Solid oak French doors add a special aesthetic to any patio or balcony. Their warm and natural look creates a cozy ambiance and provides excellent weather resistance and durability. Thanks to an increased awareness of sustainable living concepts, they have become increasingly popular, as hardwood is a renewable material - a benefit which has been evident throughout its history. Thus, its growing popularity in door and window construction despite the prevalence of synthetic materials should come as no surprise.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Oak French Doors

It is no surprise that wood is enjoying a revival in modern windows and doors. After all, this material is not only renewable but also offers numerous advantages:

Easy to work with, compared to other hardwoods
Excellent natural insulation
More resistant to moisture than other hardwoods
Unique grain offers traditional aesthetics
Easy to cut and shape without damaging the wood
Elegant and warm look helps create a homely ambiance

Of course, as with all wood surfaces, it does require more care than synthetic materials. Like fine silverware or even just your car, wood does require a certain amount of regular maintenance. Based on your local weather and factors like direct sunlight and salty air in coastal areas, they may need to be refinished or touched up every few years. Yet, a little regular cleaning and care can prevent more work later. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Opening Mechanisms for Oak French Doors

Today, patio doors are available featuring one of a number of different opening mechanisms. This is no different for French doors, though the highly robust material allows for particularly large frame construction without the need for additional reinforcement. Sliding door mechanisms are the most popular among homeowners including:

Tilt and slide
Bifold / Folding
Lift and slide

When choosing the opening type, it is important to consider not just the dimensions of the door itself but the surrounding area. For tight spaces, you may prefer sliding doors or an inswing option for small balconies where maximizing space is key.

Glazing Choices for Energy Efficiency, Security & Soundproofing

French doors typically feature large glass surfaces to provide the most natural light possible and the best views. Since most of the doors' total surface area is glass, your choice of glass plays a major role in overall energy efficiency, U-values and security.

With external doors, it is important to ensure that energy is not lost, whether that be cool air in summer or warm air in winter. Choosing double or triple glazing will go a long way towards ensuring this as will optional non-conductive warm edge spacers and argon filling between panes.

Hardware & Fittings

Large glass surfaces can be a potential vulnerability depending on their location. A second or third-floor balcony door presents little risk while ground level doors should be configured with further security options. These include multipoint locking, shoot bolts, locking handles and concealed hinges. Laminated safety glass should be installed on the outermost pane at least in order to provide an added layer of security and make breaking the glass difficult.

Modern Products made of traditional Material - Oak French Doors

The well-known qualities of hardwood combined with state-of-the-art technology result in a product that is able to meet the most ambitious standards and expectations of any homeowner. Our solid timber frames are available both in the entire RAL colour range as well as a range of natural stains and finishes. Aluminum cladding is also available in the RAL colour range applied to the anodized surface via powder coating.

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