Cabana Doors: The Pool-Side Opening

In a South Florida home, a cabana door is the door that connects your living space to the pool area. It may open from the house onto the deck, or lead to a pool bath or a small cabana room off the patio. Whatever the layout, it is one of the hardest-working doors on the property. It's opened with wet hands and wet feet, it faces the sun, and it's exposed to splashing, chlorine, sand, and salt air. Choosing it well is worth a little thought.

What makes a cabana door different

A front door is a formal entry. A cabana door is a daily-use opening that gets opened dozens of times on a weekend. It has to be easy to operate, comfortable to walk through, and tough enough that it doesn't swell, stick, or corrode with constant moisture. It often also has to balance two competing goals: letting in light and views of the pool, and keeping the home private and secure.

Material matters most

Wood takes moisture in, swells, and gets harder to open as the season goes on. Over time it can rot at the bottom edge, which sits in the splash zone. Fiberglass doesn't swell the way wood does and can be finished to look like wood, which is why it's a common choice for pool-side doors. Metal and aluminum options exist too, and each has tradeoffs for corrosion, weight, and look. Ask the person helping you which material suits your exact exposure, and ask to see samples. Strictly Doors carries a range of door lines, and the showroom at 4365 Okeechobee Blvd in West Palm Beach lets you compare them in hand.

Swing, sliding, or French

The style of the opening changes how you live with it.

• A single swing door suits a smaller opening and a pool bath, and it seals well when it closes.
• French doors give you a wide, classic opening and plenty of glass. Our /services/french-doors page covers those.
• Sliding doors save space and offer a big view, but the track is where trouble begins. Sand and grit collect in it and make the rollers work harder.
• A pair of doors or an extra-wide opening can create a grand look, though it needs a proper threshold and sealed edges.

If you're weighing a slider, pay attention to how easy the track is to clean and how the rollers are built. Sand is a fact of life near the water, and a track that you can't reach with a brush will clog. Our /services/patio-and-sliding-doors page covers those options.

Glass and privacy

Most cabana doors include glass, and the type of glass is a design and practical decision. Clear glass gives you a view of the pool and keeps an eye on children or guests. Frosted, textured, or decorative glass adds privacy, which matters if the door leads to a pool bath or faces a neighbor. Glass inserts come in many styles, and the brands we carry include ODL and RSL glass inserts, as well as Limited Edition Glassworks. If the door gets direct sun, think about how the glass will handle heat and fading on the interior floors and furniture, and ask about it.

Hardware that survives the pool

Hardware is often the first thing to fail at a pool door. Chlorine, salt air, and constant wet hands are hard on locks, handles, and hinges. Look for corrosion-resistant finishes and solid construction, and expect to keep up with a little cleaning. A handle set that feels good in the showroom may not hold up near the coast, so ask directly how the finish performs in salt air. Our /services/door-hardware page covers the options. Good hardware also affects security, since a pool door at the back of the house is one that often goes unwatched.

The threshold and the seal

Water is the enemy of a cabana door, and it enters at the bottom. A properly installed threshold, a sweep that touches the floor evenly, and clean weatherstripping keep rain, pool splash, and insects out. The slope of the deck outside matters as well. If water pools against the door, even a good threshold works harder than it should. A professional installer will check how the surface outside drains before setting the door.

Think about storms

A large glass opening at the back of a house is something to think about before hurricane season, not during it. Ask about door options that are built for storm conditions, and ask how they work with your existing shutters or protection. If you already have up-to-date, code-approved shutters installed, our FAQ says a permit isn't required. If you don't, ask when you call and we'll explain how it applies to your home.

Installation is half the product

A cabana door sits in a high-use, high-moisture spot, and a poor install shows up fast: sticking, leaks, rust at the screws. At Strictly Doors, our own crew installs every door, and we never subcontract. We also back our work with a 1-year labor warranty. Family owned and operated since 1990, our staff brings more than 75 years of combined experience to every job.

Getting started

Read about the options at /services/cabana-doors, then call (561) 414-2089 or send a note through /contact. Free quotes come back within 24 hours, and we don't require an in-home estimate. Tell us how the door is used, which direction it faces, and how close you are to the water, and we'll help you find a door that fits your pool deck and your daily routine.