Best Locks for French Doors – Top 5 Reviews, Guide, FAQs

It’s hard not to agree with us when we say that finding a suitable lock for your french door can be quite challenging.

This prompted us to round up the best locks for french doors and experiment and test them for many months.

In this post, we’ll discuss how locks for french doors work and what you should look for when going out to buy one. 

After months of experimentation and testing, we’ve concluded these three to be the best of the best.

Now, let’s get into the detailed reviews for the top 5 best locks for french doors.

Best Locks for French Doors - Top 5 Reviews

Best Locks for French Doors - Buyers’ Guide

How important is a french door lock?

A lock for french doors is incredibly important. A lot more important than you think and the main reason for this is that french doors by themselves are incredibly easy to break into.

This is extremely obvious when you look at how french doors are designed. French doors are typically a pair of doors consisting of many glass panes that span most of the doors except for their edges. These glass panes are a weak point that burglars often exploit. 

What are the different types of locks available for french doors?

 There are a number of different types of locks that you can use to secure your french door(s) that are available in the market. However, they can vary in many aspects such as ease of installation, security and durability. The main types of locks you can use to secure french doors are:

• Mortise locks

A mortise lock operates by having a mortise or a pocket into which the bolt of the lock fits into. In normal doors, this pocket is usually located inside the wall frame next to the door. In the case of french doors, one side of the french door has the pocket while the other side has the lock itself.

• Flush-bolt lock

Flush bolts are types of locks that are quite suitable for french doors. They are often used for pairs of doors in order to secure the inactive leaf that is projecting into the frame head and into a floor strike. The active leaf typically has a lockset that can latch into a strike that is typically mounted on the inactive leaf.

What are some factors to think about before buying a lock for french doors?

Here are some factors to keep in mind before you go out and buy a lock or locks for your french door(s):

• Ease of Installation

Nobody wants to spend hours mounting a lock onto their french door. This is especially important because if you’re having difficulty mounting the lock onto your door, there could be a chance that you don’t fix it properly onto your door. This could lead to security flaws.

• Visibility

You need to decide whether you want to get a lock that is visible from the outside or invisible. Sometimes a visible lock can act as a visual deterrent for burglars. At other times, it can alert them that there’s a lock on your door and they can plan to come back at a later time to break in.

How can I make my french door more secure?

You’ve made your french door a lot more secure by installing a lock onto it but it still has many security flaws.

One thing you can do is install shatter-proof glass in the glass panes of your french doors. This enables them to not be broken with a brick or anything similar that’s heavy.

You can also get security hinges fixed onto your french door so they can’t be removed easily from the outside. 

Does it cost a lot to secure a french door?

It may seem overwhelming when you first start searching for options to secure your french door. In reality, with the right research, you can find great options that can securely lock your french door without being too harsh on your pocket.

Best Locks for French Doors - FAQs

What is a french door?

A french door is typically a pair of doors that contain many glass panes that span the entirety of the door except for its edges. The edges of these doors are typically designated for hinges, locks and weatherstripping. They are usually found as openings to backyards in most houses.

How secure are french doors on their own?

French doors are incredibly easy to break into if they are not properly secured. Most people argue that a french door is often the weakest point of security in your entire home.

Is it hard to secure a french door?

It may seem difficult at first to properly secure a french door because they operate differently than normal doors. However, you will find that if you do the right research, you can come across options that do a great job of securing your french door.

Are french doors easy to get into?

French doors definitely have many security flaws such as glass panes and outward hinges that can be exploited by burglars. However, you can address these flaws through locks, shatter-proof glass and security hinges. After that, your french door can become quite difficult to break into.

Does it matter if my french door is an exterior french door or interior french door?

Most locks that you find online and in the market are often quite versatile. They can be mounted onto all kinds of french doors no matter if they are exterior or interior. However, there do exist some locks that are only meant for exterior or only meant for interior french doors. In that case, we recommend that you confirm what type of french door the lock you intend on buying is meant for.

How do I implement a 3-point locking system in my french door?

A 3-point locking system consists of a mortise lock between the pair of doors on your french door. Alongside that is a metal rod that extends up into the door frame and a metal rod that extends down into the floor as well. These three points of security ensure that your french door is properly secured.

Won’t the burglar just break the glass to get in? Why does my lock matter?

Glass panels on french doors are often not large enough for an entire person to fit through. You may be worried about a burglar breaking a glass pane and reaching in to open the door from the inside. This problem can easily be fixed by mounting a lock onto your french door that can only be opened with a key or code.

For the most part, yes. Most locks are quite versatile and if they can be mounted onto a sliding glass door, they can often be mounted onto a french door as well. However, we do recommend that you specifically ask the manufacturer if this is possible before you buy such a lock.

How do I maintain my lock for my french door?

Locks for french doors are often quite sturdy and don’t require a lot of maintenance. All you really have to do is lubricate your lock with some lock lubricant every few months and your lock should be good to go.

Is it worth it to install a high-security french door lock?

You can often get high enough security on a french door if you employ a three-point locking system. However, that’s sometimes not enough for people so if you want to install a high-security french door lock, we recommend that you go for it. After all, security for the people inside your home and peace of mind are two things that are always worth it.