How to Install French Doors

French doors not only enhance the look of the room but they also serve the purpose of maintaining privacy. These double doors give a classic look to your house and are a great way to expose the house to a deck or a pool area. These doors will surely add some light and grace to the room. French patio doors add more elegance to the room than the normal sliding windows. French doors are a perfect option for renovation. Wrought iron doors and arched top ones have made a classic addition to the family of French doors. Let us now elaborate on its aspects and also illustrate steps to teach you how to install French doors.



These doors can be paired with doors having glass panes for most of their length. Most of the time, these doors open outwards and close towards each other. Since these doors are devoid of a center jam, they are believed to be safe and sturdy. Over the years, a lot of progress has been made in the design of French doors. These doors complement the look of all kinds of doors. Since these doors are made of glass, they are light in weight. French doors were mainly used in patios in the early days, though now they are also used extensively in interior designing. They are used mostly in homes, offices, libraries, etc. These doors bring more light to the rooms along with playing the role of room dividers, thus increasing the general outlook of the room and enhancing the living room decor.

Installation of French doors


There are primarily two types of French doors; interior French doors and exterior ones, though the method involved in installing both is the same. Installation of French doors is not a job reserved for professionals. But in order to install them a bit of skill is required. Hence the process can prove to be a bit complicated. The installation involves setting up of both the doors from scratch rather than starting with just one. Hence before doing this, make sure that you are comfortable with it and have enough information related to installing French doors. Read this Buzzle article to get an insight into the process.


Material required: Before you start with the installation of French doors, make sure you have a measuring tape, silicone caulking, shims, screws, screwdriver, insulation, paint, and paintbrush.

Steps to Install French Doors


The following steps will guide you and give you all the information that you need for the installation process. Make sure that you are not working alone, as the lifting and fixing of doors may require two or more people. It is advised to wear protective gear and take proper caution to avoid any kind of injury.

Step #1



The first step is to measure the opening of the French door and then place an order to purchase them. After the French door has been delivered to you, remove the plastic and paper coverings and packing. While doing this, make sure that you do not remove any of the pins attached to the door.
Step #2



Now you can prepare the opening for the French door. If there exists an old door in its place, remove it. While doing this, take care to protect the door and seal the floor where the door sill sets, by running a line of caulking on the floor.
Step #3



Set it in such a way that it is plumb with the inside wall. The doors should be leveled well at the top as well as the bottom. On a temporary basis, set a hinge jam with a screw which is placed 6 inches below the top.
Step #4



Whenever required, use shims. The shims should be placed at the top as well as at the sides of the door. On one side of the door, just above the hinge, place 2 screws.
Step #5



After doing this, again check if the door is leveled or not. The gap present between the doors and the house should be even all the way around. Take care that there is no bowed wood present.
Step #6



The gap present between the house frame and doors can be filled with fiberglass insulation. Now, you can un-clip the packing clips and check if both the doors are operating properly.
Step #7



Fix the rest of the door with screws. You can now install the door hardware. Once all this is done, install the interior and exterior molding.
Step #8



And the final step is to caulk the gap between the door frame and walls in order to stop the air leaks. Your work is done.


If you want, you can paint the door. Of all the home decorating ideas and procedures that are followed, installing French doors is one of the most sought-after, due to the simple and quiet look it provides to the room. I am sure the above-mentioned procedure will make the task easier than you thought it to be.

How to Install French Doors