French doors are the design-driven alternative to a sliding patio door. Two hinged door panels swing open to give you the entire opening (no half-width slider compromise), full-divided-light glass panes deliver classic architecture, and the option for outswing impact-rated configuration delivers hurricane performance. The weak point is the meeting stile where the two panels meet: a multi-point lock with full-perimeter compression seal is the difference between a French door that holds and one that whistles. This page covers exterior vs interior, inswing vs outswing, and the four brands we install most.
- Cost?
- $3,500 to $9,500 installed for most exterior French doors.
- Materials?
- Fiberglass, aluminum-clad wood, solid mahogany.
- Hurricane?
- Outswing impact-rated configurations from PGT, Andersen, ProVia.
- Glass?
- Full-divided light or smooth glass with Low-E argon double-pane.
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Exterior vs interior French doors
Exterior French doors. Insulated frames, weatherstripped perimeter, multi-point locks, impact-rated glass options. Built to handle Houston rain, humidity, and hurricane wind. Premium fiberglass from Therma-Tru and ProVia, aluminum-clad wood from Andersen and Marvin, solid mahogany for custom architectural projects.
Interior French doors. Used between rooms (typically dining-to-living, master-to-sitting-room, or office-to-hallway). Solid wood or hollow-core, single-pane or panel glass. No weather sealing or insulation requirement. Standard hinges and passage or privacy locks.
Inswing vs outswing
Inswing. Traditional default. Doors swing into the interior room. Requires clear floor space inside for door clearance. Standard for residential applications where interior space is generous.
Outswing. Doors swing onto the patio or porch. Required when interior space is tight, when the door needs maximum wind-load capacity, and on most impact-rated hurricane configurations. Outswing also wins on security: the hinge pins are inaccessible from outside, making the door significantly harder to defeat.
Four brands we install most
Therma-Tru Classic-Craft. Premium fiberglass French doors that look like real wood. Best all-around Houston choice for cost-to-quality ratio.
ProVia Signet. Hand-finished fiberglass French doors with the strongest factory finish in the market. Premium upgrade from Therma-Tru with longer warranty.
Andersen 400 Series Frenchwood. Aluminum-clad wood French doors with the classic Andersen look and lifetime warranty on the cladding.
Marvin Signature Ultimate. The premium architectural French door. Wood interior, aluminum or extruded aluminum clad exterior, custom sizing and finishes. The right choice for high-end architectural projects.
Multi-point lock standard
Top, middle, and bottom engagement at the meeting stile.
Full-perimeter weatherstrip
Compression seal eliminates air infiltration at the meeting stile.
Inswing or outswing
Outswing for tight spaces and impact-rated hurricane configurations.
Full-divided or smooth glass
True divided light, simulated divided light, or smooth uninterrupted glass.
Impact-rated options
Miami-Dade certified PGT, Andersen Stormwatch, ProVia Signet.
Composite or LVL jambs
No rot, no warp, no split under forced entry.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What do French doors cost installed in Houston?
- Exterior French doors run $3,500 to $9,500 installed depending on size, material, and glass package. Interior French doors run $1,500 to $4,500. Premium wood and impact-rated exterior French doors run $7,500 to $15,000.
- French doors vs sliding patio doors: which is better?
- French doors swing open (in or out) and give you the full opening to walk through, but they take floor space when open and offer less glass area for the same wall opening. Sliding doors slide along the wall and stay out of the way but you can only ever walk through half the opening. French doors are the right choice for design-driven projects, traditional architecture, and openings where the door does not need to open often. Sliders are better for high-traffic openings to a deck or pool.
- Inswing vs outswing French doors?
- Inswing is the traditional default and works well when the room behind the door is large enough to allow door clearance. Outswing is required when interior floor space is tight, when impact glass and hurricane bracing is needed (the swing direction matters for wind load), and on many commercial applications. Outswing doors with impact rating are the right choice for hurricane-exposure Houston coastal properties.
- Are exterior French doors energy efficient in Houston?
- Modern fiberglass and aluminum-clad wood French doors with Low-E argon-filled double-pane glass meet South-Central ENERGY STAR requirements. Energy performance is comparable to good casement windows. The weak point on French doors is the meeting stile between the two door panels: a quality multi-point lock with full-perimeter compression seal is required to prevent air infiltration there.
- Will French doors qualify for hurricane insurance discount?
- Yes when impact-rated. PGT WinGuard, Andersen Stormwatch, and ProVia Signet hurricane-rated French doors carry Miami-Dade certification and qualify for the TWIA windstorm discount when properly installed and documented with WPI-8.
