The French Door Guide

The iconic, Old World look of French doors brings to mind breakfast on the back patio and a trellis full of greenery. Simple crosspieces along the glass help reflect and emphasize the style among the colors and clutter of the surrounding environment, inside and out. When you have the space, a French door is a comfortable, welcoming addition. Include them in a new home or a home renovation for a boost of natural lighting in the room. 

Before you buy and install French doors, perhaps as a replacement to the sliding glass door in your kitchen, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the style. French doors operate a little differently than a single door and can be challenging to install yourself. Read on to learn more about the French door style as you incorporate the design into your home remodel. 

A Quick Note on Door Components

You’ll see these referenced a few times throughout your search for a new French door. These definitions are offered to help you narrow your search by giving you the terms used to describe the design you prefer, so this is the best place to start!  

Here’s a quick intro to the parts of a door that you should know about: 

• Astragal: A strip of wood or metal that overhangs one door to add an extra seal between the two doors, adding to structural security and weatherproofing. 
• Lites: Glass door panels of varying sizes depending on the door style. 
• Mullion: Vertical wood pieces that separate a door and a window, or divide one door from another for decoration or stability. 
• Muntin: Wood or steel vertical pieces that separate panes of glass within a single door. 
• Panels: The pieces of glass that make up the center sections of the door. 
• Rails: Horizontal pieces on the top, center, and bottom edges of the door that frame in the lites. 
• Stiles: Vertical supports on the hanging side of the door (or the hinge stile) and the side of the door with the lock or latch. 

In our interior door buying guide, we take a closer look at the different types of doors and the terminology you will often find when shopping for a French door, so you may also find that information useful here. 

What are French Doors?

With large, paneled glass to offer light when closed or swing in or out to open, French doors are the same basic design as French windows. The difference is that French doors are full length and designed to be walked through. The individual parts of the doors can take on unique designs or they can be found in the simple crossing grid pattern. 

The look of a French door is achieved either with grilles embedded into large panes of glass, or with smaller, individual pieces of glass fit together and supported by notched muntin bars. You’ll find these differences described as either SDLs or TDL lites. 

• Simulated Divided Lite, or SDLs: The modern style of a single pane of glass with embedded or decorative grilles. Considered an energy efficient option.  
• True Divided Lites, or TDLs: Individual glass panes. Generally easier (and cheaper) to repair because the individual glass lites are smaller. 

The traditional French Door style is a classic staple of home design, but that doesn’t mean it’s an exacting category. The style is similar to others and the recognizable crisscrossed muntin bars or simulated divided lite bars are used in everything from doors and cabinets to windows.  

Double Doors vs French Doors

The primary difference between French doors and double doors is that a set of French doors is made of full sections of glass, with multiple lites. They are designed to let in light and provide a view of the other side, not at all intended for privacy.  

Double doors, however, are most often a solid material, like wood or steel emergency doors. Double doors may include decorative windows along the upper half of the doors, but the glass panes will not run the full length of the door. 

Another difference between French doors and double doors is that French doors close together. There is no center jamb (otherwise known as a mullion) for the two doors to latch against. A French door will always latch into the lock stile of the door that it shares a frame with in order to stay closed. The doors may have a multi-point locking system, such as a slide latch into a divot in the sill or upper frame, but the fastener that keeps the doors closed is a pressure latch that can be turned by a nob or lever on the door hardware as with any other door. 

French Doors vs Sliding French Doors

Most sliding doors are made of full length glass panels, some even have the grid or decorative mullions to give the appearance of French doors. Both kinds of doors are useful for taking care of a larger door opening, covering up to 8’ on average. These similarities do not mean they are considered French doors.

• French doors open by swinging inward or outward, meeting in the middle of the doorway to be latched or locked.  
• Sliding glass doors are confined on tracks and the glass panels overlap, with only one section at a time available as a doorway. 

There are some sliding door designs that double the size of the door by extending the sidelight window for the length of a second doorway. The two doors then slide together to meet in the middle, rather than swing out from the center. These are known as sliding French patio doors. They can turn a boring wall into a picture window, with the bonus of a wide, secure doorway.  

Before You Buy 

Whether adding French doors to a new home, or converting a sliding door in a remodel, they are an exciting change. In the designing phase, there are a lot of ideas and the focus is often on things like how the doors will look, or on the budget. There are a few important points, however, that should not get lost in the shuffle of a busy remodel. 

Daily Use & Traffic Considerations

How often the doors are used and who will be using them should be considered before you buy French doors. A kitchen installation may be busier than a home office, for instance. French patio doors will have to stand up to the force of rain and hail, but the protected doors to the dining room will face hungry family members and nosey pets. The materials you choose will have to be able to handle how the doors are used, from the wood and glass to the paint and weatherproofing.  

The family members and friends who will be using them should be considered when choosing the best hardware for new French doors. Some family members may have problems grasping round knobs, or maybe a push-plate would work better than something with ornate edges or detailed designs. 

Screen Doors for French Doors

If you plan to use screen doors with the French doors, it’s important to choose what type of screen installation you intend to use before you buy the French doors. The screens will have to be installed on the side of the door that does not interrupt the swing or easy use of the doors, which means planning the layout with the doorframe, handing, and available wall space in advance.  

• Retractable Screen Doors: These screens utilize a storage housing installed along the door frame. They are designed to blend in with the rest of the door frame, but they can be a bit bulky. Plan for their installation by providing plenty of solid surface within the frame depth for proper installation. Once installed, these screens and their housings should not interfere with the swing of the doors or the door hinges. 
• Hinged Screen Doors: Hinged screen doors can be installed on the opposite side of a French door, just like a storm door or a screen on an entry door. For these, be sure to find doors that will hang closed evenly across the wider doorways and latch together securely. They can get caught in the wind and be easily damaged, so it’s best to keep them latched to the wall when they aren’t closed. 
• Standard Track-Sliding Screen Doors: These screens are installed opposite the swing of the doors, or magnetic mesh screens, which install above the door and drape down like a curtain. For double doors and French doors, the mesh screens come in options up to 96 inches wide and can be installed with the help of adhesives and tacks that stick to the door frame to hold the screen in place. 

Remember that the size of the screen must be factored into the depth of the door frame or whether or not the mullion between the French door and the sidelight window is wide enough. The screens or their housing should not interfere with the swing of the doors or the door hinges, so plan carefully. 

French Door Installation: Pro vs DIY

Door installation often seems like an easy do-it-yourself project, depending on the type of door and the location. Many doors come pre-installed in a frame and all you have to do is install the frame in the wall and you’re done! French doors, however, are a little more particular and exacting when it comes to the installation.  

Due to the precision required to get two doors to hang together and close at a middle point, French doors should be installed by someone who has plenty of experience with door installation. It is best to hire a professional to install them. Some projects require expanding the opening the doors will be fit into, or can be complicated by the hinge placement and hardware, and these kinds of surprises are easily handled by those with plenty of experience.

The frame, hinges, and other hardware need to be aligned exactly to minimize gaps between the doors. If the measurements are off, the doors may not close properly, or the locks may not make full contact in order to be effective. It adds overall wear and tear to the doors that shortens the lifespan of doors that would otherwise last for decades, and creates security risks

This is particularly true if you’re looking to install French doors with a mortise lock for added security. Mortis locks add to the difficulty because the locks must be inserted into a hollowed out pocket within the door itself. That is a challenge when there’s only a few inches clearance on the lock stile before hitting the glass molding. It is best to consult with a professional when making these decisions, to ensure your design ideas can be used effectively in your home. 

Different French Door Types to Choose From

The location of the door can influence the type of French door that you ultimately choose. It is a matter of style that is then narrowed down by the available space. This could mean requiring narrower doors, taller doors, or planning to accommodate sidelights or transoms into the area surrounding the door frame.  

Interior Doors

Because of the lighter weight of some designs, and the general sense of openness, French doors are an excellent solution for interior doorways. They can be used as built-in room dividers with interior, non-locking hardware, or they can offer as much privacy as any door. A sturdy door can be equipped with a lock in the knob and a set of blinds, as long as you know what you plan to do with the door and choose the best materials for the installation requirements. 

A few of the popular locations inside a home can include: 

• Home Office doors, just add an astragal and a little weather stripping for sound proofing. 
• Closet doors, with or without decorative curtains, and especially for walk-in closets. 
• Pantry doors, simply frost or etch the lites with additional designs for added interest. 

Exterior Doors

With the right hardware and door material, French doors make strong, reliable, energy-efficient patio, balcony, or front entry doors. Glass panels provide wonderful solar heating with sunlight, of course, but modern installation methods for the lites mean that hot air stays outside and cold air stays inside, unless the doors are open.

An astragal should be applied to the outside edge of the door stile and lined with weather stripping to help seal the gap between doors. The piece should overhang evenly and be installed securely. If installed on the outside of the door, it also helps prevent the locks from being pried open by preventing easy access to the latch or strike plate. 

Features to Look For

Picking out a new door style is about more than just picking a door slab. The design of the door should still complement the rest of the home. To achieve that, you have different aesthetic options that also offer unique functionality. You just have to know what to look for before choosing the best fit. 

Number of Panes

A French door can have any number of individual panels, otherwise known as glass lites. These lites settle in cross grilles and add to the stability of the door, and there can be as few as four lites to visually break up a standard French door. The number of glass lites depends only on your preferred style for the door.  

The number of panes can vary depending on the grille style. Simple Colonial style grilles can have fifteen or thirty divided lites or more between the horizontal and vertical bars. Complicated styles can be created with leaded glass, such as Victorian florets or the triangles and diamonds of Art Deco.  

For many doors, the grilles that create the distinct rows and columns are installed inside two full-frame pieces of glass. The traditional individual lites of glass are traded for impact-resistant, energy-efficient, glass panels that take up the whole center of the door. Others add the grilles on one side or both sides of the glass for added effect. This style can provide the aesthetic while simplifying the construction of the door. 

Bifold Doors

For a different take on the French door look, there’s the bifold door. These doors are narrower, so you can usually fit two doors in a space that would normally be occupied by only one. They are hinged together to fold, rather than swing out or in, and pushed to opposite walls.  

Like closet or laundry doors, bifold French doors still require a track system, but there are some “trackless” options that rely on only an upper track. Bifold doors are often used for wider spaces, like French closet doors, bathroom or en suite spaces, or an oversized patio entryway. 

French Door Safety & Security

Large panels of glass may not seem like the safest option at first glance, but the reason French doors have stood the test of time is that they are so functional and easily adapted. From privacy concerns to keeping out the elements, inside installations or out, this style can be fit to any space safely and effectively. 

Indoor Hardware

One advantage to the French door aesthetic is that it can utilize almost any type of indoor hardware. The doors can be latched or they can rest closed, the hardware can be a knob or handle on one side and push-plates on another, and they can be equipped with privacy locks or no locks at all.  

A pair of dummy knobs may fit the space allowed on the door perfectly, as long as the doors don’t require being latched, such as one would find on French closet doors.  

The only limitation is that the hardware must fit in the space available on the lock stile of the door, which means planning to match the hardware to the door design and the door function, allowing for latches and bolt fittings as needed.

Patio Door Locks

Always use a deadbolt lock on an exterior installation for added security, because a glass panel can be broken, but the right lock may deter any opportunistic intruder. For added security, use a double-cylinder deadbolt. If the glass door is cut or broken, a double-cylinder deadbolt requires a key on either side of the lock, replacing the thumb-turn operation and ensuring an intruder can’t reach in to open the lock. 

Mortise locks are an excellent option with French doors because the lock is entirely enclosed in a metal casing within the door. These locks are secure and add strength to the lock stile on the door itself. For more information on mortise locks and other reliable lock choices, check out our helpful guide to choosing the best entry hardware. 

In addition to the latch and bolt hardware between the two doors, you can also install what is known as a three-point locking system. With a bolt into the floor sill and another into the upper door frame, these extra touch-points work with a standard lock to further brace the door against break-ins.  

Buy the Best Materials For Your French Door 

With the right type of materials, a French door can be as secure as any other style, whether for privacy or against the elements outside. The materials must match their location so it matters whether you’re looking for an interior French door or a door for an outside space. Look for the best match to ensure the longest life. 

An exterior door in particular must be made with stronger, reinforced glass, and sturdy outer rails and stile body made of wood or some weather-resistant material. Wrought iron or other metal serves as a decorative and functional grille to block entry, even if the glass is broken through. 

Aluminum 

Aluminum French doors offer a lightweight, durable door. The downside to an aluminum door is that the paint can stain or dent very easily and these doors look old and dirty before their time unless they are carefully maintained. 

Fiberglass 

A fiberglass French door checks off all of the boxes for some people. It is a strong material that is also lightweight, and it can hold color well, while also being easy to clean. Fiberglass doors are also not as expensive as some of the other material options. 

Steel Doors 

The strongest option when it comes to any door, steel-framed French doors are a good choice for high traffic spaces. This material is best for security, with the ability to incorporate standard entry hardware.  

Steel French doors are not as insulated as the other options. They can get colder or hotter with the changing temperatures outside, which can cause more work for your air conditioner or heating system.  

Steel has a very recognizable aesthetic as a dark metal, which makes it subject to rust over time. Because it doesn’t hold a coat of paint very well, don’t get a steel door if you want the traditional solid color for your French doors.  

Traditional Wood Construction 

For the classic look of French doors, many people opt for wood doors. Wood French doors offer insulation against changes in the weather, with a sturdy, reliable wood frame around the glass panels. Wood doors can be heavier than the other options.  

Clad wood French doors will be lined in aluminum or vinyl to emphasize the smooth edges without the cracks of aging wood over time, while others will have a protective, waterproof paint. However they are sealed, wood French doors are easily cleaned and hard to damage, so you’ll be sure to get years of use from them

Vinyl 

With a vinyl door, you will get the look of the French door at the lowest price point. The finish is easy to clean and can stand up to a busy passage or a lot of visitors. The thing to look out for with vinyl French doors is that they can warp and crack over time when exposed to drastic temperatures.  

Ultimately, the material you choose will also influence the look of your home, so make sure you choose something that complements the features around it. 

Standard French Door Sizes

Packed with style and artistic flair, French doors are available in most standard door sizes. With their double-door design, they can be fit to match most spaces. It will depend on the amount of space required for the doorway and the framework used to install it. 

The standard French door is 80” to 96” tall, which is the usual range for doors in American home construction. What sets French doors apart is that they can come in widths that start at 72” and can be customized out to 8 feet wide or more as needed for the size of the door opening. 

The important thing is to measure the door opening correctly. To do this, the door moulding will have to be removed. The opening must be measured for height and width based on the size of the opening without the moulding in the way.