Perhaps the biggest aesthetic component of our ​first​ (modern) home, our storefront (sliding is preferred but we will take outswing as well) was goofed by our architects when they chose to use a SINGLE outswing commercial door model and storefront (Tubelite, something you see at your local gas station or McDonald's) without showing us first. ​It even has a crossbar on it, another thing we don't like. This door system is coming out of our very large format living room, so it is silly to restrict the movement outside of the living room in this way.

This is more like what we wanted:
http://cdn.decoist.com/wp-content/up...lass-doors.jpg

Despite the pictures of the sunroom on the other side of the storefront in the background, this is intended to be an exterior door/view into our pretty yard but we are currently leaving the sunroom and its walls as a covered patio option and to stage our possessions which we are slowly moving from our current rental. So, we may eventually remove some or all of the sunroom walls.

This is what our doors/panels look like now after the install:



This would be a more ideal design, with two doors, a more appropriate opening for a backyard or other room:


Anyhow, to the point:

So, now we are 2-3 weeks away from completion on all the other elements of remodeling. Given that a design and/or locating a supplier and then the construction will most likely be outside that timeframe, we will be going it alone and pay out of pocket...if we can find a solution that we like, which is not constrained by the lack of modern options and outside the box thinking of our rural market.

Any help is appreciated. Obviously we don't want to have much more labor on this, such as lowering or raising the header, and we want the material cost to be affordable.

-Are there any companies that make/ship affordable DIY modular, self-customizable sliding or swing doors?

-What about a single pivoting, modern glass door?

Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the forums.

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Fixed - sorry about that. It's just one idea.

 

My suggestion would be to contact a Tubelite dealer in your area and consider the possibility of "remodelling" your two center openings. Everything would need to be completely removed, but it's possible that you could keep the 2 outside glass panels the same, remove the center vertical mullion and transom, and rework that center portion.

If two 42" doors (perhaps 7' tall) would be an option, that might fit better within the opening. I don't know what your existing opening size is.

Wausau (Wisconsin), Kawneer, Traco, Quaker are some other storefront mfg's you could look into. Honestly, you should probably call a glass company and have them give you a bid. Personally I'm not a big fan of Tubelite doors, they are kind of flimsy. LaCantina is another option... hinged sliding accordion doors, very nice if you want to open up a large opening. They are pricy.