Aluminium bifold doors

Aluminium bifold doors are the most sought-after due to their slim slight lines, strength, modern aesthetic and versatility and bifolding doors are one of the most popular home improvement products

The surge in popularity of bifold doors can be attributed to lifestyle and home design trends, such as those seen on Grand Designs. Another significant factor is the current trend for open-plan living, which involves merging the kitchen, dining, and living spaces into one extensive area, providing a large opening to the garden and a perfect opportunity for bifold doors. Lastly, the desire to improve and not move means homeowners are choosing to spend their money on upgrading their homes to get the perfect home for their lifestyle, saving on stamp duty, which can go towards renovating costs.

Bifold doors are also known as sliding folding doors, folding doors, concertina doors, accordion doors or multi-folding doors. With the abundance of options in the market, choosing the right bifold doors can be overwhelming. That’s where ATS comes in. We’re here to guide you through the process, offering expert advice on brand, style, material, sightline, size, and colour, ensuring you make the best choice for your home.

What are the advantages of bifold doors?

The main advantage of a bifolding door is the ability to have a wall of glass and open up the entire space, letting the light flood in. The addition of bifolding doors transforms your home and gives it that WOW factor. You get to see our garden all year round, in all seasons, making you feel closer to nature. If you are lucky enough to have an uninterrupted view, then a wall of glass is a no-brainer!  

Bifolding doors allow you to create flush floor levels, providing a seamless transition from inside to out; perfect for children, wheelchairs and those unsteady on their feet. For new builds or extensions, installing bifolding doors with an open corner can create a dramatic opening.

Another great feature of bifold doors is how they work in large openings. Many bifold brands go up to a width of 1.2 m per panel, premium brands go even wider at 1.5 m. All brands provide for the standard door height, premium brands go up to 3.5 m and 4.5 m, creating impressive floor-to-ceiling glazing.

With the broad range of products in the marketplace, the consumer has a huge choice when it comes to bifolding doors and provide several benefits over French doors or patio sliding doors:

• Some bifold door brands will create a 90% clear opening
• They are a fantastic alternative to French doors or patio doors, which only offer a 40% opening
• They enable an open-plan living lifestyle
• More natural daylight thanks to large glass panels
• High security, energy efficiency and weather sealing
• Available in a wide variety of colours and finishes
• Now available slimmer and in a steel-look style
• Wide variety of opening combinations, including open-corner

PVCu bifold doors versus aluminium bifold doors

A PVCu bifold door has vastly improved since the early-generation products and provides a low-cost option. However, thick profiles, bulky hardware and greater thermal expansion are all product characteristics.

The significant benefits of aluminium bifolding doors versus PVCu bifold are the slimmer sightlines, less visual bulk, larger panel sizes, and a more reliable long-term product. In addition, aluminium bills have far less intrusive and more attractive hardware.

When correctly made and installed, aluminium bifolding doors provide long service life with little maintenance. The non-welded construction of aluminium (compared to PVCu) means that individual sections can easily be replaced should any damage occur.

For these many reasons, most PVCu double-glazing companies choose not to supply PVCu bifolds alongside their window ranges.  

4 things to consider when buying aluminium bifold doors

Getting the bifold door sizes and configuration right is the first and most important decision, as there is no one solution fits all.

The colour options are endless; whilst brands will have standard popular colours such as white and anthracite grey, they can also colour match to anything you wish! Other options are wood colours, wood-effect foils, metallic, anodised or a different colour inside and out.

Bifolds can also be used for window openings. They can be a great design option when you don’t have the floor-to-ceiling space required for bifold doors but still would like to fully open the window to connect with the outside. They are especially useful as a hatch to the patio on a summer’s day.

In addition to PVCu and aluminium, bifold doors can be manufactured in wood or a hybrid of wood on the inside and protective aluminium on the outside. You can also have bifold doors with a steel-look.

Bifolding doors are complicated to engineer, design, and fabricate. Many of the perceived problems associated with folding doors are usually due to installation. Understanding the intricacies of bifold doors, we know that a good installation is the backbone of their reliable operation. If you’re unsure about which installers to trust, we’re more than willing to guide you in finding the right professionals for the job.

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