How it works: A French door, we call ours a hinged patio door, has one or more panels that swing on a hinge and open inward or outward. It’s designed to open into a room or out onto a patio to maximize space, make a dramatic statement, and add fresh air.
Where it works best: It’s great for patios, decks, and even side entrances with plenty of space for it to open inward or outward. Hinged patio doors are often, but not always, seen on more traditional home styles such as Tudors or Craftsman Bungalows. They complement these styles with their elegant and classic aesthetics. However, by making custom choices such as black frames or no grilles, you can incorporate hinged doors into modern homes as well.
What else you should know about hinged patio doors: Two-panel hinged patio doors might be the standard, but they’re not the only option. We also have single-panel and three-panel configurations available.
Material options: All of our doors are made with durable materials, so you can depend on longer lifespans and low maintenance no matter what style you choose. Here’s what to know about the materials used to make our hinged patio doors:
- 200 Series Hinged Patio Doors and 400 Series Hinged Patio Doors are made of a wood core with a protective Perma-Shield® cladding on their exterior.
- A-Series Hinged Patio Doors have a wood interior and an exterior made of a combination of our exclusive Fibrex® material and fiberglass.
- E-Series Hinged Patio Doors are made of a wood core with a protective cladding of aluminum on the exterior.
Cost: Our hinged patio doors start at a higher price point than our gliding patio doors. This is because both panels on a hinged door are operable (open). The double opening they provide is one of their great benefits, and we do offer product lines to meet various price points, so start with our 200 Series if you’re looking for value.
Performance: If you’re looking for improved energy efficiency, consider the following options:
- Low-emissivity glass: Our doors come standard with Low-E glass, which helps improve a door’s efficiency by reflecting energy in a way that keeps heat or air conditioning in the home and outside air outside the home. However, there are climate specific Low-E coatings that might be worth considering if you want to further help improve your door's energy efficiency.
- Triple-pane glass: Our best-performing glass option includes three panes of glass with two air spaces in between. The two air spaces are usually filled with an argon-gas blend (unless you live at a high elevation). This type of glass also offers the possibility of choosing a combination of Low-E coatings that will help further boost performance. Find triple-pane glass available with our 400 Series Hinged Patio Doors, A-Series Hinged Patio Doors, and E-Series Hinged Patio Doors.
Styling: French doors easily complement a traditional home. Lean into this with our 400 Series Frenchwood® Hinged Patio Door, which has a wood interior, high bottom rail, and can include grilles. These features can help you customize it to meet your home’s style and your preferences.
If you want a more transitional look, which combines the best of tradition with fresh contemporary taste, consider out E-Series Hinged Patio Door. This door has even framing all the way around the glass and an aluminum cladding on the exterior. Both features help it lean a bit more modern.
When considering budgeting, it is important to know that hinged/French doors start at a higher cost than gliding doors. This is due to the double opening hinged/French doors allow for and the hardware needed to support a design allowing both doors to open.