Internal French doors  

French doors are usually hinged, but they can also be sliding or folding doors when used as internal doors. They may also be referred to simply as glazed doors. They can be used to easily transform an open plan space into separate rooms, like separating a kitchen and living area, or dining room and kitchen. 

For more information see: Glazed doors 

They usually consist of a two fully-glazed framed door leaves and can be referred to as room dividers. Occasionally they have some non-glazed panels. For added privacy, frosted or patterned glass can be used, or blinds or curtains can be added. The Easi-frame French door system from XL Joinery  allows you to choose almost any door/s from their internal door collections and transform them into stunning French doors. See: Choosing doors for Easi-frame room dividers

Hinged French doors are traditionally double doors, like the beautiful range of rebated door pairs  available, but they can be single leaf doors too. If they do have two door leaves they usually meet each other when they are closed and can be secured shut with a bolt at the top and bottom of at least one of the leaves. To turn almost any standard pair of doors into a rebated door pair you can add pair makers , available in a range of materials.

French doors can include static panels. These are designed in the same way as the moving door leaves, but they will be fitted or bolted into place. This allows them to be used in place of a solid wall while keeping an area light and giving the impression of space. They can be more expensive than other doors, but are considered to be very attractive and can add value to your home. 

How is an internal French door constructed?

The main feature of French doors is that they're glazed, and they are usually fully glazed, meaning the majority of the door leaf is glass. Some French doors have some solid panels as well as glass ones. 

Traditional French doors were made up of many individually framed glass panels joined to form the door's leaf. This is an expensive process, so many modern french doors use a large single glass panel which is usually decorated with glazing bars, to give the appearance of separate panels. 

French doors use a panel and frame construction, with stiles either side and rails at the top and bottom framing the glass, which will be held in place with glazing bars and beading strips. The door hardware is fitted to the frame around the glass.

What can internal French doors be made of?

Internal French doors can be made using different types of glass, which can create various effects. You need to make sure an appropriate grade of glass is used, so it's strong enough not to break when in use. A number of different materials can be used to make the frames of French doors, depending on the desired look you want, what properties you need the door to have, and what your budget is.

Glass  

The main feature of French doors is that they are glazed . Usually French doors are fully, or almost fully glazed, but occasionally they have some solid panels made from other materials. The glass used in a door needs to be toughened or laminated so it won't easily shatter. Any other glazed panels next to the door may also need to be toughened. If you choose unglazed doors  you can install your own glass.

As the doors will be internal, the glass doesn't usually need to be insulated. The exact properties you want the glass in your door to have will depend on where you want to install it and personal preferences. Check specifications to see the details of the glass being used for individual doors. 

Different grades of glass can be used, and will be priced accordingly. The glass can be plain, textured, or frosted; as well as coloured, painted, or lead lined. This gives you various privacy and decorative options.

What can internal French door frames be made of?

The frames of French doors play a significant part in the strength and look of the door. Traditional French doors are painted white. Modern French doors are available in different colours, with various finishing options, including natural wood veneers, woodgrain effect and primed frames which can be painted any colour.

Natural wood

French doors with solid wooden frames offer a traditional look which can be stained, or painted. It's a durable material which should last a long time, as long as it's maintained properly. If wood is not maintained it can warp or rot in certain conditions. 

Softwoods and hardwoods can be used, although the particular look and properties the wood will have will depend on the species of tree it comes from. Check specifications of individual doors to see what species they use. Solid natural wood can be very expensive, depending on the wood used. Some frames will use an expensive wood as a finishing veneer, for a natural look over other materials.

The advantages and disadvantages of solid wood

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

• Looks traditional and attractive

• Can be stained, varnished, or painted

• Strong and long-lasting 

• Ideal for veneers

• Prices can vary a lot, depending on the wood used

• Requires more maintenance than other materials and needs to be sealed on all edges

• Can be prone to warping

• Not very sustainable 

Engineered wood

Engineered woods are a popular choice for frames as they are usually less expensive than natural wood, but they often have enhanced properties, particularly with modern manufacturing techniques producing engineered wood to particularly high standards. They can also be veneered with a natural wood, giving them a more natural look, or they can be primed and painted. They will usually come primed and ready for you to paint yourself.

Engineered woods used for French door frames will usually be a type of particleboard, such as MDF or chipboard. These can be heavier than natural wood, which will make them more difficult to install and can increase the chance of the doors sagging over time. 

The advantages and disadvantages of engineered wood

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

• Less expensive than high-quality natural wood

• Can be painted or varnished

• Less prone to warping or splitting than natural wood

• Usually has enhanced performance 

• More sustainable than natural wood

• Can be heavy and difficult to install

• Can't be stained unless it has a high-quality natural wood veneer

• Needs to be properly finished and will need some maintenance

uPVC

uPVC is a tough plastic which require no maintenance other than occasional cleaning. It can be produced in different colours, although it's usually white and additional colours will be much more expensive. uPVC French doors will come fully finished with hardware ready fitted, saving you time on installation. But, adding any additional hardware, or changing the hardware or finish of the frame after installation is not usually possible. 

The advantages and disadvantages of uPVC

ADVANTAGES

DISADVANTAGES

• Durable and long lasting

• Low maintenance

• Comes fully finished and ready to install

• Difficult to make changes to the door once installed

• Not as attractive as other materials and not suited to traditional decor

• Finishing options other than plain white will be expensive