About French Patio Doors

French patio doors are a welcome and stylish addition to many a home, especially one that is adjacent to a well-kept garden or similar outdoor space. With their large glass panes, these wooden doors serve two functions: They let an abundant supply of natural light into a room from the outside, and when opened, they allow for a passageway between the interior and exterior of a building. This is especially beneficial during warm weather, when fresh air and natural light are allowed to filter into the house through the large opening.

Size

French doors tend to be tall and narrow, with one or two large panes of glass in each door. When the doors are combined, the opening that is created is greater than that of a normal exterior opening, but each door in itself is usually only 2 to 3 feet wide. French doors are designed to let in lots of natural light, so they can be quite tall; 8 feet is not an uncommon height. Sometimes there is a series of glass panes, instead of just one or two large ones.

Features

French doors are usually installed without a center piece between them. The doors are attached to the side of the opening by a pair of butt hinges, and usually swing inward from the building. A doorstop or door molding forms a seal between the two doors and the rest of the building. Usually, small strips of insulation or weather stripping are installed between the door molding and the doors. Sliding barrel latches must be applied to the top and the bottom of each pair of doors. If a good door lock is applied to the pair of doors, the two sliding barrel bolts should be enough. One door will naturally overlap the other; a solid handle and enclosed lock are placed on one of the doors, so the lock barrel penetrates the second door and forms a solid bridge between the two.

Considerations

When hanging a pair of French doors, it is necessary to allow a little extra space in the planned door opening. This is true when you hang any set of double doors, and French doors are no exception. The added space is most critical in terms of the width, but it might also be applicable when calculating the height of the opening. A good rule of thumb is to add 3/8 inch to the width and 1/4 inch to the height.

Function

French patio doors allow a homeowner to mix outdoor and indoor environments to a much greater degree than does a single door or window. These doors also allow easy passage to and from the area just outside your house. Such benefits are obvious on a nice spring or fall day, but during the full heat of summer, they might not be as apparent. Keep in mind that the doors need to installed correctly, so they can easily be closed, locked and sealed to keep out bad weather and prevent unwanted entrances.

Expert Insight

Adding an opening for a pair of French doors is not a difficult task, but you can quickly get yourself in trouble if the overall design is incorrect. Spanning a 4-foot-plus opening requires the creation of some support headers--a process that goes far beyond this discussion of French doors. Patio French doors often work best when they are part of the original design of the house, or when the structural requirements of the existing wall are not compromised by an additional opening. To make sure your wall design is structurally sound, consult a professional about the planned location of your doors.