French doors' main purpose is, besides being an opening into a room or building, is to allow in large amounts of light. Sliding glass doors, which also allow a large amount of light into a room, differ from French doors in that they are not hinged on both sides and instead consist of two planes of glass; one stays stationary against a partition while the other slides along a track. The choice to install either a French door or a sliding door depends on the buyer's aesthetic sense. Does this Spark an idea?
French Doors
French doors are typically considered decorative. They have multiple windows, or lights, that line the door from top to bottom. These pieces of glass are divided by wooden beams. Occasionally, the glass panes at the top of the door are decorated with stained glass or other embellishments. These doors open by a series of hinges on one side of the door. Sometimes, a French door will be double hinged. This means that there are two sets of doors that meet in the middle, allowing for both doors to be opened at once.
Installing French Doors
The first step in installing a French door is to clean out the space where the door will sit. This includes removing skid boards, or any other framing that is against the unit. The second step is to install caulking along the side of the wall where the stationary side of the door will sit. The third step involves nailing drywall screws along the caulked side and then attaching the hinges for the door. The fourth step involves placing the door frames along the hinges and then attaching the glass panes in between the wooden borders.
Sliding Doors
The sliding door opens horizontally along a track. There are two different mechanisms that allow the sliding door to open--the top hung sliding doors and the bottom rolling door gear. The top hung sliding door relies on two hangers lying in a concealed track above the door. The side of the door that slides hangs by the hangers and is able to move back and forth. The bottom rolling door is less commonly used. It relies on two rollers at the bottom of a track underneath the door. The side of the door that slides goes along these tracks.
Installing Sliding Doors
Like the first step in installing a French door, the first step in installing a sliding door is to remove all material from both sides of the door frame. This includes insulation and debris. Caulk should be placed along the side of the door, which will remain stationary. Once screws are inserted into the wall to hold that door in place, you must construct a track on either the bottom or top of the door frame and insert track rollers or hangers accordingly. The second sliding door should then be placed carefully on the track.
Placement of French Doors & Sliding Doors
French doors are more ornamental than sliding doors. French doors are usually placed as a door to the outside, be it a patio or even a front door. Usually a French door is not used as a front door, however, because the large amount of glass in them is easy to break. French doors are usually placed as openings to yards and patios. Sliding doors have a multitude of uses, but are almost always inside a home. They are used for shower doors, basement doors and closet doors. They are not as ornamental as French doors so the rarely are used as an entrance to the outside of a home.
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