UPVC French Doors
You may call them double doors, or have seen them in gardens or even balconies - but what is the story behind UPVC french doors?
The origin of french doors
Surely “french” doors came from France, right? Well, there’s more to it than that.
Double doors are not new
Used in cathedrals and castles, and from ancient Greece to ancient China, double doors provided entrances into grand buildings or forts, certainly not into homes.
“French doors” were inspired by the Italian Renaissance – and windows
The concept of “french doors” did originate in France, but from two different sources of inspiration:
Double doors in France had a different use – as windows. These double-leaved windows were fitted into balconies, opened to allow not only a wider view of surroundings, but to let in air from outdoors, and be able to close should the weather be less agreeable.
How they came to be used as entrance doors? The inspiration came from the Italian Renaissance. The Renaissance itself drew inspiration from the symmetry and majesty of ancient Greece and Rome, and French designers incorporated these elegant double doors into stately homes. They offered a grandeur not possible with single doors, not only as internal doors, but also as entrance doors as well.
They were a display of opulence
Much like the grand cathedrals and castles of old, french doors in homes conveyed majesty, and also the wealth of the home owner. Due to their large size and cost, it’s easy to imagine that not all homes had the privilege of what we now call french doors.
Now they're available to the wider population
No longer limited to stately homes, customers from across the UK can order french doors.
What are french doors called in French?
Interestingly, while we call them french doors, in France they are known as porte-fenêtre, which translates as “door-window”, harking to their original use as a window. In Canadian French, however, they are called portes françaises – or french doors!
How do UPVC french doors work?
French doors are not simply two identical doors – each door has its own function, and both work together in harmony.
There is a master door, and a slave door
Both doors operate differently – the ‘master’ is the one mainly used, in other words is the active one; while the ‘slave’ door is passive, operating second.
A mullion covers the centre
A flying/floating mullion is attached to the slave door. This creates a seal that not only covers the central gaps between both doors, but also helps with insulation. Having the mullion attached to a door also helps to create a view of open space, which would be obstructed if the mullion were attached to the frame.
They share a locking system
While a single-leaf door has a bolt or bolts on the door itself, and corresponding keeps on the frame, with UPVC french doors the bolts are on the master and keeps on the slave.
To summerise
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Master |
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Slave |
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Opens… |
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first |
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second |
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Mullion? |
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without |
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with |
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Locking mechanism? |
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hooks, shoots & bolts |
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keeps for locking points |
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What are the advantages of UPVC french doors?
They create more space
UPVC french doors create less separation between indoors and outdoors than a single-leaf with side panels. Instead of an opening of limited width and obscuring vertical beams, UPVC french doors offer more space when opened, and greater natural ventilation.
There are more options compared to sliding patio doors
Sliding patios are generally fully glazed, without other styles to choose from. While our UPVC french doors are also mainly fully glazed, our range of standard UPVCs can be made into double doors, offering a variety of possibilities. They can also be fitted with hardware such as knockers, or even a catflap.
They use the same secure locking system as our single-leaf doors
As with our standard UPVCs, our UPVC french doors use a multi-point locking system to strengthen security at different points, and we use toughened glass resistant to head-on impact.
They’re easier to maintain than wood or aluminium
Wood can rot and warp if exposed to the elements without protection, whereas UPVC is designed to withstand the changing British weather, maintaining integrity for longer. You also don’t need to paint UPVC as you would with wood, which can chip and peel over time. It is easier to keep UPVC doors looking like new than aluminium, which is not only expensive as an option but can also scratch too easily.
I’d like to order my UPVC french doors now
OK! We’re ready to hear from you.
Call our Sales Team
Get in touch with Sales on our freephone number 0800 910 1122, and you can discuss your requirements with them.
Send us a message
You can send us a quick message via the blue tab on the right side. Alternatively, visit our Contact Us page to leave one with the option for including an image, for example should you need to show your existing doorway to help our Sales Team get a better idea of what you need.
Order directly online
You can go straight to ordering your new UPVC french doors online. Our Sales Team will soon be in touch to go over the order with you.
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