French doors can create a bright connection between indoor and outdoor spaces, whether you want to open a sunny path from your living room to the patio or enjoy garden views from the kitchen. Their wide glass panels invite natural light and enhance both function and style.
“One of the nicest things in a room is a splash of sunlight on the floor,” says interior designer Mally Skok. “Unlike windows, French doors let light in low, and create a sense of always being able to step outside, which is cheering.” Read our guide to understand how French doors work and decide if they are the right fit for your home.
Similar to shown: 7010 Thermal French doors, from Simpson
Pros and Cons of Exterior French Doors
Shown: Lumera 10-light doors, from Simonton
French doors come in a wide variety of styles, from uninterrupted panes of glass to ones crisscrossed with diamond-shaped grids, and they slide as well as swing. New engineering means greater energy efficiency, wind resistance, and security, freeing you to focus on what counts—light and air.
Like any home improvement, French doors carry both pros and cons.
Pros of French Doors
- Natural light: French doors create an unrivaled sense of spaciousness and a connection between the indoors and outdoors. They can brighten indoor rooms even when it rains.
- Ventilation and warmth: French doors boost cross-ventilation in summer and can channel the sun’s warmth through the glass in the winter.
- A traditional look: Sliders with dramatic bottom rails and window grilles have a classic appeal.
- Wide choice of lights: You can reinforce the style of your house and add architectural detail.
Cons of French Doors
- Floor space: French doors can take up space on both sides if swinging doors are paired with swinging screens.
- Subject to the elements: In-swinging French doors in may invite in water. Out-swinging ones are exposed to the weather.
- Maintenance: With sliders, tracks have to be kept free of debris. Weatherstripping will need periodic replacement, and hinges need tightening. All those panes need regular cleaning to preserve the view.
- Lack of privacy: These doors may require shades, blinds, or drapes for privacy, especially at night.
Exterior French Door Parts
Today’s exterior French doors often arrive prehung in a wood frame, complete with sill and weatherstripping, for simple installation. Optional grilles and hardware can be added to round out your door style.
Tip: This Old House master carpenter Norm Abram points out a critical vulnerability in wood exterior doors: “The stiles have end grain, and end grain loves to absorb water just like a sponge. The door will rot, or the paint will fail.” Look for manufacturers that address this by finger-jointing a polyethylene block into the bottom of each stile, as it prevents moisture from wicking up through the wood.
Exterior French Doors: Questions You Should Ask
Before you move forward with installing a French door, there are a few questions to consider.
- Do-it-yourself (DIY) or hire a pro? While a seasoned DIYer might feel comfortable swapping in a new set of prehung doors for old ones, most homeowners will want to call a pro—especially if a new opening is needed.
- How much do they cost? Costs run from $500 for a vinyl or wood door to more than $5,000 for semi-custom in fiberglass or aluminum-clad wood (uninstalled).
- How long will they last? Warranties run anywhere from two years to 20, and some can be transferred to the next homeowner.
- Where to buy? Home centers stock low- to mid-range models. But for the widest selection, visit high-end lumberyards and window and door showrooms.
Note: The cost data in this guide is based on contractor estimates from Angi.
Pro advice:
“A rough opening needs to be plumb, level, in the same plane, and about an inch wider and taller than the doors’ frame. Installation always goes more quickly when you focus on prepping the opening right.”
—Tom Silva, general contractor, This Old House
What To Consider Before You Buy French Doors
Before deciding to buy a French door or settle on a type, these are some of the important considerations to take into account.
Sight lines: Unless you are simply swapping in new French doors for old ones, work with your designer or general contractor on the best spot for views from inside, comfortable access, and sun and wind exposure.
Clearances: Before opting for hinged doors, make sure they will have room to fully open, whether they swing in or out. Space-saving options include one hinged door and one that’s fixed, or doors that slide.
Type of glass: A transom or sidelights can augment the impact. Textured or frosted panes add privacy. In a hurricane zone, look for a design pressure rating that complies with local building code.
Screen options: Hinged screens need floor space, and sliders mean another track—a semitransparent material like fiberglass screen cloth is less obtrusive. The best solution may be a retractable screen, sometimes sold with the door, that rolls up into the jamb, out of sight until needed.
Tip: To maximize interior floor space, you may want out-swinging doors, as recommended in This Old House Magazine. Make sure you have a covered patio over the space you want to install out-swinging doors, so they don’t get wet if left open during a sudden rain shower. An overhang will also keep snow drifts from building up against your doors, making them hard to push open.
Exterior French Door Materials
Vinyl
Cost: $-$$
Quality vinyl is affordable and durable, and mimics the look of painted wood—and you can choose a different color for each side. A stiff foam core adds energy efficiency.
Shown: Premium Atlantic Vinyl doors, prehung pair from $2,700, Jeld-Wen
Fiberglass
Cost: $$-$$$
Stable, energy-efficient, and low-maintenance, sturdy fiberglass offers superior resistance to UV rays, rain, and cold weather, and it can be painted or finished with marine varnish. Foam cores provide insulation. These come in a smooth finish or with a realistic embossed wood-grain look that can be stained.
Tip: If you need to refinish a fiberglass door, strip all the finish off and start over for a better-looking, longer-lasting result, recommends This Old House painter Mauro Henrique. Use a fiberglass-safe, zero volatile organic compound (VOC) stripper and set up a work area in your garage with the door laid across sawhorses.
Shown: VistaGrande doors, prehung pair from $3,500, Masonite
Clad Wood
Cost: $$-$$$$
Wood on the interior has a warm, traditional look, while aluminum, vinyl, or fiberglass cladding on the outside adds durability and stands up to the elements better. The core is typically engineered lumber for added strength. Paint or another finish can keep the laminated veneer inside looking new.
Shown: Proline 450 Series Patio doors, prehung pair from $2,600, Pella
French Door Types
Single In-Swinging
A one-hinged panel is considered a French door when a fixed sidelight suggests the look of a pair. An overhang helps keep rain out when the door opens inward.
Shown: Tuscany Series door and fixed panel, in vinyl, from about $2,000, Milgard
Double In-Swinging
Two doors that open in have a gracious look. An arched shape can add interest.
Shown: Ultimate Swinging Arch Top French doors, in aluminum-clad wood, prehung pair from $6,000, Marvin
Doubles That Swing Out
Out-swingers just get tighter as the wind blows, compressing the seal. Coordinating windows add visual impact.
Shown: A Series Hinged Patio doors, in wood, fiberglass, and composite, prehung pair from $2,860, Andersen
Center-Hinged In-Swinging
One door and one fixed pane suggest a pair. Place the hinged side where the swing is most convenient. Taller bottom rails give single panes French-door appeal.
Shown: 200 Series Hinged Patio doors, in vinyl-clad wood, prehung pair from $2,470, Andersen
Single Slider
A slider saves space indoors and out. Remote-control blinds fitted between panes provide light control with a clean look.
Shown: Designer Series Sliding Patio doors with motorized shades, in aluminum-clad wood, prehung pair from $4,425, Pella
Telescoping Slider
Up to 10 panels travel on smooth-gliding ball-bearing rollers.
Shown: Architect Series Multi-Slide and Lift-and-Slide Patio doors, in aluminum-clad wood, this configuration from $14,560, Pella
French Door Light Styles
Colonial
Doors with 15 divided lights signal traditional style.
Shown: Architect Series, prehung pair from $3,700;, Pella
Victorian
Leaded glass with a stylized floral design that would suit Queen Anne.
Shown: Design Pro Tripoli doors, prehung pair from $3,981, Jeld-Wen
Craftsman
Two-over-one lights evoke period bungalows.
Shown: 400 Series Frenchwood pine doors, prehung pair from $2,175, Andersen
Tudor Revival
Diamond grids and a dark stain have that manor-house look.
Shown: A Series Diamond fiberglass/composite doors, prehung pair from $2,160, Andersen
Contemporary
Sleek flat bars suit a minimalist aesthetic.
Shown: 400 Series Frenchwood pine doors, prehung pair from $2,420, Andersen
Prairie
Faux leading in a clean, geometric pattern inspired by a Frank Lloyd Wright design.
Shown: Architectural Fiberglass Glass Panel doors, prehung pair from $7,150, Jeld-Wen
Styles of French Door Lights
Manufacturers offer different ways to get the look of individual panes while cutting energy loss.
- True divided lights: Separate small panes hark to a time when glass couldn’t be made in sheets—or insulated. These can be hard to clean.
- Bars or grille on one side: Flat or beveled grids offer the illusion of divided lights—outside for curb appeal, inside to frame views. These can be fixed or removable for cleaning.
- Bars or grilles on two sides: If there are double panes, spacers between them can make the illusion more convincing.
- Sandwiched grille: A grid between two panes looks least authentic from any angle, but is easiest to clean.
Energy Efficient French Doors
Window glass no longer transfers heat the way it used to. Choices now include doubled or tripled tempered panes—which can block some light—with air or a gas-like krypton providing insulation. “Low-e” coatings can also help prevent heat transfer.
An Energy Star label means the door has been tested and certified to meet strict standards, with the lower the U-factor, the better. Energy Star-certified sliders installed before December 31, 2016 qualify for a federal tax credit—find details at energystar.zendesk.com. But equally important is proper installation and maintenance. To conserve energy and cut down on drafts, the doors need to close tight and have weatherstripping that’s in good shape.
French Door Locks
Multipoint lock sets offer more security and fewer drafts. For both hinged and sliding doors, the best protection from break-ins and strong winds is a multipoint locking system, with dead bolts at the top, middle, and bottom.
Since they require a key, these bolts prevent intruders from breaking a pane and reaching in to open the door. For the extra-security-conscious, hinged doors can be made with five locking points, with two more bolts in the casing and threshold. Secure locks not only buy peace of mind but lower energy bills, thanks to the sturdier air seal.
Exterior French Door Hardware
Levers
This classic choice is a natural for its ergonomic shape and traditional good looks, especially with an escutcheon plate. Knobs are an option, too.
Shown: Garden Door Hardware, $170, Simonton
Pulls
Fixed hand-holds help to ease sliders open. These can stand out and be decorative or be recessed into the door.
Shown: Metro Entry Sliding Door Set, $719, Rocky Mountain Hardware
Cremone Bolts
Evoking period French doors, these have face-mounted bars that run top to bottom and slot into sockets in the casing and threshold. They retract with a turn of the knob to open.
Shown: Brass Beaded Cremone Bolt, from $162, Signature Hardware
Our Conclusion
When the French crossed doors with windows back in the 1600s, they were on to something. Exported to North America a century later, the multipaned French doors became a hit. Thomas Jefferson even installed several pairs of them at Monticello. Today, French doors are treasured for their aesthetic appeal and for the way they can blend indoor and outdoor spaces. Although there are many factors to consider when purchasing a French door, from material to type to hardware and more, your new door will be well worth the effort when you enjoy enhanced views and breezes.
