French Doors vs Double Doors: What Is the Difference?

Compare · 3 min read · Updated October 2026

The difference is glass. French doors are made of full-length glass lites, while double doors are usually solid wood or steel, sometimes with small windows in the top half.

Both are two leaves that open on their own. The choice comes down to whether the room needs light or privacy.

French doors versus double doors compared: glass, light, sound, size and upkeep — Five differences that decide it. Sources: Ferguson Home, Doors Los Angeles, March 2026.

Table of Contents

What sets them apart

Ferguson’s French door guide says French doors admit light and give a view, not privacy. They meet with no center jamb or mullion, and the latch catches in the lock stile of the other door.

Double doors are usually solid, and any windows sit in the upper half and do not run the full length.

Doors Los Angeles puts the light difference plainly: French doors keep a visual link between rooms even when closed, and solid doubles block light and views.

Sound and upkeep

Glass costs you sound control. Doors Los Angeles says French doors with single-pane glass give about 10 points less sound protection than solid double doors, which carry an STC rating of 30 to 35.

Upkeep differs as well. It lists French doors as high maintenance, with glass and grids to clean, and solid doubles as low, usually a weekly dusting for MDF.

Sizes

Ferguson gives standard French door heights of 80 to 96 inches, with widths starting at 72 inches and custom sizes up to 8 feet or more.

Doors Los Angeles says double doors are typically 80 inches high and 60 to 72 inches wide, with oversized custom options. French doors often need more clearance in living areas.

Glass styles on French doors

Ferguson describes simulated divided lites as one pane with embedded or decorative grilles, and calls them an energy efficient option. True divided lites are individual panes, generally easier and cheaper to repair.

A French door can have as few as four lites. Colonial-style grilles can run to 15 or 30 divided lites or more.

A pair of carved wooden double doors with a round window above — Solid carved doors are what most people mean by double doors. Photo: Enes Karahasan on Pexels.

Materials and cost

Both styles come in several materials. Ferguson lists fiberglass as strong, light and good at holding color, steel as the strongest for security but less insulated and prone to rust, and wood as a good weather insulator that is heavier.

Doors Los Angeles notes that solid wood is sensitive to moisture and can warp, while MDF or composite grids resist warping in humid areas.

French doors cost more because of the glass and decorative grids, according to Doors Los Angeles. Neither source gives dollar prices, so get quotes for your opening.

How I would choose · James Davis

If the doors face a yard and the room needs daylight, I would go French. If they face the street, or the room needs quiet and privacy, I would pick solid doubles. Check the warranty for the glass type and core material before you decide on security.

Before you buy

Decide whether the room needs light or privacy.
Measure the opening against the standard widths of 60 to 72 inches for doubles and 72 inches up for French doors.
Ask for the sound rating if the room is near a street.
Choose simulated or true divided lites for the repair cost you can live with.
Read the warranty for glass type and core material.

For more on picking a style, see French door options and which one is right for you. If you lean toward solid doors, equal versus unequal double doors for a main entrance covers the layout, and whether French doors should have a gap in the middle covers what happens where they meet.