French Doors

Internal and external French doors look similar but serve quite different purposes. Internal French doors are installed inside the home to divide rooms and let light pass through. They’re usually made of wood and are focused on style and interior flow. While wood is naturally insulating, interior French doors don’t come with the weather stripping etc that’s needed to really stand up to the elements or intruders in the same way exterior French doors would.

External French patio doors, by contrast, are fitted on the outside wall of the house. They have weather-resistant frames and much stronger, more energy efficient glazing and locks to stand up to wind, rain and more solid security needs. In short, French patio doors must withstand the elements and provide security, while indoor ones mainly improve light and access between rooms.

Yes. Modern aluminium French doors are very strong and secure. Aluminium frames are rigid (allowing slim, elegant profiles) but can support toughened safety glass and high-end multi-point locking hardware. In fact, Doors & More’s aluminium patio doors use safety glass and a superior multi-point locking mechanism by default.

This combination makes them highly resistant to forced entry. In practice, a well-made aluminium French door provides protection on par with any other quality exterior door.

High-quality French doors can be very energy efficient. The key is good glazing and seals, robust frames and of course, a competent fitter.

All of our external French doors are fitted with double (or triple) glazed units, often filled with argon gas which creates a vacuum between the panes. This insulated glazing keeps indoor air in and outdoor air out much better than single glazing. Our aluminium frames are also thermally broken and our uPVC French doors are made from a range of modern insulating materials, which further cuts heat transfer.

Proper weatherstripping and a precise fit minimise drafts too. All of these things together mean our French doors will help maintain a comfortable temperature and can help reduce your heating/cooling bills.

In most cases, no. French doors in the UK are generally treated like any other window or door installation and don’t need planning permission. In fact, installing new French doors, either internally or externally, can often add value to a home because they make the space more liveable and thus, more desirable.

The only exceptions are special situations such as if your home is listed or in a conservation area, it’s always wise to check local council guidelines, but typically you can replace or install French doors without needing extra approval.