French Door Hardware: How to Choose Handles, Locks & Bolts

French doors are undeniably beautiful - their glass panes and classic proportions bring light and elegance to a space in a way few other architectural features can. But as anyone renovating a character home knows, beauty alone isn’t enough. Functionality matters just as much, and the decisions you make around door hardware will directly impact how your French doors look, feel, and perform for years to come.

I’ve helped homeowners choose French door hardware for nearly 20 years through Fragments in Hobart and The Renovation Shop. This guide explains what I consider before recommending products, including stile width, backset, rebates, hinges, and how each door needs to function.

Start with the stile: getting the backset right

If your doors have timber rails and stiles (and most do unless they’re modern flat panel doors), the width of the stile is your starting point. The stile is the vertical timber on either side of each door.

• More than 110mm wide? Choose a 57–60mm backset* latch or lock.
• Between 100mm and 110mm? Either backset may work depending on the door and handles. With knobs, the deeper 57–60mm backset can give you more knuckle clearance from the door jamb. On glazed doors, the narrower 44–46mm backset may help keep the lock or latch further from the glass.
• Less than 100mm? A 44–46mm backset is generally the better choice.
  
• 80mm or less? A conventional mortice lock or tube latch is problematic.
  • If key-locking isn't required, a French door fastener is usually the best choice.
  • If key-locking is required, specialist review is needed.

* The backset is the distance from the edge of the door to the centre of the spindle hole in the lock or latch. Importantly, it determines the position of the handles on the face of the door. Wherever possible, try to centre your handles on the stile - it always looks better, and often functions better too.

Understanding rebated doors (and why it matters)

Many traditional French doors are rebated. This means the doors aren't flush where they meet; instead, they interlock slightly because of a step in the timber profile. This helps eliminate the visible gap between the doors.

If your doors are rebated, you'll need to choose a rebated version of any latch or lock, which includes a special faceplate and striker to suit the stepped profile.

Alternatively, some French doors may have a mushroom stop instead (a T-shaped bead fixed to the edge of one door to cover the join). In this case, a standard latch or lock is all that is needed.

Choosing the right hinges: strength and style

Glazed French doors are typically heavier than standard interior doors, so strong, reliable hinges are important.

• Ball-bearing hinges are a good choice for heavier glazed French doors because they provide smooth operation and cope well with repeated use.
• Standard-height doors (2040mm) usually require three hinges, while taller or particularly heavy doors may need four.
• Doors that are 36-42mm thick will generally require 100mm x 75mm hinges (or wider if the doors need to throw past something like an architrave in order to sit flush against the wall when they’re open). For 35mm doors, 100mm x 60mm hinges are usually suitable. A wider hinge may be needed if the door has to throw clear of an architrave or other projection so it can sit back against the wall when open.
• For outward-opening external doors, use fixed pin hinges so the hinge pins can’t simply be removed from the outside to allow access to your home.
• Choose a finish that relates well to the rest of the door hardware and suits the character of the house.

Knobs or levers: a tactile decision

Your handle is more than a detail - it’s something you’ll touch every day. It needs to feel right and look right.

• Make sure your handles are comfortable to grip and compatible with your chosen lock or latch.

Locks and bolts: beauty that protects

French doors can be vulnerable to break-ins, particularly due to their glass panels and central meeting point. That’s why your locking system needs to do more than look the part.

• Mortice locks are discreet and secure, set within a pocket inside the edge of the door.
• French doors have an "active" and "inactive" leaf. The inactive door needs to be fixed in place unless both doors are usually opened together. Flush bolts, fitted neatly into the edge of the door, are ideal for a seamless finish (although they're more challenging to install in rebated doors). Surface-mounted bolts are simpler to install and suit traditional or country-style doors. Bolts are normally fitted to both the top and the bottom of the inactive door. This adds a higher level of security and also reduces the likelihood of the door bowing.
• If your doors open out, special consideration needs to be given to the type of bolts you choose. Typically, standard barrel bolts are not suitable unless used in conjunction with a right-angle keeper. This is because standard barrel bolts don't provide enough purchase on the timber stop on sill or header on the door jamb. Other options for outward-opening French doors include panic bolts, reverse barrel bolts, and offset bolts.
• Make sure your bolts extend deep into the header and sill, as this is where the real strength lies.

Finishes and cohesion: small choices, big impact

There’s no shortage of finishes out there - antique brass, satin nickel, matte black, and everything in between. But the most important thing is consistency. Your hinges, handles, bolts, and locks should all feel like part of the same story.

• Consider the age and architecture of the house alongside the design and proportions of the doors. An ornate handle isn’t automatically suitable for a Victorian or Federation home, and a simpler handle isn’t automatically right for a 1920s cottage. The particular design matters.
• Aim for finishes that complement other metalwork in the room (light fittings, tapware, etc.).

Installation tips: measure twice, install once

You've chosen beautiful, high-quality hardware - don't let poor installation let it down.

• Measure your stile, door thickness, and glass clearances before choosing your lock or latch, and remember to check whether your French doors are rebated.
• Always test hardware before final fixing. It should operate smoothly, feel solid, and align perfectly.

Need help choosing hardware for your French doors?

Start with my free Door Hardware Project Quiz for practical guidance based on your project. If you’d like me to review the requirements for each door and prepare a tailored hardware schedule, my Door Hardware Concierge Service can help.

Georgina Downey owns The Renovation Shop and Fragments in Hobart, specialising in door hardware for classic and period homes.