Updated: December 4, 2023
To have a large, glass French door in your home leading to a patio, a backyard or poolside has always sounded very appealing, especially when they are a glass portal which offers a gorgeous view of beautiful greenery and landscaping. Their translucent, high light-permeable floor-to-ceiling glass is a stylish interior-to-exterior home-enhancement element, changing an otherwise normal exit into a tempting gateway.
However, it is unfortunate that these otherwise beautiful and practical home features can oftentimes be tricky to secure – here are a few tips on how to secure French doors.
Why it can be tough securing French doors?
Well, French doors have a few spots that can turn into problems. Most of these are burglary-related, as they are pretty much the simplest way to break into your house.
- Outwards-opening French doors mean that all the hinges holding your doors are facing the outside, so basically, anyone could easily unhinge your doors by simply removing each hinge’s safety pin.
- While discussing potential burglary issues, it is good to mention that, while its glass panes are very decorative, they mostly represent a grid of wooden or metal materials placed on both sides of a larger glass pane; this is also another burglary hazard, along with most French doors not having a standard lock, making it easy for thieves to break inside.
- The middle point where doors meet is also a vulnerable part of the door because the molding overlaps, critically facilitating break-ins.
How to secure French doors from burglars?
Even though these are not necessarily the safest of doors, there are a couple of proven options on securing your French doors.
Impact-resistant glass is always a way to go
If you are considering French doors, it is good to think about investing in good hurricane-resistant impact doors that are layered with tough glass that has the power to take humongous impacts and kicks and not break. This glass is not to be confused with tempered-glass windows and doors, as tempered glass is strong, yet still easy to shatter.
Get doors with flush bolts, preferably with both top and bottom ones
At a different point, each of these secures the door, making it hard to break inside. (All of our doors, for instance, include flush bolts, both at the top and the bottom of each door.)
Use high-quality security hardware
Hardware, including good locks and hinges, sturdier materials, and security bars, raises your chances of staying safe in case of potential break-in attempts. It is necessary to have strong mortise locks, deadbolt locks, and to add wood screws to prevent force-opening. Our doors come with all this hardware. You must bear in mind that, in case of a fire, it might be complicated to swiftly locate locks.
Make the door as thick as possible, especially if they are wooden
These should always be between one and a half and two inches thick. By choosing metal frames, you are doing yourself an even bigger favor, as these are always sturdier.
Stylishness is great when it comes to choosing your gateways and doors. However, stylishness needs to be secure as well. This is why you must think of your safety when introducing French doors to your patios, backyards, and poolside. You can do this by implementing safety measures such as impact-resistant glass, getting quality security door hardware, and getting thick, sturdy doors that can still look elegant.
Check out how we accessorize our doors at Elite Impact Glass or ask for a free consultation.
