When you picture a
French door you might imagine a European-style double door swinging inwards to reveal a beautiful garden outside. That might be true, but French doors aren’t always swinging. The difference between a French door and a patio door isn’t in the way it operates—it’s actually in the width of the stiles and rails on the door panel itself. The vertical stile on a French door will be wider, and the rails at the top and bottom are taller, giving a more traditional appearance. Patio doors have slimmer profiles and a more contemporary look and can swing or slide just like a French door.