Doors / French Doors
French door replacement
French doors are hinged glass doors, used singly or as a pair, inside the house or out to a deck or patio. Paired units give a wide, symmetrical opening; the trade-off against a slider is the floor space the panels need to swing.
How it works
Each door swings on jamb hinges. A pair uses an astragal where the two meet, with the active door latching to it and the inactive door secured top and bottom by flush bolts. Exterior French doors use insulated glass, a weather-stripped frame and an adjustable sill.
Where it fits well
- A wide, formal opening between two rooms, or from a room to the outdoors
- Homeowners who want the tight seal and solid feel of a hinged door over a slider
- Traditional and transitional interiors and exteriors
What to weigh
- Swing space: a pair of doors needs a clear arc inside or outside — measure the furniture and the traffic path
- In-swing vs. out-swing changes the screen, the weather exposure and the room layout
- Glass, grille pattern and hardware are chosen to match adjacent windows and doors
Questions
French Doors — good to know
French doors vs. a sliding door — which should I choose?
Sliders win on floor space and simplicity; French doors win on the seal, the hardware feel and the look, if you have room to swing them. Our blog post “French Doors vs. Sliding Doors” goes deeper, and your estimator will help you decide for your opening.
Can French doors be secure enough for an exterior entry?
Yes. A properly installed exterior French pair uses multi-point locking on the active door and flush bolts into the head and sill on the inactive door. Security comes down to the hardware spec and the quality of the install.
Other door types
More door types
Next step
A better view starts here.
Tell us what's going on with your windows or doors. We'll come look, measure, and give you honest pricing — free, and no obligation.
Free in-home estimate · Westchester · Putnam · Fairfield