Integrating French doors into an open floor plan will undoubtedly improve the appearance and feel of your home. It offers different advantages in terms of security, aesthetics, and ease. However, you may be wondering what the standard size of a French door is.
Typically, the size of the French door will correspond to the size of the door opening. French doors are typically 80 inches tall and 72 inches wide. On the other hand, French doors can be found in widths ranging from 5 and 8 feet.
French doors can be designed in a variety of different-sized room entrances. The country’s doors are classified into internal and external French doors. Continue reading to establish the suitable size for these two categories and other information you may need when buying French doors.
External French Door Sizes
Contents
External french doors come in various sizes, and it’s determined mainly by the manufacturer and the dimensions of the door frames. However, the normal height of an exterior french door is 6.7 feet, 7 feet, or 8 feet.
As previously noted, a French door’s standard dimensions are 80” high by 72” wide. Typically, exterior french doors are between 5 and 8 feet wide, and the full door size may rise incrementally. French doors are usually used as outside doors due to their primary purpose of allowing more natural light into your indoor space.
Certain enormous mansions with enormous door apertures require huge external french door sizes. If this is the case, you shouldn’t be concerned because exterior french doors with widths of up to 10 feet are available.
Internal French Door Sizes
French doors aren’t limited to outdoor applications; they can also be used in small and constrained locations. In addition, French doors can be used as interior doors as well. Many homeowners can’t resist adding them to their interior space due to their beautiful appearance.
Nonetheless, if you’re considering placing a french door in your interior space, keep in mind that sufficient space must be provided for the doors to swing freely. Interior French doors are typically 80 inches high by 36 inches wide.
Internal french doors side by side are typically 36 inches wide, and this dimension results in a 72-inch-wide overall door opening. The standard thickness of a door is 1¾ inches, and several door manufacturers manufacture individual doors ranging in width from 24 to 42 inches.
French Door Rough Opening Size
The precise size of the rough opening for the french door must be determined for the doors to be placed correctly. Additionally, this ensures that the doors function properly after they are constructed and installed. A proper rough opening size also ensures that the door will not have uneven surfaces or gaps.
To precisely establish the approximate opening size of a french door, you must first measure the size of each door. Then, to determine the overall width, multiply the width of each door by two and then add two inches.
For instance, if each door is 30 inches wide, the rough opening for the french door must be 62 inches wide. To compensate for the rough opening’s height, add two and a half inches to the door’s height. If the size of your door is 82 inches, the rough opening height of the french door ought to be 84 and a half inches.
How to Determine the Dimensions of French Doors
To begin measuring your french doors, you must first remove the trim from the interior of the door frame. You can’t obtain an accurate measurement of the rough opening of the door space if the molding is present in the area.
Following that, you’ll want to begin measuring the width and height of the opening. To obtain an appropriate size, start by measuring from the threshold to the bottom of the header. To determine the actual width of the opening, begin by measuring from one side to the other.
Moreover, it is recommended that you obtain a measurement of the jamb’s depth. You’ll need to determine if your french door swings outward or inward. Additionally, it would help if you stood on the outside of the door to decide whether or not it opens with your right or left hand.
Can French Doors Be Opened In or Out?
When it comes to selecting the direction in which your french door opens, there are just two options: in or out. However, each of these two options has several advantages and disadvantages.
For example, if you’re replacing a french door, you’ll also need to install a new french door that opens similarly to the previous one. To alter the direction of the door’s opening, you must also change the door frame and casing.
Additionally, french doors require a large open space free of obstructions. You must provide enough space to stand comfortably and conveniently while pulling or closing the door. Some homes only have enough room for the french doors to open fully in one direction.
Outward-swinging doors can resist a variety of weather conditions. If it is raining, this style of door will keep water out. However, outswing doors can be quite tricky to open if there is a lot of snow outside. If you reside in a place that snows frequently, inswing doors are a far superior option.
Outswing doors may be less effective against thieves in terms of security. Due to the exterior location of the hinges, thieves have easy access to unscrew the entire hinge. Therefore, if you’re employing an outswing door for your outdoor space, it’s a good practice to secure the hinges with security pins.
Instructions for Installing French Doors:
- Remove the existing frame. Take care not to harm the trim. Consider labeling each trim piece with a pencil to ensure appropriate placement when you are finished.
- Ascertain that the door is square using the level and set square. If it isn’t square, you should use shims to level each side while installing the replacement frame.
- It’s easy to ignore tiny flaws like a non-square frame, yet this can cause problems like sticking, jamming, and locking. Several minutes now will save you considerable time and stress in the future.
- If you have chosen to install sidelites on both sides of the door (or even just one), they should be installed first. Sidelites are frequently used on French doors with openings greater than 70.8 inches.
- Incorporate the door into the frame. After installing each door, check that it swings properly and doesn’t stick to the frame or drag on the floor. Adjust the hinges if needed to re-establish normal door movement.
- Once both doors are in position, check to ensure they move smoothly and do not collide. Again, the angle of the doors can be adjusted significantly by tightening or relaxing the hinges. Make slight modifications to each side until the proper tightness and angle are achieved.
- Complete the installation of the hardware and locking mechanisms. Different locks can be used with French doors, so thoroughly read the directions for your specific lock before beginning work.
Conclusion
French doors in the modern day are double or triple glazed with safety glass. That implies that they should be quite safe if appropriately implemented, and French doors shouldn’t require planning approval.
But, if they seem or feel very different from other doors in your community, and you belong to a resident’s group, you should consult them first.
Nevertheless, we have doors in a wide variety of styles to complement most properties, so you should be able to find something that looks well and fits your property.
