French Doors vs Garden Doors: What’s the Difference?

August 20, 2020

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Doors

French Doors vs Garden Doors - Clera Windows + Doors

Replacing old doors is one of the easiest ways to enhance your home's curb appeal automatically. It can also come with a ripple effect of other great benefits like increasing natural light or improving ventilation. Many homeowners debate whether to get French doors vs garden doors when selecting the perfect exterior door. Both options are equally beautiful and are ideal for accessing the garden, patio, porch, or any outdoor recreational area. However, getting to know their functions and features better will help you evaluate which one fits your home's unique requirements. This article will help you find the perfect door for your home by giving you everything you need to know about these exterior doors and a complete rundown of French doors vs garden doors pros and cons. Let's delve right in!

What Is a French Door?

The French door is a popular interior and exterior door style. It is distinctly known for having two sections with hinges attached to the door framing side and opens and closes in the middle. Also called French windows, it is constructed with either individual or several individual glass panes framed within muntins. The French doors we know and love today are heavily influenced by Italian Renaissance art and architecture. The idea of these stunning doors was first brought to France in the 1500s. It was inspired by Italy's double doors and windows that conveniently open to an airy balcony that overlooks the sprawling gardens and outdoor spaces. By the 1600s, French doors had become widely used in Britain and, eventually, in the United States. Technically, French doors can describe any double doors, whether interior or exterior. But in the U.S., the term is used for glass panel doors alone.

What Is A French Door - Clera Windows + Doors

The Pros and Cons of Having a French Door

French doors offer a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living spaces. Both doors swing open at its fullest. Because it does not come with a center post, it effortlessly becomes a wide entryway that ushers in plenty of natural light during daytime and provides uninterrupted views of your flower garden. The ample opening also promotes healthy air circulation and ventilation throughout the home, minimizing the need to use air conditioning or cooling fans in the summer. Despite its history, choosing French doors vs garden doors doesn't necessarily mean compromising style or sticking to a classic look. Many doors and window manufacturers now produce French doors in a broad range of styles to suit home designs. They can come in a craftsman, prairie, Victorian, and contemporary look, depending on your preference. Perhaps one of the primary cons of having a French door would be the lack of privacy due to the considerable amount of glass that can be see-through. In some cases, homeowners have to get treatments, such as blinds or drapes, custom made. Thankfully, there are now many ways to make your entrance doors more private. Requesting for a frosted glass or a tinted one are a couple of excellent examples. Another downside worth considering is the amount of space required to accommodate both doors to swing without obstruction.

What Is A Garden Door?

Like French doors, garden doors are also an increasingly popular kind of exterior doorTypically, garden doors are hinged on the framing's side and open outwards as conventional entryway doors do. In some cases, some homeowners shy away from choosing garden doors. Their main concern is that only one is an operable door that swings open for passage despite featuring double-doors because the other one is fixed. Fortunately, there is a second type of garden door: sliding garden doors. As the name suggests, these garden doors conveniently open horizontally from the side through track and rollers. It's a great space-saving alternative because they are neatly tucked to the wall when the doors glide open. You can enjoy the maximum opening without having to dedicate additional space to accommodate its opening and closing mechanism.

What Is A Garden Door - Clera Windows + Doors

Benefits of Garden Doors

Garden doors are great for adjoining the kitchen to the garden. It's perfect for entertaining friends and family over barbeques outside. They also give you relaxing views of the garden or allow you to watch the children from the inside while they are playing outdoors in the backyard. Nevertheless, there's one important aspect where garden doors win over French doors. It's security. Despite its aesthetic appeal, French doors fall short in this department. Because it's built with mostly glass panels without a center post, it lacks the sturdiness and support required for a stable exterior door. The locks and bolts in French doors can also become flimsy because they are not securely attached to the framing or post. On the contrary, garden doors are made with more robust building materials to give homeowners the peace of mind that their property is well protected day and night.

Benefits Of Garden Doors - Clera Windows + Doors

Clera's Imagine Gliding Door

Clera's Imagine Gliding Door is a hybrid of the best exterior doors that promise elegance, comfort, security, and durability. Each handcrafted unit is guaranteed energy efficient. It is equipped with Hydraglass 50™ warm edge technology on the SuperSpacer® platform with argon gas fill between the two panes of glass, and Energy Advantage hard coat low emissivity glass. Because your family and property's security is our utmost priority, Clera garden doors and patio doors are specially designed with aluminum seals and gaskets that keep the door shut airtight. It also features a hook-over lock that bolts the door securely without being lifted out from its frame. The best thing about Clera's Imagine Gliding Door is that you don't have to sacrifice style. We have patio and garden door replacements available in a broad range of stunning styles and colours. Plus, we can customize your garden doors to suit your personal taste and style because we manufacture our products. We also offer a non-prorated lifetime warranty on all our products. Now you don't have to decide between French doors vs garden doors. You can have the best of both worlds with Clera. To inquire about our products or to request a free home estimate, please contact us today!

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