The Ultimate Guide to Exterior French Doors

It can be tricky to select the best-fitting door that will complement the overall appearance of your home. Size, layout, colour scheme, and budget are all elements that can influence your decision.

Exterior French doors are a fantastic option for creating a classy entrance into your home. This post will discuss the various features of this exterior door, its advantages and disadvantages, and some installation advice you should be aware of before purchasing one for your home.

EXTERIOR FRENCH DOOR FEATURES 

Before we dive into this exterior door's different pros and cons, we should first become aware of its notable features. 

1. Material: French doors come in a variety of styles and materials. One of the most popular is vinyl, which exhibits the appearance of painted wood. If you want a more traditional style, you can go with clad wood. Fibreglass is another good option for those who want a highly durable and damage-resistant surface.
2. Glass panes: Today, a French door generally refers to a glass-encased patio door. Furthermore, an external French door is a pair of doors with glass panes covering most of the surface. Some have grid patterns, whereas others do not.
3. In-swing or outswing: French doors are offered in two main layouts, namely inswing and outswing. In essence, an inswing door swings forward and away from you and toward the interior of the room you are facing. Meanwhile, an outswing door turns away from the room and towards you.

PROS AND CONS OF EXTERIOR FRENCH DOORS 

Now that you have gained some fundamental insight into what french doors are, we can now move on to their different advantages and disadvantages. 

Pros of exterior french doors

1. Energy-efficient: French patio doors allow for an abundance of natural light to enter your living space. Natural lighting will help to limit the growth of potentially dangerous bacteria and organisms in any home. Not only that, but this benefit will help you save a lot of electricity costs because you will not have to turn on as many lights anymore. Also, the light these doors bring in is more refreshing and calming compared to the illumination we install inside our homes. 
2. Aesthetics: French doors are stunning both inside and out, and they can easily have a dramatic effect on the look of your home. Their aesthetics essentially make them a timeless choice for any home. Also, by adding this style of door, you can boost your property’s market value. 
3. Seamless transition to the outside: Since these doors exhibit a lot of glass windows, they can bring the outdoors inside the home. When you install them on your patio, they can serve as a seamless transition to your outdoor space.

Cons of exterior french doors 

One of the primary disadvantages of this exterior door is that it requires additional space due to its hinges. Thus, it may not be the best placement next to a table, sofa, or other pieces of furniture. Another drawback of outside French doors is their high cost. Overall, the final price will vary according to the materials used and the size of the door. 

INSTALLATION TIPS FOR EXTERIOR FRENCH DOORS 

Installing French doors is a little more complex than standard exterior doors. To ensure that everything is in order and secure, it is advisable to obtain professional help. 

1. Proper measurement: The most critical step in installing a French door is determining the swing radius. This is to avoid damage to other nearby furniture. You should also take three measurements inside the door frame: top, middle, and bottom. The widest dimension determines the width of the door. 
2. Gather all the needed tools and equipment: For the installation, you'll need a carpenter's square, a power drill, screwdrivers, saws, hammers, screws, and nails, shims, a chisel, a tape measure, and a level.
3. Apply adequate sealant: Applying proper door sealing is a step that you should never disregard. Correctly sealing your doors with quality sealant assists in extending the longevity of your property, but it will also help keep the elements outside. Furthermore, the sealant must be applied to all six sides of the doors, specifically the inside, exterior, top, bottom, and sides. Remember that you will need to do this regardless of the finish on your door.
4. Adjust the shims: Door shims are essentially tapered slices of wood used to help a door open and close properly. For improved appearance and functionality, you may need to re-adjust those shims a couple of times. Moreover, the door's weight will pull the top of the frame away if the shims are not correctly positioned to hold it.
5. Level the door frame: Failure to properly level the door frame may result in leaks and other damage to your door. Thus, it is vital to establish a door frame that is level and plumb for the door to function correctly. The hinge side jamb should be levelled first when levelling a door frame. The next step is to level the door frame's header. Finally, level the opposite jamb of the door frame without the use of a level.

CONTACT A PROFESSIONAL 

Exterior French doors can effortlessly add magnificent elegance to your home. You can also use them to light up your living space even when the sun is not out. To get the most out of this architectural feature, you'll need the best French doors in St Albans. Rock Solid Doors exclusively install high-quality composite doors built in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, our professionals will ensure that your St. Albans doors will be carefully accurately fitted to your home