French doors are not always double doors. While typically, French doors do come as a set of 2 doors, they do not have to be. Single doors, bifold doors, and sliding doors are also available as French doors.
Double doors for double the opening capacity
In the glazing industry, double doors can refer to any doors with two independently opening leaves. This includes French doors, but normally if you hear an industry professional talking about double doors, they are speaking about a larger version of the classic French door.
French exterior entryways come in a variety of sizes but are not individually larger than one, single exterior door in most cases. For the door opening to be larger than the average single door, both doors within a French doorframe would need to be open.
So what is a French door? According to the American Heritage Dictionary, by definition: French door (n.): A door, usually one pair, of light construction with glass panes extending for most of its length. They also can be referred to as French windows.
This might come as a surprise, or not, but the name French Doors came from the French themselves. The French designed a window-like-door between the 16th and 17th Century France with glass panes which extended from the top to bottom of the door. This door provided the perfect proportions of light in their homes.
“The name 'french doors' can also refer to exterior glazed doors or doors leading to small Juliette balconies.” “Americans continue to call doors 'french' because that word holds a certain prestige.
French doors came into popular use in 17th-century France. Symmetrical design is one of the elements that defined the Renaissance, which informs French doors as we know it today. French architects refer to it as porte-fenêtre (“window door”) and they were used merely as oversized windows.
It's generally wider than the top and sides, which gives it a distinct look. The beauty comes from the proportions and symmetry, but French doors of today don't have to contain grids to be considered a French door.
What Is an Atrium Door? The most accurate way to describe an atrium door is to call it a cross between double French doors and a sliding screen door. Like French doors, an atrium door swings open. But like a sliding screen door, only one panel is operable.
The standard height of a French door is 79.5 inches, and such doors are usually 6 feet wide, with the option to expand the width with sidelites.
French doors offer a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Both doors swing open at its fullest.
French doors can open in or out but not both; you'll need to decide which direction before purchasing doors. Inswing (opening in) and outswing (opening out) doors both have pros and cons. As an exterior door, it's preferable to use an outswing door if possible.
The main difference between patio doors and French doors is how each opens. French doors open outwards on a hinge whereas patio doors slide along a track and open to the side. Patio doors are more modern in appearance and therefore best suited to a modern, contemporary property.
Sliding doors are generally more energy efficient than French doors. This is because they are made of single panels of glass that don't allow energy or air to escape as compared to the French doors which have several panels.
Sliding doors provide better security and offer ease of use and space-saving opportunities. Sliding glass doors use a glass pack and insulated frames to offer better energy efficiency than the traditional French doors. French doors allow more ventilation but can have space, mechanical, energy-efficiency issues.
So yes – you can use patio doors as your front door, but only if they will look to scale. Otherwise they will just look a bit weird. This means that if you have a smaller home then big double patio doors would not be a good idea as the main entrance to your house.
Generally, sliding doors are cheaper than French doors. When it comes to French doors vs sliding doors, sliding can be more convenient than swinging open.
Because they are usually twice as wide as standard entry doors, most assume that sliding doors feature larger openings. However, a 6' wide sliding door can provide a maximum opening of 3', while most same sized French doors allow nearly the entire 6'.
Side by side doors, also known as double doors, are two door configurations where both doors are next to one another. Another name for this type of doors is a French door. The doors can either be active or inactive.
Screening French doors
They can be installed on the inside or the outside of your doors, allowing for increased privacy, bug protection and shade. A screen is mounted on both the left hand and right hand side of the opening and the screens pull together in the middle.
French doors are more secure than sliding doors because of their central point. The left and right side of each single door is very sturdy thanks to the use of hinges and a locking mechanism.
French Doors were invented in France around the Renaissance period because people wanted more glass, allowing light and air to flow into their home.
French Doors are full length and feature a door handle, whereas French windows are half length and have a different handle specifically manufactured for windows. French windows feature two panels of glass that are side hung and open either inward or outward, creating an uninterrupted view.
French door refrigerators are the latest trend in refrigerator design. These refrigerators have two refrigerator doors that open outward, with the split in the middle. They can open individually or both together. The idea is that by opening both, you are opening up the entire space – making everything clearly visible.