Help, frenchy

I'm looking into removing a window and replacing it with a french door leading out to a newly completed patio cover. The door will be facing east. Should I use a french door made of metal, wood or vinyl. My major concern is air tightness?

 

Hi DrTodd, first let me put you straight, I am not French, I am not english, I am British, I speak english, Ok I know your Joking, so now to your problem, each have their own qualities, wood is a natural product and will eventually rot if not looked after properly, it exspands and shrinks like wood does in different weather climates, but it looks good and can compliment a house if made to suit the facade, Aluminium doors again exspand and shrink in different tempratures, not as much as wood also they do not need as much looking after as wooden doors, they come in many colours as wood does but in my opinion are more durable than wood but when buying metal doors I would buy a spare set of door furniture like hinges lock and handles as these do tend to break down after many years but unlike wooden doors where you can cut new openings for different locks it is more difficult to do this with metal doors and when you do need replacement parts you are liable to find that the company or the parts manufacturers have either stopped making the parts and have moved on to better ones which do not fit your doors or have gone into liquidation..... Now we come to Vyinl again they come in various colours but do not go for an all Brown door inside and out in vyinl as this soaks up the heat like nothing else and exspands vastly and can even exspand to the point that the doors are jammed shut and I speak from exsperiance on this, a laminated brown exteriour on white vyinl is fine also these doors do exspand more than the metal and more than wood but does not soak up moisture unlike wood when not maintained, they have quite a good life span if looked after and they seal very well if fitted properly as does wood and metal also as with the metal spare parts will be available for many years untill you need them and then find that they are not available so buy spares at the outset if possible, although putting different new locks and handles on is slightly easier than metal but not as good as wood as wood can be filled with a wood filler and sanded, also Vyinl doors do tend to go slightly yellow over the years due to the action of the suns rays but only a few shades from the original colour, Aluminium doors will in time oxcidise in salt air so if you live very close to the sea they are a no no, looking from the british perspective according to our british standards there is no such thing as a fully draught proof door or window but they do come as close to it as is possible at this stage, and Im sure it is the same according to US standards, so all in all thats it, at the end of the day its your choice but if I were to choose I would have to go for, wait for it!!!! vyinl, but they must be fitted correctly to start with or your waisting your money so get refferences from other customers who have used a particular company, any company with a good reputaion will have customers that will allow you to look at their products fitted in situ, but also ask to speak to customers who were not so happy and then judge for yourself but remember no company has a 100% good fitting and workmanship record so dont let the odd digruntled customer put you off if the product looks good and your happy then go for it, I hope this helps a little, Handyman

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Remember that your eyes are your windows on the world, so protect them!!

 

DrTodd:
We installed two triple-section Andersen full glass French insulated door sets (sides fixed, door in middle) when we remodeled in 1998. They face north on the Albemarle Sound in NE North Carolina, and you can imagine the wind we get here. They are wood w/exterior vinyl clad (paint or stain interior). They are guaranteed not to leak with 60-mph winds. We have had several blows in the vicinity of 90-mph with no leaks whatsoever. The secret is that the doors are adjustable in the frame (up, down, sideways) for perfect alignment, and they have a triple deadbolt locking mechanism (middle, top and bottom controlled with one latch)that keeps the door tight and secure to the seal at the frame. I saw Bob Villa's show once where he toured the Andersen factory, and they really build them to withstand 100-mph winds, and guarantee to the 60-mph standard. I can't imagine better quality in exterior French doors. Ought to give them a look, anyway. I highly recommend them.