Bifold Doors

The real is answer is that both bifolding doors and sliding patio doors offer different benefits. Bifold doors allow you to push back the doors to create the true "bring the outside in" feeling, making your home feel integrated with the garden. However, if you feel the summer months are limited and bifold doors may not be used to their full effect, sliding doors offer maxiumum glazing coverage. Created with 2 large panes of glass, the sliding door effect gives you easy access to the outside, should you need it.

The cost of bifold doors will depend on a number of factors, including the material they are made from, the size you need, and whether they are for internal or external use.

The most expensive material for external bifold doors is aluminium, with a rough starting price of around £2000 a set. Though it’s modern, high-quality appearance, impressive durability and lengthy lifespan all make a set of aluminum bifold doors a worthwhile investment.

If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, uPVC bifold doors offer a good comprise, starting at around £1500 a set. They likely won’t last as long as aluminium bifold doors, and may not have quite the same visual appeal but they will still provide excellent insulation and that all important functionality of bifolds.

Wooden internal bifold doors start at around £400 a set and can go up to around £1200, depending on configuration, style and finish.

External doors will always cost more than internal doors and this is the same with bifolds. This is because they go through a more complex manufacturing process as they need to provide impressive insulation and keep your home secure.

If you want to dress your bifold doors, then plumping for vertical blinds that open in the same direction as the doors is often the best option. Short of buying integrated blinds, which can be expensive, this type of window/door dressing is the least likely to get caught up in the workings of the door. This is a better option for outward opening doors.

However, many people choose to leave their bifold doors without curtains or blinds. The striking, minimalist appearance of doors can be diminished when soft furnishings are introduced, if however you'd prefer to have the option to close off from the outside world, a lightweight set of sheer voiles/curtains can help add that extra layer of privacy whilst keeping the fuss to a minimum and still allowing light to flow though. It's also worth considering that most bifolding doors will be almost full-height, floor to ceiling. This means there may not be space to attach a blind runner or curtain rail.

There are many pros and a couple of cons to getting bifold doors. Whether they are a good idea for you will depend on what you’re looking for.

Bifold doors give the most size flexibility of all door options, as you can vary the number of panels as well as their size. However, if you’re looking to install a particularly large pair of bifolds, you will need to reinforce the opening as this type of door doesn’t have a frame to offer any support in their place. This is true of most folding door systems, but not usually a concern for French doors.

If you’re looking to increase the amount of natural light in your home as well as flip open-plan living into a more standard set-up when necessary but want to keep the intrusion of an open door to a minimum, bifold doors make a great choice.

Of all external doors, it is thought that bifold patio doors can add the most value to your property.

This is because they can span the entire width of a wall, allowing you to completely change the configuration of your home at will. They bring a truly open plan feel to your home, allowing to turn two rooms into one and then separate them back out whenever you choose to.

This kind of flexibility holds a lot of appeal on the property market. Particularly if the spaces you are bringing together is a vibrant garden and your interior living space. This can be very desirable, and anything that makes a property more desirable will increase its value somewhat.

Of course, bifold doors will also show your home at its best even when their shut. Those big, bold glass panels will capture all the available natural light, making the inside space of your home feel a lot lighter and even a bit bigger. This will add to the appeal even more!

It is impossible to pick a ‘best’ bifold door as their suitability will always depend on personal needs. However, when pushed, we would personally pick a set of sleek, modern anthracite grey aluminium framed bifold doors. And when it comes to best quality... of course we're going to say Climadoor!

The thermal break in the frames and the double glazed panels mean that our bifold doors are extremely energy-efficent. As aluminium is so durable and naturally corrosion resistant, they'll last for decades still working as well and looking as good as the day they were installed.

The powder coated finish of our doors is also easy to clean. The dark grey colour will also hide dirt, so you won’t notice every splash or smudge. It’s a soft shade that is very flexible - understated enough to fit a period property or crisp enough to suit a modern, minimalist look.

Last of all, the strength of aluminum means our bifold door frames have a narrower profile. This means more glass, in turn more light and more beautiful views out across the greenery of your outdoor space.