French doors for a patio remain one of the most popular door types. Suitable for modern or traditional homes, available in a choice of materials, styles and aesthetics, today’s choice in French doors for a patio is better than ever.
As a leading independent source of expert guidance on French doors, here is everything you need to know about choosing the right French doors for your home in aluminium, PVCu, timber, steel and composite materials.
Why French doors make one of the best patio door choices
Designed right, French doors for a patio are one of the most affordable ways to change your dated doors. Depending on the type, they’re cheaper than a sliding or a bifold door, more functional and better for doors you use a lot in the home. And the right product can still provide the seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces that bifold and sliding doors make great claims to. Overall a French door, with or without matching side or top panels, creates a symmetrical, visually appealing design that enhances both aesthetics and functionality.
Unlike bifold doors, which fold away to the side and aren’t that useable in a two panel design, or sliding doors that lose you half or two thirds of your available opening, French doors provide a clear, and full opening. Opening in or out, with a choice of which door you open first. And low-threshold options for a minimal step provide smooth transitions between spaces, enhancing accessibility for everyone, from wheelchair users to families with pushchairs.
Today’s modern doors should all meet current Building Regulations in any material, but the U-Values you get will depend on the glass specification provided. Trickle vents are likely to come as standard as will toughened safety glass throughout. Colour choices are substantial across most materials, with aluminium providing the most colour options.
Your new doors will provide the same functional benefits described earlier in any material. However, each materials does come with it’s own characteristics for French doors. Let’s now explore these.
Aluminium French doors
Aluminium doors are slimmer, stronger and lower maintenance than other materials. The advantage of aluminium doors is that they are possible at wider and taller door sizes than PVCu, timber and composite French doors.
Suggested brands include Alitherm 400, Aluk French Doors, Reynaers, Schüco and Decalu.
Steel-look French doors
Also in aluminium, steel look French doors provide the slimmest possible aluminium patio doors. The sightlines you can expect depends on the brand, but our research indicates no thinner door in aluminium. Get in touch for more information and where to buy.
Aluco Elite is presently the slimmest door of it’s type as it comes without bars that are essential on other brands. Also worth considering, with bars are Origins OB-36 Soho and Contemporary, Alitherm Heritage and the new steel-look door by Aston.
Alu-clad and composite French doors
Known as alu-clad, composite, hybrid or alu-timber, these doors comprise aluminium outside and wood inside. Beatifully made, super thermally efficient, designed to last for decades and used in cold climates, these are luxurious warm-to-the-touch doors which promise a fantastic user experience.
There are many composite brands of doors, with the best being Internorm, Velfac, Rationel, Klossen, Ideal-combi and more. Contact us for more information.
Steel French doors
When you choose a steel French door, you are buying bespoke high-end doors with a welded construction and ultimate quality. Steel doors will last a lifetime and whilst the most expensive patio door option, are a fantastic investment in the right style of house. Steel doors are also the most flexible when you need curved or shaped doors that can’t be done in other materials.
Crittall® undoubtedly make the best as does Schüco Jansen, but you can also consider RK Steel, Fabco Sanctuary, Clement, or any independent steel brands. Contact us for help and advice.
Timber look French doors
Made from high quality PVCu, timber look doors replicate the look of wood doors with all the design features but none of the high cost. These doors are another affordable option but with some great design features. Mechanical joints, authentic glazing bars, period hardware, luxurious wood effects to the door surfaces. All of these elements come together to provde a door that even close up can be mistaken for timber.
The best products are Evolution Windows. But you can also consider Deceuninck, Rehau and Liniar.
Timber French doors
Installing high quality made and fitted timber French doors enhances your home with the quality, luxury and warmth of fine wood. Custom-made timber doors offer exceptional durability and security, thanks to advanced multi-point locks, thermally efficient glazing, and multi-layered construction to prevent warping. With low-maintenance, factory-applied coatings, extensive style and ironmongery options, and robust guarantees, they’re designed to suit any property with elegance and lasting performance.
Timberwindows.com, Bereco, George Barksdale, Lomax and Wood all make some outstanding real wood patio doors.
PVCu French doors
The most affordable option for new French doors are PVCu. Modern PVCu doors are now better than ever and you’re promised safe, secure and reliable doors when properly made and installed. Avoid dark colours on South facing elevations as the doors will expand and may be difficult to open.
Some of the best PVCu brands are Rehau, Liniar, Deceuninck, Veka and Kommerling. There is no best overall product, all of these brands and more now provide affordable new patio doors.
French Doors made from bifold panels
French doors can be made from the same profiles as bifold doors which can bring certain advantages to your door design. First of all French doors are possible up to 1500mm wide per panel up to an impressive 3m high, dependent on the brands technical capabilities. If your project needs bifolds, French doors, single doors and even a front door, it’s possible to benefit from matching all your doors, right down to the sightlines, handles and hinges.
Any quality bifold door can be made as French Doors. Schuco, Origin, Solarlux, Sunflex, make some of the best and most capable.
Fire-rated French doors
Where building elements need to have glazing with suitable fire protection, Fire Rated doors are available. Usually made of steel or specially insulated and reinforced aluminium, fire-rated doors provide varying levels of fire protection from 30 up to 240 minutes. All of these will require a specific installation by a profession. Do not let just any window fitter install fire rated products.
Schüco Jansen, iSteel, Bradbury, independent steel systems, Deco Steel, Fire Rated Systems, Aluprof are just some available.
Choosing French doors for a patio existing opening
When replacing patio doors, the size of your structural opening will have an impact on the number of doors and fixed panels. Take a look at the door configuration options:
| DOOR OPENING WIDTH | DOOR CONFIGURATION |
|---|---|
| Up to 2 m | Single and the classic double French door works well, opening inwards or outwards. You can get away with slightly narrower options by having smaller panels. |
| Over 2 m | Double doors with one or two side panels work best for openings between two and four metres. |
| Over 4 m | Larger existing or new extensions extend your options to having more than one double door set or a combination of double or single doors with side and top fixed glass panels. A good installer can help you design the most suitable option. |
French doors customisation and versatility
Each French door option can be tailored to meet specific design requirements. From choosing side or top panels to adding glazing bars or selecting period-appropriate hardware, you can achieve the look you want while benefiting from enhanced functionality. Some aluminium and steel models even incorporate opening windows within the door set for added ventilation. With colour, finish, and size customisation available across all materials, there’s a French door style to suit every type of property, from historic homes to modern builds.
How much do French doors cost?
To help you in budgeting and refining your research, here’s a general guide to the cost of French doors based on the material type; ‘£’ represents the cheapest and ‘£££££’ represents the most expensive.
| FRENCH DOOR MATERIAL | COST INDICATOR |
|---|---|
| Aluminium |  |
| PVCu |  |
| PVCu with Timber Look | |
| Steel |  |
| Aluminium Steel-Look |  |
| Aluminium-Timber | |
| Aluminium bifold panels |  |
| Engineered timber or fine woods | |
| Fire Rated Steel or specialist aluminium | |
Top tips for your French doors
Here’s a summarised guide for selecting French doors, tailored to the range of materials:
- On a Budget? Choose PVCu for durability, insulation, and low maintenance at an affordable price.
- Seeking Custom Shapes or Fire Rating? Steel French doors offer flexibility for unique shapes like curves and deliver robust fire-rating options.
- After the Warmest Insulation and Longevity? Go for Alu-Timber hybrids for superior insulation and a long lifespan.
- Classic Timber Look Without the Timber Cost? Opt for PVCu Timber-Look for the charm of wood without high upkeep.
- True Timber Experience? For authentic, fine joinery and timeless appeal, timber is the go-to choice.
Door and Window Experts can help you find the perfect French doors for a patio
French doors offer a perfect blend of convenience, style, and lasting performance. With our expertise in all materials, we’re here to guide you in finding a solution that fits your home, budget, and lifestyle. Whether you’re interested in the budget-friendly durability of PVCu or the slim, architectural appeal of steel, French doors are a versatile choice for creating a seamless indoor-outdoor transition.
Contact us for more information and where to buy the right French doors from the proper suppliers.
