All French doors are not created equal. Even if one manufacturer’s doors look just like another’s, chances are there are distinct differences.
But, you can’t always see them.
Among the most basic differences are the materials. Basically, you have five choices: wood, a vinyl- or aluminum-clad wood, steel, all vinyl, and fiberglass.
Wood doors are the most basic type of French door. While they come in several different species of wood, perhaps the most common are oak and pine.
Clad doors are simply wood doors with the exterior side covered by a protective coating of vinyl or aluminum. Cladding is kind of like putting on a clear plastic wrap. Cladding can greatly help a wood door against the constant tug of war between moisture and dryness. Only the exterior of a door is clad.
Steel doors have come a long way in technology and looks in the last 10 years. Frequently used in commercial construction, steel doors have gained a growing share of the residential market as they’ve improved their look. Nowadays, steel doors come in a stained application that makes them look like wood, and in factory-applied paint.
The technological makeup of steel doors also has improved. For the most part, they are seamless and contain a foam core that acts as insulation.
Steel doors are usually a bit more expensive than wood doors. One of their advantages is that they are not subject to warping. Another is that they’re fireproof.
One disadvantage is, if they’re dented, repairs are difficult. But, because the thickness of the steel can be as high as 24-gauge, denting them is not all that easy.
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Fiberglass doors also have made great strides in looks and technology. It’s now difficult to tell whether a door is fiberglass or wood without getting up close and touching it.
Just like steel doors, fiberglass doors resist warping and sticking. They’re especially useful around high-moisture conditions or near water.
What’s best? Actually, it’s a matter of choice and finding the best material for your situation.
French doors come in a wide variety of sizes and styles. Most people think of a French door as having a grid system; vertical and horizontal pieces inside a frame. French doors also traditionally included two doors that opened or closed inside or out.
While that was the traditional French door design, the definition of a French door has been expanded significantly.
Today’s version of French doors can include sliding doors, doors with no grid system, or doors with a partial grid system. The glass can be beveled, V-grooved, etched, you name it.
One term for that grid system is “divided light.” A “true divided-light” French door has those vertical and horizontal crossbars. The vertical ones are called muntins, the horizontal ones, mullions.
A true divided-light French door has those muntins and mullions on the outside of the glass. But French doors also include those pieces between panes of glass. It makes for easy cleaning and less maintenance.
Which type of door is right for you? That depends a great deal on how the doors will be used and the architecture of your home.
For example, if the location you’re considering for French doors is protected from most of the elements, you may want to go with wood doors. Even if you have an overhang or some other type of overhead protector, wood doors clad with aluminum or vinyl may work well.
In coastal climates, where they’re subject to salt air, some aluminum-clad doors pit over time, and vinyl-clad doors are recommended.
Steel and fiberglass doors will withstand almost every type of climate.
The cost? This can vary as widely as the variety of materials and styles. For the most part, French doors come in a pre-hung state. That is, they already have been set in a surrounding jamb and are hanging on hinges. A construction crew removes the old doors and their jamb and threshold, then installs the new.
Just a set of wood French doors and their jamb can cost as little as $290. That doesn’t include installation, which may range from $200 to $500.
But that’s really the low end. The same size French doors in other materials can cost as much as $4,000. A median price for French doors of standard height is probably around $2,500.
In addition to style, material and price considerations, ask about warranties. They range from one year to 20 years or more.