How to Install Tie Backs on French Doors

French doors are composed of glass panels and often are two side-by-side doors. Each glass panel allows light to filter in from the outside, making the doors like long windows. To ensure privacy, many people install curtains over their French doors. When the curtains are pulled open, the panes in the doors are once again exposed. As the doors are opened and closed, however, the curtain panels get in the way. The solution is to use tie-backs to hold the curtain panels open. Often tie-backs, or hold-backs, are installed just outside the door frame, but they can be installed in the frame or the doors.

Measuring tape
Stud finder
Electric or manual drill
Tie-back screws
Drywall anchors (optional)
Hammer (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Select the place where you want to install a tie-back on one side of the French door. Tie-backs are often about half way up a French door's height. Mark the installation point with a pencil. Measure to that point from the floor and door frame or glass. Use the measurements to mark the location for a tie-back at the other side of the door.
- 2
  Place a stud finder over the location where you want to install one tie-back. Move the device from left to right to locate a wall stud. When the device detects a stud, mark the spot with a pencil.
- 3
  Drill a pilot hole into the wall either 1 inch to the side of the door frame, into the frame or into the side of the French door nearest the wall. If the pilot hole is not in a wall stud, then make it slightly bigger than the tie-back screw. If the pilot hole is in a wall stud, then make it slightly smaller than the tie-back screw.
- 4
  Push a drywall anchor into the pilot hole if the hole is not in a wall stud. Use a hammer to push the drywall anchor all the way in the hole if necessary.
- 5
  Screw the tie-back into the pilot hole or the drywall anchor.
- 6
  Repeat Steps 2 through 5 to install a second tie-back.

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