Entrance Doors
Aluminium French Doors
About Aluminium French Doors
French doors are a pair of hinged doors that open from the middle, and they remain the simplest way to open a room onto a garden or balcony. Aluminium makes them worth a second look: the frames are far slimmer than uPVC or timber for the same opening, so more of the door is glass, and they will not swell, warp or need repainting. We make them to measure on the same Schüco, Cortizo and Aluprof platforms as our windows and entrance doors, which means the frames, hardware and colour match the rest of the house rather than being a near miss.
They suit a single opening of up to around 1.8 metres: a dining room or bedroom onto the garden, a small balcony, or a period house where a centre-opening pair looks more at home than a wall of folding glass. Because both leaves are hinged at the sides, each needs room to swing. Open them outwards where furniture sits close to the glass, and inwards where a balcony or narrow path leaves no space for a leaf outside. A flush threshold removes the step onto the patio; a weathered threshold gives more protection on an exposed wall.
The nearest alternative on our site is the 2 panel bifold door, which fits the same width. With French doors the glass stays in two equal leaves, with no folded stack and no track to think about. A 2 panel bifold gathers both panels at one side of the opening. Side screens and top lights can stretch a French door to a wider opening, and past that point aluminium patio doors, sliding or bifold, are usually the better answer.
When a pair of French doors replaces existing doors in England, Approved Document L asks for a U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better, or the equivalent Doorset Energy Rating, so we check the figure against your glass and door size when we quote. Glass below 1500mm in the doors and in any side screen within 300mm of them, and glass below 800mm in the rest of a side screen, has to be safety glass, which in practice means toughened or laminated. If you are also changing the front door, the aluminium entrance door range is built on the same system families, so the finishes can match.
Last reviewed 9 November 2026
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Key features
- A pair of hinged doors opening from the centre, in or out
- Slim aluminium frames, so more glass than uPVC or timber
- Made to measure on Schüco, Cortizo and Aluprof platforms
- Flush threshold options with no step out to the patio
- Multi-point locks and toughened safety glass on every pair
- Optional side screens and top lights for wider openings
- Any RAL colour, inside and out, including dual colour
- Thermally broken frames with double or triple glazing
Specifications
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Aluminium French Doors.
What is the difference between French doors and patio doors?
French doors are a hinged pair that swing open from the centre. Patio doors usually means sliding or bifold doors, which run on a track and suit wider openings. As a rule of thumb, French doors work up to about 1.8m, and sliding or bifold take over above that.
How wide can aluminium French doors be?
The pair itself suits openings up to about 1.8m. Side screens and top lights can fill a wider opening while keeping the centre-opening look, although that fixed glass adds light rather than extra walk-through width.
Should French doors open inwards or outwards?
Both are available. Outward opening keeps the leaves out of the room, which helps where a table or sofa sits near the doors. Inward opening suits a balcony or tight path, but needs clear floor inside.
French doors or a 2 panel bifold?
Both fit openings up to about 1.8m. French doors give two equal leaves and no track. A 2 panel bifold folds to one side, and has a published guide price of £2,400 to £3,600 supplied and fitted inc VAT, whereas French doors are priced from your sizes.
What do replacement French doors have to meet in England?
A door U-value of 1.4 W/m²K or better, or the equivalent Doorset Energy Rating, plus safety glass in the critical locations. On a new home, easily accessible doors also come under Part Q, usually shown by testing to PAS 24, so tell us if the doors are for a new build and we will confirm the evidence for the system chosen.
Can French doors match my other windows and doors?
Yes. They are built on Schüco, Cortizo and Aluprof platforms and powder coated in any RAL colour, with dual colour if you want one shade inside and another outside. Send your sizes for a free survey and quote.
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