe, such doors will undoubtedly attract increased attention to the interior design of the house.
• Many design options. Sliding doors are less conservative in terms of design, therefore you can find a very original design. For example, a complete glass sliding doors.

• High structures safety: you will not stumble upon a slightly opened door in the dark, or pinch your finger (especially important for children), the door will not slam from a draft, or hit unexpectedly by someone opening the door unaware that you are standing there.
• Will not hit the wall or furniture when opening, unlike classic doors.
• No need to install the door frame, the opening remains untouched.

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• If the room has a wardrobe, you easily add a sliding door and not disturb the harmony of space.
• Convenient for the use of people with disabilities.
• Suitable for wide or non-standard doorways, such as floor to ceiling entrances.

Disadvantages of sliding doors:

• Loose closure, which means low heat and sound insulation, and poor job containing odors and humidity.

• Tall and massive doors require more effort to move. This may prove difficult with a small child.
• If the door moves into the wall then there must be a “pocket” built into it. However, this design is not suitable for all walls. At least 10 cm of wall thickness and good quality material is required. Otherwise, the wall partition will simply collapse.

• Reliability in durability is less than that of swing constructions, especially if you buy low-cost materials.
• High price. The average price of a sliding door is noticeably higher than the average price of a swing door.
• For installation, a professional installer is needed, if improperly installed, the mechanism quickly fails.
• With improper installation or poor-quality accessories, the door will move with noise, and in the end, they may even jam.
• In case of installation of the lower rail,  dust may clog in it without proper cleaning.
• If you frequently slam the door and jerk it abruptly, the door will begin to not work properly.

So what is the verdict? As you can see, in both cases the number of pros exceeded the cons. Moreover, the cons can be reduced if you choose a manufacturer with quality products. Every day in Raumplus we face new challenges, trying to make our products more reliable and constantly striving for improvement. If you’ve noticed it is important to have quality fittings and installation for sliding doors! Therefore, we most often receive orders for sliding structures, and we believe that this is a sign of customer confidence in our abilities.

As for the struggle between sliding and swing doors, in our opinion, this is a draw or, rather a compromise:

• Sliding doors are ideal for wide openings, openings to the ceiling, as well as walk-in closets and closets. They are great for delineating space within the same room and serve as great options for thoughtful interior design. Sliding doors are also great fits for people with disabilities, by both maintaining the maximum width of the opening and by providing an easy way of opening it.

• Swing doors are best to choose with a small budget. They are also well suited for separating rooms with high humidity – such as baths and kitchens. They work well for standard doorways if there is no desire or ability to make a niche in the wall for a sliding door. They are also perfect for those who prefer to stick to the classic look.