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Anderson French Door or Not?

14 years ago

We desperately need a new door in our kitchen. We've been trying to decide for a long time now what it is we'd like to get. We narrowed it down to Pella or Anderson (wanting a good quality we came up with these two brands), but decided against Pella after reading many posts about trouble with them.

We don't want a slider and much prefer the french door look. This is where my decisions end. Are double door french doors preferred over the french door look but with a single useful door? I'm thinking of one like we currently have in, but without the side windows and instead it looks like two doors. I hope I make sense.

Our other decision is opening inward or outward. On the outside we have a screened in porch, so no doorway screens are necessary. Opening inward would be ok, but we have cabinets, a table, and walls to consider, which is why we were considering the one working door option where it hinges in the middle rather than the side of the door frame.

Thanks so much for any and all help.

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Comments (8)

macv
14 years ago
What makes the need for a new door so desperate?
karenfe
Original Author
14 years ago
This is the original door and is now 31 years old. It is single pained and you can see your hair blowing on windy days. In the winter the cold pours in. It's a very inefficient door.
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If you had a solid entry door, it would open IN. Opening outward is a hazard in windy conditions for a glass door? I think your room set up accomodates open in doors, quite well, to where no one would expect them to NOT open inward. That said, Hallett is correct. Doors that open inward, can be easier to compromise from the exterior. BUT let's be realistic, any door with a pane of glass, is easier to compromise from the exterior. .... Also, knowing someone with the same situation, in a much narrower space, their old set of doors opened inward, and their new set does also. They were weary of the old doors literally blowing OPEN in storm swirling conditions, so they bit the bullet and paid for installation of New A. doors, like you have......6 months later.....swirling winds.......blow the NEW doors open ..... *** sigh **** So, the moral of the dilemna is....have them installed with ratcheting locking pins(it's great if there is a steel plate in those locations) into the door threshold and upper door frame in addition to door lock, apparently. If you keep the doors, they will be fine. Use the savings to have deadbolts installed into the upper frame and threshold, and go on with loving your pretty doors! You now have more room on your deck!
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macv
14 years ago
Get an inswing French door and let the left (from inside) be active. Andersen is a good door but Marvin is better. But not everyone cares how the edge of the door looks when open. I have avoided Pella for 40 years for more reasons than I want to list and intend to continue to do so.
weedyacres
14 years ago
are double doors preferred....

The question should be what do you prefer? What works best for your family? That would apply both to the one fixed vs. both moving question as well as the swing direction. Since you don't need screens, figure out which one interferes least with your movement in and out and the furniture on either side of the door.

There's no right way, just the way that will work best for you.
sue36
14 years ago
We have an Anderson French Door and have had no issues with it.
hendricus
14 years ago
We have a Jeldwen french door. Both sides open from the middle with one being active, door handles, and the other inactive, pins at top and bottem. These doors are clad inside and out with screen in the glass. Thousand bucks plus installation and in my opinion the best thing we ever did.

If you move large items it really helps to open both doors.
remodelzombie
14 years ago
I had Andersen in my old house and have Pella in my new house. Love the Pella shades inside the window. Loved my Andersen also. No problems with either.
dgmarie
14 years ago
Thermatru makes a french door. They have a good reputation.

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