French Doors

Timeless and elegant, French doors add a touch of sophistication to any home. They combine the security and functionality of a door with the transparency and beauty of a window. A popular choice for patio doors across locations and generations, French doors let in natural light, elevate indoor living spaces, and create a sense of connection with the outdoors.

French doors, both internal and external, are a favourite in many traditional architectural styles, from Victorian and Georgian period properties to Mediterranean flats and rural farmhouses. But the wide variety of modern designs, finishes, and materials now available makes these versatile doors a natural fit for just about every home.

At WoodBeeLtd, we excel at providing beautifully crafted and expertly installed French patio doors. We will work with you to understand your budget, lifestyle, and design goals to match you with the perfect French doors.

Whether you want traditional grey French doors in timber or contemporary French door sets in pine, WoodBeeLtdcan help you make it happen by helping you choose the ideal style for your property and aesthetic preferences.

Benefits of French Doors

With their dual-panelled design and plentiful glass panes, French patio doors offer the following benefits:

Natural Light

Perhaps more than any other feature, people value French doors for their ability to let in ample amounts of natural light. Not only does this make your living spaces brighter and airier, but it can also transform the feel of a room.

With quality materials and expert construction, modern French doors allow you to maximise light without sacrificing energy efficiency. In some cases, French doors that are external may even help you lower your heating bill by naturally warming you and your home during the day. In warmer months, you can open both panels completely for improved ventilation.

Aesthetic Appeal

The beauty of French doors for exterior or interior use is timeless and placeless, as they are equally at home in an urban Parisian flat as a beach house on the English coast. Their versatile aesthetic appeal allows you to enhance, maintain, or create the look you want — whatever that look may be. We know you will love the results as much as we do.

Above all else, French doors are defined by their windows. You can select French doors with side windows that feature unobstructed glass to frame an outdoor landscape or opt for intricate glass patterns that draw attention to themselves.

While white French doors are undoubtedly the most common, black French doors offer a dramatic contrast that draws attention to the beautiful scenery outside.

Indoor-Outdoor Flow

When most people imagine a patio door, they picture a French door. That’s because of their unparalleled ability to blend the indoors and the outdoors.

When fully open, two-panelled French doors create a wide space to pass unencumbered between your indoor living spaces and your patio, garden, or porch. You can sit or work inside while feeling the fresh air and listening to the sounds of nature.

Even when closed, the abundant glass panels of a French door invite the sights and light of the outdoors into your home for a charming effect.

Energy Efficiency Features

Glass isn’t exactly famous for its outstanding energy efficiency. Thankfully, you have options to make your French doors easier on the environment and your wallet.

Double Glazing

A single pane of glass is no match for the heat or cold. When you increase the number of panes, however, you bump up the window’s insulation properties.

Double (or even triple) glazing involves adding one or two panes of glass — with air or dense argon gas between them — to your French doors, which reduces heat transfer. Double-glazed French doors also boost the safety of your doors, as two panes of glass are more challenging to break through. Still, single glazing is suitable for French doors in the interior of your home.

Thermal Break Technology

Conductive materials like metal transfer heat more readily than wood. External wooden French doors do a better job keeping heat inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer. Wood is not conductive, meaning it prevents heat transfer. This thermal break boosts the overall energy efficiency of your doors or windows.

Weather Stripping

While not a modern technology, weatherstripping can greatly improve the energy efficiency of your doors. Weatherstripping works by creating a physical barrier around the movable edges of your French doors to reduce air loss when closed.

Weatherstripping is one of the simplest and most inexpensive ways to increase your home’s energy efficiency. It can also cut down on noise, prevent moisture from entering, and improve indoor air quality.

Door Energy Ratings (DERs)

For more information about the energy efficiency of a product, check out its DER. Much like the rainbow labels on refrigerators and washing machines, DER stickers on doors confirm that an independent expert has evaluated them for energy efficiency.

A DER of A indicates the highest efficiency, while a rating of C represents the minimum energy rating needed to comply with UK Building Regulations as of June 2022.

Materials for French Doors

French door manufacturers utilise several materials with different lifespans, price points, and maintenance requirements. Wooden French doors remain the most popular choice for the classic look, durability, and energy efficiency. You can choose the type of wood that best suits your interior design style and exterior architecture.

Timber and Pine

Wood is the traditional material used for French doors, giving the style its classic look. It is the most customisable of all door materials, offering a broad choice of stains, paints, and other finishes. You also have a choice when it comes to the kind of timber you want, from softwoods like pine to hardwoods like oak.

While timber French doors are classic and versatile, they also require more maintenance than other materials. As a natural product, wood changes in response to heat, cold, humidity, and other elements. You must watch out for wear and tear, repairing and refinishing your doors as required. If you choose to stain your wood doors, we recommend restaining them every two to three years to protect the wood and keep them looking beautiful.

Even considering the occasional maintenance and painting or staining, natural wood French doors come out ahead compared to composite French doors. Wood offers a classic and rustic style that suits nearly any home, and you can customise the stain shade or paint colour to your interior design. French doors made from wood also offer excellent energy efficiency.

If you have questions about whether timber or pine is best for your exterior or interior French doors, contact us for a consultation.

Styles and Designs

You can choose from several designs and configurations when selecting a French door, including the following:

Single vs. Double Doors

The classic French door features a double-panel design with two working doors. Double French doors maximise the light that enters when the doors are closed and the size of the opening when the doors are open.

However, you may also choose a two-panelled configuration with only one operable side. If you’re tight on floor space, this gives you the look of a traditional French door but only requires room for one swinging door. A third option is the single-panelled French door. This occupies less room on your wall to work well in smaller living spaces.

Patterns Bars

Since French doors are all about the glass, this is where you can truly express your style. If you prefer a streamlined look or have an exceptional view you want to highlight, you may choose a single large pane of glass on each door. On the other hand, a variety of patterns bars can help you match your French door to your existing architectural style.

You could go traditional, with six to 15 vertical panes on each door. Alternatively, you could choose a modern look with five horizontal panes on each panel. Or you could opt for half-lite French doors, which have window panes on top and a solid panel on the bottom. You can even consider stained glass to increase privacy or add a pop of colour.“Please review our options section; it covers a wide range of choices commonly used in houses.”

Installation Process

While some people feel comfortable installing patio French doors themselves, improper fit exposes you to heat loss, water leakage, and security vulnerabilities. For an effective and efficient installation process, it’s best to call a professional door installation contractor.

On-Site Survey

Once we complete the design process and agree on a price, WoodBeeLtd will schedule an on-site survey. During this visit, a technician will gather all the information needed for a smooth installation, including taking precise measurements, recording technical requirements, and documenting any other details needed to ensure the installation goes smoothly.

Professional Installation

Professional installers have years of experience fitting standard and custom patio doors. At WoodBeeLtd, we do the job right with minimal disruption to your schedule and home environment.

We take care of the entire process from start to finish, including removing the old doors and frames, installing the new doors and frames, testing the operation of the doors, and installing the hardware you have chosen.

Our team has specialised tools, extensive construction skills, and industry knowledge to provide the right product at the right price. Furthermore, WoodBeeLtd is also a FENSA-approved installer, which means you can trust us to provide quality doors that comply with UK building regulations.

Installation Timeframe

Installing French doors typically takes four to seven hours. Multiple factors affect the timeframe, including the complexity of the door, the size of the opening, and how much preparation work — such as removing the old door, repairing the opening, and dealing with any unexpected issues — must take place before installation.

For more specific information on the costs and timing of French door installation, call WoodBeeLtd for an estimate.

Security Features

Most people choose a French patio door for its aesthetic appeal. But no matter how beautiful it is, your door must also protect your home from the outside. To customise your level of protection, you can choose the security features of your French door.

Multi-Point Locking Systems

Multi-point locking systems involve more than one security feature along the length of your lockable French door. For example, you can install a series of latches, bolts, or sliding rods at the top, bottom, or middle.

Reinforcing a door at multiple locations makes it more difficult for burglars to break in. A bonus? Multi-point lock systems create a tighter seal, which can improve the energy efficiency of your French doors.

Glass Options

While glass is often a weak point when it comes to security, there are several options for making it safer. For example, laminated glass bonds multiple layers of glass together with a resin. This makes it stronger, more secure, and more difficult to break or cut.

When breakage does occur, laminated glass does not shatter, reducing the risk of injury. Tempered glass also reduces injury risk by shattering into smaller, duller pieces that are less likely to cause cuts.

Proper Installation

An experienced door installation team can help ensure a snug, secure fit on your exterior French doors. We can also install security hinges, which are more difficult for intruders to remove.

French Patio Doors vs. Other Door Types

A French door is only one of many options when choosing a patio door. Let’s compare French doors to other types of doors.

French Doors vs. Bifold Doors

Bifold doors consist of several panels of doors that fold in on themselves and then slide off to the side. French doors, on the other hand, need room to swing inwards or outwards.

French doors come out on top in terms of appearance. For exterior patio doors and even interior doors, you can’t beat the classic look of French doors. Because of their size and complexity, bi-fold doors also tend to cost more than internal French doors.

If you want doors that add grand elegance and have enough room for the doors to swing outwards, wooden French doors are often a better investment than folding doors.

French Doors vs. Sliding Doors

Sliding doors feature one or multiple panels of glass that slide along tracks in the floor and ceiling. They tend to offer a more contemporary look and maximise the amount of natural light entering a room. You can even find sliding French doors that have the appearance of a windowed French door.

Double-panel French doors provide a bigger opening than a standard sliding glass door. French doors are also often sturdier than sliding doors and add classic elegance to your home. Although French doors may cost more upfront, the quality wood materials and craftsmanship last for decades.

French Doors vs. Traditional Hinged Doors

Like entrance doors, bedroom doors, and other traditional doors, French doors operate on hinges. The main difference between the two is that French patio doors typically have two door panels and feature glass panes throughout. If you want a wide opening when your door is open to let in natural light, French doors are the better choice.

Maintenance Tips

The following maintenance tips can help keep your French doors looking great and working well:

Cleaning

The frequency and type of cleaning vary by material, but you can typically keep French doors clean by wiping or scrubbing gently with a soft cloth or sponge and warm water mixed with mild soap or vinegar.

Lubrication

Moving parts often need lubrication to function properly. Regularly check and lubricate metal elements like hinges and locks or places where there is friction, like at the top of the frame, the bottom of the frame, and along the inside edges.

Inspection

Regularly checking your French doors for wear and tear can help you address small issues before they become big problems. Depending on the material, you may find splintering, scratches, dents, gaps, corrosion, or fading. You may also need to adjust hardware like hinges, knobs, or latches.

Find the Perfect French Door With WoodBeeLtd

From the Renaissance period through the present day, French doors have represented elegance and class. Perhaps more than any other patio door, French doors allow you to harmonise the interior and exterior spaces of your home. Both practical and stylish, French doors expand your indoor area, provide easy outdoor access, and improve the natural sunlight and airflow that reaches your home.

What’s more, they are completely customisable. We can create bespoke French doors in a range of configurations, styles, sizes, and finishes to match your existing architectural style perfectly or create a whole new look. Whether you want a double-panelled wooden door or a French door with panes of glass to let in the light, we can help you find and fit it.

Now that you know about all the materials, designs, and maintenance of French doors, how do you choose the right one? Consult the professional craftsmen at WoodBeeLtd. Whether you’re already set on a design or just starting out, we can guide you every step of the way.

At WoodBeeLtd, we provide French doors for sale that are exquisitely crafted, professionally installed, and meticulously customised to meet your practical, financial, and stylistic needs.

Table of Contents