French / Patio Doors
Exterior French doors, made easy to shop.
Exterior French doors are hinged doors that swing open, either inward or outward depending on your layout and preference. In patio and backyard spaces, you will often hear them called hinged patio doors.
If you are deciding between hinged and sliding, the key difference is clearance: hinged doors need room to swing, while sliding patio doors glide on a track. From here, most homeowners choose by configuration, material and finish intent (paint vs stain), glass privacy, and whether they need impact-rated assemblies for high-wind regions.
How to choose an exterior French door
French doors vs sliding patio doors
French doors are hinged systems that swing open, inward or outward. Sliding patio doors are a different system that glides on a track and does not need swing clearance.
If you are still deciding on operation, start here:
Bifold Folding Patio Doors
Sliding French Patio Doors
Pick the right configuration for your opening
Most exterior French door setups are either two operable panels, or one active panel plus one stationary panel. Larger openings can be built with three or four panels depending on the door line and system. If you want a wider look and more daylight without changing the main door size, sidelites are a common solution.
Shop French patio compatible configurations:
When to consider impact rated assemblies
In Florida and many coastal or high wind regions, impact rated assemblies are commonly evaluated for windborne debris impact followed by cyclic pressure exposure. If impact rating applies to your project, start with impact rated French patio options here:
Clear glass vs privacy glass
Clear glass is chosen for maximum daylight and visibility. Privacy or textured glass is chosen to bring light in while reducing visibility, especially for patios facing neighbors, pool areas, or close lot lines.
Patio Door Style
We offer multiple exterior French and patio door styles, from traditional arch top designs to clean modern full-glass doors. Style is mainly about the look, so choose what fits your home’s exterior and interior, then refine by material, glass privacy, and impact needs.
Divided Lite French Doors
Divided lites are the grid patterns on glass-panel doors. Most homeowners choose divided lites for the look first, then decide on material, glass privacy, and impact options.
Popular divided lite styles
Choose material and decide paint vs stain look
Material affects exterior maintenance expectations and the final look. Wood exterior French doors deliver natural character and a true stain look, and they can also be painted. Fiberglass exterior French doors are often chosen as an easier care option, and woodgrain textured fiberglass can support a stain look finish. All doors can be painted. Stain is available on real wood and on woodgrain textured fiberglass. Many homeowners also paint real wood doors or woodgrain fiberglass because the texture can make a painted finish look more premium.
Material categories:
French Door FAQ
A French door is a hinged door system that swings open, and it can be configured to swing inward or outward.
French doors are commonly described as hinged patio doors. Patio doors can also be sliding systems.
Hinged doors swing and need swing clearance. Sliding patio doors glide on a track.
French doors are traditionally a pair of hinged, full-light doors that meet in the middle, but in everyday use the term also describes the full-glass “French door style.” Depending on the product line, you can find French-style hinged patio doors as a single operating door, a double door pair, or larger multi-panel hinged configurations (often with one active panel and one or more stationary panels).
Yes. Some configurations include transoms above the door, such as rectangular, half round, segment head, or elliptical transoms. Availability depends on the door line and opening.
Unequal French doors use a wider active leaf for everyday entry and a narrower inactive leaf that can be opened when you want a larger clear opening.
Privacy or patterned glass is designed to let light in while obscuring visibility.
It commonly refers to assemblies evaluated for windborne debris impact followed by cyclic pressure exposure.
Wood is the premium choice for natural beauty and a true stain look, but it usually needs more upkeep, especially with direct sun and rain and little or no overhang. If the opening is well protected, wood is often the best choice; if it’s highly exposed or low maintenance is the priority, fiberglass is typically the smarter option.
Yes. All doors can be painted. Many homeowners paint wood or textured fiberglass to achieve a richer, more premium surface look.
