French Doors — London & the Home Counties
The classic pair of glazed doors flung fully open onto a stone terrace on the first warm evening of the year. Rebated meeting stile, multi-point locking on the master leaf and shoot-bolt tops-and-bottoms on the slave — the correct way to fit French doors that hold their line for a lifetime.
The rebated meeting stile
Basic French doors close on a flat butt joint that draughts, whistles and lets driving rain past. Ours meet on a properly machined rebated stile — the master overlaps the slave, weather-seals compress, and the pair reads as a single continuous line when closed.
Overview
A closer look at what makes the french doors range distinctive — the specification, the styles, the process, and the answers to the questions we get asked most.
uPVC, aluminium or composite frame · rebated meeting stile · master multi-point hook · slave shootbolt tops-and-bottoms · argon-filled A-rated glazing
Rebated Meeting Stile
The master and slave leaves close on a properly rebated overlap — not the flat butt-joint of conventional systems — sealing against draught, driving rain and forced entry.
Master & Slave Locking
Multi-point hook lock on the master leaf, shootbolt tops-and-bottoms on the slave. Slave sits fixed for daily use; both open together for parties and moving furniture.
Fully Glazed by Default
Single large pane per leaf, or Georgian-bar 15-light doors for period elevations. Any glass — obscured, laminated, acoustic — available.
Available in Three Materials
Painted timber-look composite for period cottages, thermally-broken aluminium for contemporary rear extensions, or A-rated uPVC for straightforward replacement.
Side-Lights & Fanlights
Add narrow side lights and an arched fanlight above and the pair reads as a full glazed threshold — the standard for garden-facing rooms.
Three material ranges, one configuration.
The french configuration is available across every one of our door ranges — the material choice is yours.
uPVC
A-rated, PAS 24 secure, 25-year colour-fast. The everyday specification for front, back and French doors.
Aluminium
Slim polyamide-broken frames, any RAL, 20-year finish guarantee. The contemporary choice.
Composite
44mm solid timber core with a GRP skin — kerb appeal of painted timber, maintenance of engineering.
Engineered to the millimetre.
Every frame we install is made to your survey sizes with the following performance envelope as standard.
- U-value (whole door)
- 1.2 – 1.4 W/m²K
- Configuration
- Twin equal leaves · master + slave with rebated stile
- Max leaf width
- 900mm per leaf · 1.8m opening span
- Bar options
- Plain single pane · Georgian 6-, 8- or 15-light
- Security
- PAS 24:2016 · master multi-point + slave shootbolts
- Materials
- uPVC · thermally-broken aluminium · composite timber-look
French Doors across London
and the Home Counties.
We install french doors across six counties — every project surveyed, made and fitted by our in-house team. Choose your county to read local knowledge, planning notes and recent work.
See all areas coveredFrench Doors — installed.
A selection of recent installations across London and the Home Counties, photographed on site.
Practical answers.
Everything homeowners ask us about french doors — survey, lead times, guarantees and coverage.
French doors or bifold doors?+
French doors are the traditional answer for openings up to about 1.8m — a pair of full-glazed leaves that swing open on a rebated stile. Beyond that width, bifolds or sliders take over. French doors also look right on period elevations where bifolds don't.
Do both leaves open?+
Yes. The slave leaf is held closed by shootbolts top and bottom; release them and it swings open for parties, garden furniture and moving-in day. The master leaf has the multi-point lock and everyday handle.
Are they secure with two leaves?+
Yes — the rebated meeting stile plus master multi-point plus slave shootbolts are collectively more secure than a single door. Every French door we fit is PAS 24 accredited.
Can I have Georgian bars on French doors?+
Absolutely — a 6-, 8- or 15-light configuration is the classic Georgian and Edwardian look. Bars are through-frame or applied depending on the material and desired appearance.
What sizes are typical?+
1.5–1.8m opening width by 2.1m tall is standard. Below 1.5m we recommend a single glazed door with a fixed side-light; above 1.8m a slider or bifold usually reads better.
Enquire about
French Doors.
Speak with our design team, book a home survey, and receive a fixed written quotation — all with no obligation.
Call · 020 3633 0405