French doors are a very good addition to any home, but their installation is best left to a professional, not only because it is a difficult job that requires a good grade of skill, but also because it needs professional and expensive tools that won´t be worth buying just to install the French doors at your home. Installing a French door can´t be just explained in a small tutorial like this (learn how to install various types of window blinds), but we will tell you what a real professional should do to install your French doors and the necessary steps to do it in the best way for you and your family.

First it is necessary to measure everything perfectly and remove the trims around the frames, being extra careful not to damage the materials, because they can´t be replaced.

Using professional leveling tools and a carpenter´s square, the professional should make sure the opening is square and true, because if not there will be problems later. If the opening is not perfect, then it should be corrected before proceeding to the next step.

Shims should be used as needed to properly fit the new frame in the gap. This step should not be taken lightly, as a mistake here will lead to the whole work to be botched and without possible fix later.

Then, a real professional will proceed to the test-fitting of the doors. French doors are very delicate to install and it is much better to make a test before proceeding to the real installation. So, the best way to do this is to drill pilot holes through the shims and the frame and then use temporary nails to hold the frame while the test is performed. If everything went smooth, temporary nails are removed. If there is any imperfection, this is the moment to fix it by making the necessary adjustments to the doors. French doors should be smooth to open and close because they are not stuck to a wall so, slamming them is not an option if you don´t want the crystal on them to break apart.

After everything is corrected and the door is tested to open and close smoothly and the frame is tested to fit, the real permanent screws are inserted and the door is ready to be hung in the gap. Once the door is in the gap, hardware should be installed.

These are necessary steps you should see your contractor do while he is installing your French doors. Don´t let an amateur to do the job and, if you see your contractor skipping one of these steps, you should warn him and tell him what do to. French doors are easy to break if they are not properly installed because when a door isn´t fitting to perfection, you just need to close it a bit stronger and, in the end you slam the door. You can never do that with a French door or I will be broken. Opening the doors strongly is not an option either with these doors so, make sure everything is correct!