Are you remodelling or designing your house and looking for a beautiful door? Interested in the classic look of exterior French doors? Want to learn how to install exterior French Doors to your property? Read our guide for more facts and information.
Exterior French Doors are a classic choice to brighten any room or property. The French Door brings the outside into your home as the large glass panes create a climatic barrier to the outside world without blocking a wonderful view. Exterior French Doors have a classic appearance that fits into and enhances any home.
Appearance
Exterior French doors come in many shapes, sizes and styles; the classic look, however, full length doors that are double paneled. The set of paired doors is framed with glass panes for most of the length. The panes of glass can be designed into unique patterns to suit your personality if desired. The fact that the doors are almost entirely glass allows exterior French doors to let in a lot of light to the home. The frame of exterior French doors offers some choice as it can be created from either wood or fibreglass. Wood frames offer more flexibility in design as option to paint or stain the wood exists; however, fibreglass is more durable to weather and is likely to last longer. No matter what style of exterior French door you choose whether the doors are open or closed they offer a wonderful view to the outside world.
Installation
Once a style of exterior French door is chosen the next step is the installation process. Many people choose to have the doors professionally installed as it is not only one but two doors that require the installation process. It is not, however, unheard of to install exterior French doors yourself. When installing a French door it is important to remember that the glass panes are breakable and that extreme caution is needed. When installing the doors it is also important to remember that French doors typically open outward.
The first step in the installation process is to create the opening for the doors if one does not exist. Next the old frame from a previous door must be removed and care must be taken to ensure that the opening is level after removing the frame. The next step is to install the new frame and finally to hang the French doors. French doors are heavy due to the large amount of glass so it is typical to use at least 3 exterior door brackets for each door.
Potential Concerns
Although exterior French doors are beautiful there are some potential concerns with the style. First of all because the doors are made of glass a security risk is involved as glass can easily be broken. Another concern, with the rising cost of energy, is that glass is a poor insulator meaning French doors could lead to a higher energy bill. Finally, like many things in life, French doors are expensive and can be a large commitment. If you do chose to invest in exterior French doors, despite the potential risks, you will be rewarded with a connection between the interior of your home and the outside world.
