How To Use French Doors In Your Home
Traditionally double hinged and opening out on a patio or garden, French doors are an ideal way to add beautiful aesthetic style and value to your property. Not only do they help to improve the amount of natural light while creating a seamless transition between home and greenspace, they are also a great way to update your home’s style without investing in a full facelift.
With five decades of experience within the Australian window and door industry, Wideline Windows & Doors has an extensive range of aluminium and timber window and door frames, glass options and additional finishes perfect for any building.
If you are thinking about adding French doors to your property but are not quite sure where to get started, here’s everything you need to know about how to use French doors in your home.
The Benefits of French Doors
More than just being a beautiful addition to the home, French doors also have a variety of useful benefits. From improving indoor natural light levels to boosting energy efficiency, you may be surprised to learn that:
- They can improve the energy efficiency of the home.
- They can provide long-lasting aesthetics.
- French doors are easy to clean and maintain.
- They can be a sustainably-made design feature.
- French doors boost indoor light levels.
- They can become a feature of the home.
- They provide quick and easy access to the garden.
Swing In or Swing Out French Doors?
A common question people ask when considering purchasing French doors for the home is, ‘should I have swing-in French doors or swing-out ones?’ Ultimately, there is no right or wrong answer to this question, and it all boils down to personal preference.
If maximising indoor floor space is important for you, then swing-out doors are the best option. However, if you want to maximise garden space, then doors that swing inwards are best. Inward swinging French doors also typically provide improved weatherproofing.
Kyal & Kara Toowoon Bay House | Paragon French Doors in Pearl White Gloss
Are French Doors Secure?
One of the biggest misconceptions about French doors is that they are not as safe or secure as other types of doors. When professionally installed by experienced fitters, French doors are equally as safe as any other type of door, providing ample security.
As most French doors are manufactured using the same high-quality locking mechanisms and hardware as standard doors, they provide style, safety and durability. If poorly installed or potentially installed using the wrong hardware, they can provide little resistance to break-ins and stormy weather.
Some ways to improve safety and security include:
- French doors with a three-point locking system.
- New doors with impact-resistant glass installed.
- Request your doors are fitted with security hinges.
- Install a deadbolt or double mortice lock.
Where to Place French Doors
Where to place your French doors is as equally as important as choosing the right size and materials. Typically, French doors are used at the rear of the house to provide a transition between home and garden. However, this is, of course, entirely up to you and is not a hard and fast rule. Here are a few of the most popular places to have French doors installed.
Corner Positioned French Doors
More than 90% of the time, people choose to install French doors on a single wall, usually in the centre of a room. However, a truly unique way to position them is in the corner of a room, with the doors at right angles. This not only creates a beautiful and tall corner window that becomes a focal point, but it also minimises the amount of floorspace needed for inward opening doors.
Window framed French Doors
While French doors alone can provide plenty of natural light to your property, having fixed windows of the same height placed next to the doors can increase this dramatically. Creating the illusion of a window wall or double door design, they help give rooms a more spacious look and feel, perfectly transitioning indoors with outdoors.
Central Room Position
The most popular place to install French doors is in a central position in the main room. This is most often a dining room, kitchen or rear facing living room. Central positions also help create symmetry within a room, allowing the doors to act as a frame for what is beyond. Of course, not every property is symmetrical and positioning them centrally will be a challenge. In this situation, off centre can work just as well.
Kyal & Kara Toowoon Bay House | Paragon French Doors and Casement Windows in Pearl White Gloss
Timber or Aluminium?
Another common question people have about French doors is whether to choose timber or aluminium ones? Depending on your property style and age, along with personal preferences, timber French doors tend to be the favourite choice. Easy to clean and maintain while adding a touch of rich style to the property, they offer a sustainable and eco-friendly way to upgrade your entranceways.
Aluminium French Doors are a great choice for more modern designs. However, with a wide variety of finishes and coatings available, both aluminium and timber French doors can be perfectly matched to your current colour scheme.
Find Your Favourite Doors at Wideline
With an extensive range of aluminium and timber frame windows and doors spanning a variety of sizes and designs, Wideline Windows & Doors is your number one stockist. From bi-fold to sliding and stacking to hinged, explore our Paragon, Ascend, Natura and Horizon ranges, available in your chosen finish and flashes.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your windows to something more energy efficient and sustainable or add value to your property with beautiful timber framed French doors, view our full range of products and options online.
Alternatively, feel free to schedule an appointment to visit one of our window and door showrooms, where you can see our doors and windows up close. Our friendly and experienced team will be happy to arrange a no-pressure walk around, explaining your options and answering any questions you may have.
