French doors are a door design that was inspired by French windows turned into access points to balconies. Around the 17th century, after the war between the French and Italians, the design concept was adopted and became part of the Renaissance style.
French doors make beautiful use of glass as a significant part of the door panel for the primary purpose of bringing in the natural light. True to form, these windows and doors were dressed elaborately and delicately as only the French know how to do resulting in beautiful and practical elegance that struck the fancy of other Europeans and the rest of the world.
The original French doors were made of wrought iron and wood. Today, you have more choices with aluminum, wood, or PVC. Other interesting facts about French doors that may add value to your decision are:
- French doors are energy efficient because of the amount of natural light that is allowed to stream indoors. During cold months or on evenings, French doors can keep the heat in and maintain a level of privacy through the use of curtains, privacy glass, shades, or other similar attachments.
- With multi-point security locks, security will not be of concern. Multipoint locks pass standard testing and certification. These types of locks have one centrally located deadlock, one live latch, two hook bolts, and compression bolts. Furthermore, some multi-lock systems can be equipped automatic engagement, enhanced frame, and additional bolts.
- If you’re interested in upgrading or enhancing the interior or exterior of a room, French doors are not just practical but beautiful, dramatic, and classy as well.
- The value of your property increases with French doors. Using French doors as your main front door is said to bring the highest ROI among all remodeling projects. Indoor French doors do not give the same high ROI but still offers a respectable return. One way to improve ROI is securing the help of a professional and experienced supplier who will not delay or cause back jobs for poor installation or workmanship
East Coast Windows offers different French door designs from single or double doors, full or narrow frame, with or without colonial grids.
Decisions You Will Have to Make with New French Doors
Some of the questions you have to be prepared to answer when planning the installation of new French doors include:
- What materials do you want to use? Wood is most expensive, quiet, and attractive but at highest risk of moisture and damage like warping. Vinyl can be brittle but stands well against rain and humidity. Aluminum is practical but noisy.
- What kind of glass do you prefer? You can choose opaque, transparent, double pane, single pane, impact-resistant, or tempered.
- Do you want it to open outward or inward?
- What kind of weather stripping and security system do you want?
French doors are a great choice for homes because it gives it character and style. And it does not require heavy maintenance and cleaning to maintain its condition. Just make sure that you get a good supplier because so many issues can arise from inferior products and poor installation like sagging doors, misaligned locks, and sticky doors, among others.
