What is the difference between French doors and bi-fold doors?

French doors open outward on two hinged panels and are best suited to standard door-width apertures up to approximately 1.8m wide. Bi-fold doors fold and stack to one or both sides, allowing much wider openings, typically from 1.8m to 5m or more, to be fully opened up.

Do French doors open inward or outward?

French doors typically open outward to maximise usable floor space inside. In cases where an outward opening would obstruct a path or patio, inward-opening configurations are available.

Can French doors be fitted with a central fixed panel?

Yes, a fixed central mullion can be incorporated to divide the opening, or a fixed side panel can be added to increase the overall glazed area while maintaining the two-door opening configuration.

Doors

French Doors

Two full-height glazed panels that open outward, a classic, elegant way to connect a room to a garden, patio, or terrace.

Double-leaf hinged opening
Security shootbolts supplied as standard
Milled frame-to-threshold joint
Slimline coordinated hinges

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Colours & Finishes

Frame Colour: White Woodgrain

Standard colours

Extended lead time colours

Dual colour available, different interior and exterior finishes on request.

Hardware Finish: White

Handles, letterplates, and accessories available in matching finishes.

Made to measure. Confirm your colour and hardware choice during your free survey.

Configuration Choices

Build the French door around layout, threshold, and hardware detail

This single French door route stays focused on the real hinged-door decisions: how the set is configured, how the threshold works, and how the hinges and shootbolts are specified.

Made to measure

Choose the opening layout around the room and the aperture

French doors are often straightforward, but the right layout still depends on whether the opening is standard, wider, or taller than a simple two-leaf pair.

Standard pair

The classic two-leaf French door gives a clear central opening and suits most rear elevations where a clean garden connection matters more than a more complex sliding or folding system.

Two opening leaves from the centre
Strong fit for standard patio widths
Good alternative to bi-folds where size is more limited

With sidelights

Sidelights widen the glazed composition without changing the basic French door operation, which is useful when the opening is broader than a simple pair can handle comfortably.

Keeps the central hinged-door layout
Adds light without forcing a new system choice
Works well on wider extensions and rear rooms

With toplights

Toplights help on taller apertures where you want to preserve light above the doors while keeping the door leaves at practical everyday proportions.

Useful on taller masonry openings
Helps carry light deeper into the room
Keeps the main door leaves manageable in daily use

Technical Details

Specification and Options

Free Survey

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If this looks like the right fit, we can survey the opening, confirm the specification, and price it properly for your home with no obligation.

Free surveyFixed quoteDirect CII installation team

Get a free quote 020 8500 9100

French doors are a timeless and versatile way to connect an internal room with a garden, patio, or terrace. Two full-height glazed panels hinged at the sides open outward from the centre, flooding the room with light and providing a wide, welcoming opening. CII Double Glazing supplies French doors in both UPVC and aluminium across Essex and East London, a cost-effective alternative to bi-fold doors for standard apertures where a single, clean opening is all that is needed.

Key Specifications

Energy-efficient glazing and frame options

Multi-point locking and secure hardware

Broad range of colours and finishes

Installed by directly employed CII teams

French Door Details

Simple Hinged Layouts With Better Everyday Detailing

The strongest French-door pages are not about endless variants. They are about a clean opening, cleaner threshold joins, and the hardware details that stop the pair feeling flimsy in daily use.

Clean central opening

Two leaves opening from the centre keep the room-to-garden connection simple and easy to use on standard openings.

Co-ordinated hinge detailing

Hinge choice changes how deliberate the finished pair feels, especially on cleaner contemporary frames and colour-matched hardware packages.

Shootbolts securing the passive leaf

Head-and-cill shootbolts are one of the key details that keep the passive leaf tight, secure, and properly aligned in use.

Meeting-stile and bottom-keep detail

A tidy meeting stile and bottom keep help the pair close solidly day after day, rather than feeling loose or rattly.

How It Works

From Survey to Sign-off

Step 1

Survey

We visit, measure, and advise on the right configuration for your property.

Step 2

Install

Our directly employed team installs with clean, tidy workmanship.

Step 3

Sign-off

Final checks, handover, and Assure certification where required.

Next Step

Want a fixed quote from a real survey?

We will measure up, talk through finishes and installation details, and give you a clear quote based on the actual opening rather than a generic estimate.

Free surveyFixed quoteDirect CII installation team

Get a free quote 020 8500 9100

Imagery Disclosure

Website imagery includes a mix of real installation photography and illustrative visuals created for web presentation. Product appearance may vary by size, finish, glazing, hardware and installation. For detailed product specifications and available options, please see the relevant brochure or contact us. Read the website disclaimer.

Checkatrade

“Good price and hassle free. The doors look brilliant, exactly what we wanted. The fitters were friendly and left everything spotless.”

Checkatrade

“Had a new composite front door fitted. Looks absolutely stunning and has made such a difference to the kerb appeal. Great communication throughout and competitively priced.”

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