French doors have never ever fallen out of favour in London homes. They take a modest opening and turn it into a generous passage of light, with the type of symmetry and beauty that matches a Hampstead townhouse as well as a Victorian terrace in Walthamstow. The difference today is that the classic double-leaf look features serious thermal efficiency, security, and weather condition security. If you define correctly, you can fulfill existing Structure Regulations, keep your energy bills in check, and still delight in that effortless garden connection that makes these doors such an enjoyment to live with.
What makes a modern French door different
When clients inform me they want French doors, they usually indicate 2 glazed leaves that open from the centre, normally outward to avoid eating up interior space. The frame material and glazing requirements determine how the doors feel in the hand, how they withstand draughts, and how they carry out gradually. Three information underpin modern efficiency:
- A constant weather condition seal, multi-point locking, and tight compression at the head and threshold. Double or triple glazing with low-E finishes and argon gas fill to bring centre-pane U-values down, commonly to around 1.0 W/m ² K for quality double glazing and lower for triple. Thermally broken frames, especially vital for aluminium, to limit conductive heat loss and decrease the risk of condensation on cold mornings.
That mix permits a standard aim to satisfy the requirements set for replacement doors in London districts, whether you are under the more relaxed guidelines of a post-war semi in Bromley or navigating preservation constraints in Richmond.
Frame choices: uPVC, aluminium, and lumber, with a London lens
I fit all three, but the ideal answer depends on the project.
uPVC French doors remain the value option. If budget matters and you desire reputable efficiency with low maintenance, uPVC wins. A decent system with steel reinforcement, bonded corners, and quality hardware can deliver door set U-values in the area of 1.2 to 1.4 W/m ² K with double glazing, much better with triple. On family homes in Enfield or Croydon, white or foiled uPVC reproduces standard sightlines without hassle. Be fussy with the profile though. Inexpensive extrusions flex, that makes the conference stile feel sloppy after a few seasons. Stick to windows and doors providers who work with trusted systems houses and offer strengthened profiles on taller leaves.
Aluminium has moved from business to domestic mainstream due to the fact that modern systems are beautifully slim and reliably stiff. Thermally broken aluminium windows and doors give you the lean sightlines most designers desire in Haringey and Hackney. The thermal break is the important component, a polyamide barrier that separates the inner and external aluminium skins. With the right glazed system, an aluminium French door set can accomplish comparable U-values to a high-spec uPVC door, yet feels crisper, closes with a satisfying clunk, and resists warping in strong sun. Powder coat surfaces are long lasting, and dual-colour options aid tie interior schemes to external facades. Expect to pay more than uPVC, but you get longevity and a premium feel. On exposed plots along the Thames in Greenwich or Island of Dogs, aluminium gaskets and drain tend to shake off weather that makes old wood swell.
Timber still wins for listed buildings and conservation areas, and absolutely nothing looks as authentic in a duration property in Kensington or Hampstead Garden Suburb. Engineered timber resists movement much better than old strong softwood, and with contemporary microporous paints, maintenance intervals are longer than individuals fear. You can strike strong thermal numbers with low-E double glazing, warm-edge spacer bars, and deep refund sections. The trade-off is maintenance and cost, and you need a joinery partner who comprehends heritage detailing and can provide slim glazing bars that still house a good insulated unit.
Glazing that makes its keep
Most French doors are defined with double glazing. The best double glazing suppliers will combine a low-E inner pane, argon gas fill, and a warm-edge spacer. That provides you a clear, neutral look without a cold edge at the boundary. For north-facing gardens in Barnet or shaded ground floors in Camden, I typically upgrade to a low-iron outer pane so the glass checks out brighter. If street noise is an issue in Southwark or along busy paths in Hammersmith, ask for a laminate inner pane and an asymmetric build-up to spread out the acoustic performance throughout frequencies.
Argon gas double glazing is the basic due to the fact that argon is cost efficient, inert, and bumps the performance without visual compromise. Krypton appears in slim heritage units where cavity space is tight, but you pay for it. With French doors, cavity sizes of 20 mm prevail and comfortable for argon. Low E glass windows in doors need to be ordered with a resilient soft-coat low-E layer, generally on face 3, to show interior heat back into the space. Integrate that with drip ventilation technique throughout the dwelling to handle wetness, because better seals and better glass indicate less unplanned air leakage.
If you are chasing after Passive House levels of efficiency in a deep retrofit in Brent or Newham, triple glazing in French doors is possible. It adds weight and density, so the hinges and reinforcement need updating, and you must expect a firmer closing action. The pay-off is quieter spaces and U-values pressing towards 0.8 W/m ² K at the centre pane.
Security that does not ruin the lines
Traditional French doors got a bad reputation since early versions frequently had weak centre joints. Modern systems resolve this with multi-point locks and robust meeting stiles. Try to find:
- A three-point or five-point locking transmission, shootbolts at leading and bottom, and strong keeps in the frame. Hinge-side security pins or canine bolts to resist jemmying when the hinges are exposed on outward-opening leaves. Laminated glass, at least 6.8 mm on the inner pane, so the glass holds together under attack, enhancing both security and acoustics.
I also suggest a low-profile cylinder with a security escutcheon to hinder snapping, especially on doors visible from the street in terraced settings. A cool technique on aluminium systems is to define a much deeper meeting stile that hides the locks but still checks out as slim because of the frame geometry.
Thresholds, drain, and accessibility
A French door is only as excellent as its limit detail. In London's weather condition, poor detailing cause blow-through and puddles. The sweet area is a low limit that still sheds water. On garden doors in Balham or Stoke Newington, I like a thermally broken aluminium limit with dual gaskets and a regulated drainage path that exits to an external channel drain. This keeps the internal flooring close to flush while appreciating Part M access requirements.
If you are running a constant floor from cooking area to patio, mind the accumulation. A 20 to 30 mm level change can be enough to manage water without seeming like a step. For timber decks, ensure the planks run under the outward-opening leaves so wind-driven rain can leave rather than pool at the cill. For basements in Islington where doors sit below pavement level, go belt-and-braces with a well-detailed trough drain, plenty of weep capacity, and routine maintenance.
Conservation and planning in London's patchwork
French doors often show up during cooking area extensions and modest rear changes. In many outer-borough scenarios, replacement like-for-like falls under allowed development. In conservation areas such as parts of Richmond, Greenwich, or Kensington and Chelsea, coordinators might request timber, slim glazing bars, and putty-line aesthetics even on the rear elevation. Aluminium and uPVC can still be approved if the sightlines are convincingly standard, but it is case-by-case. Constantly check the regional authority assistance notes, and do not assume due to the fact that a neighbour has them that your plot will get a pass.
For listed buildings, you will require listed structure permission. Expect to specify single or slimline double glazed units, with cautious attention to glazing bead profiles and glazing bar authenticity. Work with a custom window manufacturers London joinery shop that can produce made to determine windows and doors with genuine through-bars if required, rather than stuck-on astragals.
Performance numbers worth caring about
The Building Regulations in England set a limiting U-value for replacement doors with a significant glazed location. Hitting or bettering 1.4 W/m ² K for the whole door set is the heading target for most tasks, and excellent systems do much better. Air leakage is simply as crucial in lived experience. An airtight door feels warmer and quieter. Ask your installer about the weather condition test ratings for wind resistance and water tightness. The trusted aluminium doors and windows systems release BS EN test information, and the much better uPVC systems do as well.
Look for BFRC ranked glazing suppliers if you desire a transparent energy label for the glass unit performance. The British Fenestration Rating Council grades provide easy contrasts for property owners and assistance Part L compliance documentation.
Fit matters as much as specification
I can not overstate the importance of survey and setup. The gap around the frame must be consistent and properly packed, not packed arbitrarily with broadening foam. We use pre-compressed broadening tapes against the outer frame where the substrate allows it, sealed neatly with silicone or a hybrid sealant that endures motion. The cill needs a fall, the drain courses should be clear, and the repairings should be sized to the substrate. On older brickwork in Fulham, I typically discover out-of-plumb openings that tempt installers to trim sash clearances unevenly. That results in meeting stiles that never ever look rather ideal. A day spent squaring the opening repays whenever you close the doors.
FENSA licensed window installers or CERTASS approved double glazing specialists can self-certify compliance with Building Regulations. Property owners in London ought to ask which plan the company comes from and confirm the registration. The certificate matters when you sell the property, and it is a proxy for minimum proficiency, though not an assurance of craftsmanship.
Pricing reality: where the money goes
French doors are less expensive than a full wall of sliders or bifolds, which is one reason they stay popular in London's compact gardens. For a typical 1.8 to 2.0 metre opening:
- uPVC French doors with quality double glazing, multi-point locks, and a low limit normally fall in the ₤ 1,800 to ₤ 3,000 supply-and-fit range, depending upon colour foils and hardware. Aluminium doors for the exact same opening often run ₤ 2,800 to ₤ 4,500, reflecting the greater expense of the thermally broken frame and premium hardware. Engineered lumber sits ₤ 3,500 to ₤ 6,000 and up, particularly for bespoke joinery with heritage detailing.
Costs climb for triple glazing, laminates, bespoke colours, and incorporated blinds. London gain access to and parking contribute to labour. Where floors need a new threshold assistance or damp-proof course modification, factor in a little structure works budget.
When French doors are not the best answer
Some homes fit sliders or bifold doors much better. If you have a wide, uninterrupted garden view in Ealing or a cooking area extension that opens 6 metres across, 2 leaves will look lost and you will not get the huge aperture effect. Sliding doors London options have remarkable weather efficiency at very big sizes, with less frame in the view. Aluminium bifold doors London offerings produce a full opening for amusing, though they carry more frame when closed and need cautious drainage planning.
Still, for the majority of terrace cooking areas and ground-floor living-room, French doors balance daily functionality with appeal. You can open one leaf to let the canine out. You can vent the room without moving furniture. You get a reassuring simplicity that renters understand in rental residential or commercial properties, and a look that complements both period and contemporary interiors.
Hardware feel, colour, and the small decisions that make it yours
Hardware is the handshake of the door. Cheap manages wobble within a year. I define strong levers with a company spring and, on tall doors, a premium hidden shootbolt mechanism on the slave leaf so you can lock it at the top and bottom in one smooth motion. If you are nervous about knocking, soft-close restrictors manage the swing in gusty gardens.
Colour patterns keep developing. In London, anthracite grey and black remain popular for aluminium, frequently with white inside. With uPVC, agate grey and flush sash profiles bring a modern edge. For timber, heritage greens and off-blacks sit well on brick elevations. Match or contrast your window frames with the doors, however think about connection on the garden elevation so the structure feels deliberate.
Trickle vents are often essential for ventilation method, however they can mar clean sightlines. On aluminium, try to find frame-integrated vents that vanish into the head. On heritage jobs, work the ventilation elsewhere in the house if preparation allows, and keep the door head uncluttered.
Energy efficiency gains you can feel
Energy efficient windows London discussions often concentrate on U-values, however daily comfort owes as much to surface temperature level and air tightness. Low-E coatings keep the inner pane warmer, so you do not feel a cold wash when you sit near the door in January. Warm-edge spacers lower the opportunity of condensation along the edge, helpful in damp kitchen areas. Correct seals stop the whistle on a blustery night in Barnet. These little gains accumulate, and they lower the problem on your heating unit. Combine the doors with insulated reveals, good floor insulation under the limit, and lined curtains or blinds for night-time performance.
If sustainability is a concern, ask your provider about recycled material in aluminium profiles, FSC certification for wood, and take-back schemes for old frames and glass. Many business glazing suppliers London side now run recycling streams for post-consumer frames and glass cullet. It does not remove the impact, however it helps.
Choosing a provider and installer in the London market
The London window and door company landscape is crowded. You will discover double glazing business London broad that sell huge brand names and smaller companies that make internal. There is no single finest double glazing suppliers list, but you can tilt the chances:
- Check registrations: FENSA accredited window installers or CERTASS approved double glazing gives you a compliance route and some consumer protection. Ask for system provenance: With aluminium, search for a known system with released test data, not a no-name extrusion. With uPVC, ask which profile system and reinforcement strategy they use. Demand written specs: Full glass build-up, spacer type, gas fill, lock type, hinge ranking, paint surface. The more information, the less room for corner-cutting. Visit a display room or site: Feel a working sample. The meeting stile ought to align perfectly, the handle action needs to be tight, and the limit needs to look engineered, not improvised. Look for local performance history: A firm that has fitted residential double glazing London large for years will have handled borough peculiarities, parking, and the peculiarities of London stock. Request addresses you can stroll past.
Trusted glazing professionals London based will likewise talk you out of the wrong option. If someone presses an item without asking about direct exposure, flooring levels, or preparation, keep looking. On custom work, bespoke aluminium doors London fabricators can modify measurements to square up an uncomfortable opening, which beats on-site bodging each time. For heritage jobs, a custom window makers London joiner provides you manage over profiles and glazing bar credibility that brochure providers will not.
Real-world examples from the trade
Two tasks illustrate the variety. In Leyton, we replaced a worn out lumber set on a kitchen extension with aluminium French doors in RAL 7016 outside and white inside. Argon-filled units, laminated inner pane, and a 150 mm cill extension that provided neat drainage over a brand-new porcelain patio. The opening was 1,900 mm, the head was out by 12 mm throughout the period, so we loaded and planed the expose, then used expanding tape and a hybrid sealant. The ended up action is crisp, no bounce on the conference stile, and the space feels warmer due to the fact that there is no draught at the threshold.
In Chiswick, a sanctuary task required wood. We dealt with an engineered timber frame, slim glazing bars, and 4-8-4 slim double glazing with a warm-edge spacer in dark bronze. Not the greatest performance compared to contemporary cavity sizes, however respectful and accepted by planning. We specified hidden restrictors to prevent the leaves slamming into the brick piers. The customer desired brass hardware that will patinate, and it sits perfectly against London stock brick.
Comparing French doors with patio area, moving, and bifold alternatives
A quick contrast assists when you are stabilizing function, budget plan, and aesthetics.
- Sightlines and daytime: French doors have more frame than a moving panel however less than a bifold stack when closed. They excel at framing a central view and delivering ventilation through a modest opening. Usability: For everyday life, the capability to open a single active leaf is a winner. Sliders need more deliberate movement, and bifolds need space clear of furniture to run smoothly. Weathering: Properly detailed, all perform well, but large sliders typically win in severe exposure because there are fewer conference points. For many London gardens protected by surrounding structures, French doors cope admirably. Cost: Normally, French doors are the most inexpensive of the three for typical widths as much as 2.4 metres, with uPVC at the worth end and aluminium mid-to-premium. Heritage fit: In period terraces, French doors look right. Bifolds can container aesthetically on narrow facades, and sliders feel modernist unless managed with care.
Aftercare that extends the life of your doors
The maintenance list is short if the doors are well developed. Wash the tracks and limits so drainage holes do not clog with leaf litter. A light lubricant on the locks doors and windows by doorwins and hinges once a year keeps the action smooth. If lumber, inspect paintwork annually, touch in early. For aluminium and uPVC, a mild cleaning agent wash revives the finish. Examine the compression on gaskets when seasons alter. If you discover a drop in manage resistance, call your installer before it becomes a misalignment problem.
Where worth satisfies craft
The finest French doors feel uncomplicated. They close snugly without force, they do not rattle in a storm, and they hold their lines year after year. That result depends on decisions you can control: pick a proficient, transparent supplier, insist on documented glass and hardware, and purchase the small details at the threshold and meeting stile. Whether you choose uPVC windows and doors for affordability, aluminium doors London for slim elegance, or timber for heritage fidelity, the contemporary market can provide. If you find a team that treats survey and fit with the same respect as the pamphlet, you will delight in the timeless style with the modern efficiency London homes deserve.
For property owners drawing up broader improvements, coordinate French doors with energy efficient windows London upgrades. Align sightlines, match finishes, and lean on BFRC ranked glazing providers for consistent thermal and solar control throughout the elevation. The outcome is a cohesive exterior, better thermal convenience, and a home that deals with London's climate rather than battling it.
Doorwins
Address: Office 11, Dearden House, W Gate, London W5 1BS
Phone: 020 8629 1250
The team at Doorwins is widely known as the most experienced London window and door manufacturers. We manufacture, supply and fit roof lanterns and sliding doors for modern homes and luxury developments.
Every installation by Doorwins shows our deep understanding of glazing systems and installation standards. Need help choosing energy-efficient uPVC double glazing, we’ll recommend and install the perfect system.
As a reputable double glazing supplier in London, we’re proud to combine design, durability and performance in every manufacture.
uPVC & Aluminium Styles: uPVC tilt & turn windows; uPVC French doors; roof lights. Aluminium thermally-broken windows; aluminium inline sliding doors; roof pyramid lights. As a London double glazing supplier, we provide design, manufacture and installation for residential and commercial projects, covering replacement windows, new-builds, extensions, and refurbishments.
Doorwins windows and doors
Address: 4 Observatory Gardens, London W8 7HY
Phone: 020 8629 1171
FAQs — Aluminium Windows, Doors & Roof Lights
- What does Doorwins manufacture?
Thermally-broken aluminium windows (casement, tilt & turn, heritage), aluminium doors (bifold, sliding, French) and roof lights/lanterns — all double glazed. - Do you act as suppliers as well as manufacturers?
Yes — we’re manufacturers offering manufacture only, supply only, or full supply-and-fit. - Are your aluminium systems energy efficient?
Yes — engineered for low U-values, airtightness and security, with modern double glazing and thermal breaks. - Do you install roof lights and roof lanterns?
Absolutely — we design, supply and install frameless roof lights and roof lanterns to match your aluminium windows and doors. - Where do you operate?
Across London and Greater London, from our Greenford Ave (W7) and Observatory Gardens (W8) locations.