Buying Guides
French door opening direction: choosing the master door and swing
Two choices are easy to mix up when ordering French doors: which leaf opens first, and whether the pair opens inwards or outwards. Decide them separately, then check the viewing direction on the order form. A left-hand choice made from inside can mean the opposite side when you stand outside.
What is the master door?
The master door is the leaf you open first for everyday access. Think about the route you normally take between the room and the garden. The more convenient side may depend on furniture, a nearby wall or where the path meets the doorway. Do not choose solely from a photograph: pictures may show a different configuration.
On Swift’s made-to-measure white uPVC French doors, the master-door selector explicitly uses an external viewpoint. Stand outside facing the closed doors when deciding between its left-hand and right-hand options.
Opening inwards or outwards is a separate decision
An inward-opening door needs clear space inside the room; an outward-opening door needs clear space outside. Look beyond the opening itself. Consider furniture and curtains indoors, and steps, planters or a narrow walkway outdoors. Check the full intended swing with your installer before ordering, especially where floor or patio levels are close to the frame.
The white made-to-measure product offers both opening directions. That does not mean every stock door or every other product has the same choices. Read the selected product’s configuration rather than transferring an option from another listing.
Confirm handles and threshold separately
A handle on each leaf and the identity of the master door are different details. The white-door configurator offers a single handle on the master door or a double-handle upgrade. Confirm the arrangement you want alongside the opening side.
Its standard and aluminium low-threshold choices also deserve a separate check. A label alone does not establish that a threshold suits a particular floor level, access requirement or exposed position. Ask for the relevant detail before finalising the order if any of these matters to your project.
A simple way to record your choice
- Sketch the opening and label the inside and outside.
- Mark which leaf should open first, viewed from the side specified by the supplier.
- Draw the swing into or out of the room.
- Note the handle arrangement, threshold and cill separately.
- Compare your sketch with every selection on the final order summary.
If an option or viewpoint is unclear, contact Swift Aluminium before ordering. You can compare finishes in the made-to-measure French-door range; verify the opening options on the individual product you choose.
