Difference Between a French Door & a French Slab Door

French Doors

• French doors exhibit frames around glass panels, which are called lights. The lights allow significant light into a room during the day and maximize visibility between rooms. In modern buildings, French-style doors are used for sliding doors, patio doors and commercial entryways, among other applications. A traditional, pre-hung French door is hinged and ready for mounting. These pre-hung doors can be found as double doors or single doors.

Slab Doors

• Unless you have chosen a custom pre-hung French door, the hinges and hardware on any given French door may not fit your doorway. This is where a slab door becomes useful. French slab doors exhibit the same framing and glass windows seen on all French doors, but they are made without hardware. This offers greater flexibility for your installation. You can customize the door yourself, or work with a manufacturer to customize from their selection of slab doors. As with all French doors, you can choose among various heights and frame designs.

Installation

• Pre-hung French doors come as a complete unit, so the dimensions and hinges must be specific to your planned installation and door frame. Ensure the door frame is prepared before installing. Apply caulking along the door sill and place the bottom of the unit in the middle of the opening. Then, install shims to keep the door level and install hinge jambs once the door is in its proper place. Installing a French slab door takes a little more handiwork. You must cut the door to size, if necessary, and drill cutouts for the hinges, door knobs and locks.

Options

• When customizing your slab or pre-hung French door, many options are available. You can choose between inward and outward swinging hinges. A variety of wood colors and glass types and designs are available. The style of the framing and the types of glass lights can vary as well. For better ease during installation, measure carefully the height, length and width of the door, and select a slab or pre-hung door that fits those dimensions.