Heritage French Doors by Evolution Windows

Choosing the Right Heritage French Doors for Your Home

French doors remain one of the most popular styles of patio doors because of the many advantages they offer. Virtually every style of home, new build, period, post and pre-war will probably have French doors leading out to the patio area and garden.

Heritage French doors provide a timeless, elegant solution for connecting indoor and outdoor spaces. At Evolution, we've developed a range of timber-alternative French doors that give you the traditional look without the upkeep of original timber, and with all the security and energy performance you'd expect from a modern glazed door.

The Everyday Benefits of French Doors

French doors are perfect for standard to large openings, and in some cases they can provide a better patio door solution than sliding or bifold doors. It is worth knowing the benefits these door types provide.

  • Compared to a sliding door, you get the full available opening with both doors open
  • French doors are more functional than a two-panel bifold door
  • For the elderly or those with disabilities, French doors are lighter to open and close
  • French doors are typically the cheapest patio door option for your home
  • The heritage style is best achieved with French doors vs sliding or bifold doors
  • You can easily enlarge most existing window openings and change to doors
Heritage French doors interior view

Understanding the Appeal of Heritage French Doors

Heritage French doors are firstly defined by their symmetrical appearance. Both door panels have equal sightlines and equal glass panes. Typically, they open outwards, but are available opening inwards, such as on a Juliet balcony.

You can choose these doors either fully glazed or with the Georgian and astragal bars creating the period multi-panel look of classic wood doors. Ideal in Georgian, Edwardian and Victorian homes, but also widely used in cottages and new extensions aiming to retain character.

Heritage French doors exterior view

Materials for Heritage French Doors

The material you choose affects both the look and the suitability of the door. Here's how the main options compare:

  • uPVC Timber-Alternative: Evolution's speciality. Our heritage French doors combine the appearance of painted timber doors with the right proportions for door middle rails, bottom rails, the frame and door styling.
  • Timber: Wood remains the original material for look and feel, but requires upkeep and immediate repair to prevent rot, should the paint finish get damaged, and costs more.
  • Aluminium: Typically chosen for slimline steel-look designs, often in black heritage aluminium or anthracite grey.
  • Steel Doors: Also chosen for the industrial look, steel doors are slimmer, stronger and used in listed buildings as well as high-end renovations.
Heritage French door materials

Performance Benefits

Today's heritage French doors deliver far more than just looks. With next-generation materials and high-performance glazing, carefully chosen doors give you:

  • Energy efficiency with double or triple glazing, low U-Values and A+ door energy ratings to help lower your energy bills
  • Enhanced security, with multi-point locks, high security key cylinders and glass held securely in place from the inside
  • Low maintenance with no painting or staining required, just routine cleaning
  • Accessibility benefits with low thresholds for minimal step and wheelchair users
Heritage French door performance

Design Options That Look Right

French doors may look simple, but getting the proportions and detailing right is key to achieving a truly heritage-style appearance. Here are the options that make the difference:

  • Timber-look joints and authentic sightlines perfectly recreated
  • 190mm midrail, just like you'd find on a traditional timber front door
  • Optional deep bottom rail, another essential detail that gives weight and presence to the overall design
  • True transom detail, allowing for more accurate timber-like glazing configurations and balanced sightlines
  • Midrail letterplate option, thanks to a custom-developed door extrusion—ideal if your French doors are being used as front doors or in a porch
  • Individually made to order, with your choice of opening direction, configuration, colour, hardware and glass
  • Woodgrain foils, available in white, cream, grey and heritage tones—with dual colour options if you want a different finish inside and out
  • Traditional hardware to complete the look of the doors

These options ensure your French doors look right from every angle and especially when paired with heritage windows on the same project. Above all, a well-designed door looks, feels, and performs like timber—but costs less and doesn't have the maintenance.

Popular Uses for Heritage French Doors

French doors just work in any type of home and remain popular, timeless and their design works with any house architecture. Popular at the back of the house, they provide a natural link to patios and gardens from dining rooms or living rooms.

Even at the front of the house, they create a new porch, whilst providing an added level of security for the front door, additional storage and a warmer hallway.

Choosing the Right Supplier

Heritage-style doors aren't all created equal. If you're after something that truly looks like timber, it's worth choosing a specialist. At Evolution, we don't just offer heritage French doors as part of a broader range—we've built our business around creating the most authentic heritage and timber-alternative products on the market.

Here's what to look for in a supplier:

  • Real experience in heritage and timber-look glazing
  • Mechanically jointed frames not welded corners
  • Authentic bar layouts and traditional hardware
  • Consistent quality in every unit, even across large projects
  • A range of matching windows and front doors

If you're considering heritage French doors for your home, get in touch to discuss options, or visit your nearest Evolution showroom.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Who makes heritage doors?
A. Heritage-style doors are available from many suppliers, but only a few specialise in timber-alternative designs. Evolution was the first in the UK to offer authentic, heritage windows and doors.

Q. What is the average cost of having French doors installed?
A. Costs vary depending on size, material, glazing, and extras like sidelights or special colours. Heritage-style doors typically start at around £2000 plus VAT but contact us for guidance.

Q. What are the disadvantages of French doors?
A. French doors open outwards (or inwards), so they do take up some space. They also typically work best in openings up to about 2m wide. They are not suitable for very large openings unless you combine doors together as French door sets.

Q. Do I need planning permission for French doors?
A. In most cases, replacing existing doors with French doors of similar size doesn't require planning permission. However, if you're creating a new opening or significantly changing the appearance, you may need approval. Always check with your local authority planning department.

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