What Are Bifold Doors?

With the ability to slide completely open, bi-fold doors create a seamless transition from the interior to the exterior areas of your home or commercial building. When positioned correctly, they can also frame a beautiful view of the outside and are a garden trend which just keeps on growing.

It is perhaps no wonder then that bifold doors are a staple in the premium property market, as well as commercial buildings across the UK. 

If replacing old French doors, or even swapping out a window for a set of bifold doors, the appeal of the property can instantly be boosted. For those new to bifold doors, here is a guide on what to look out for during the purchase and installation stages. Plus why do bifold doors make for such an excellent addition to any building?

• Instantly updates the look of any building
• Modern bifold doors are energy efficient and secure
• Aluminium offers excellent longevity 
• Can add value to a property
• Easy to install maintain and clean
• Brings the outdoors in
• Boosts levels of internal natural light 
• Ideal for gardens, patios and balconies 

Bifold doors look to replace a large section of the wall with glass. If any current doors or windows are in poor condition, they will likely be letting in draughts into your home, and could also be contributing to higher energy bills. In addition, older doors or windows may not be very secure either.

The idea of installing bifold doors is to eliminate these issues, all while improving the aesthetic appeal and overall enjoyment of your building. 

When purchasing bifold doors, you need to research the following:

• High-quality materials – Although bifold doors can be made from uPVC or timber, aluminium is preferred for its superior performance and longevity. If you do opt for aluminium, ensure only prime billets are used rather than remelted scraps, which will ensure the doors are strong as they can be. 
• High security – As bifold doors will provide direct access into your building, they must offer the maximum level of security. PAS 24:2016 is an excellent regulation to look out for, which requires very rigorous standards for window and door locks. The door cylinder must be able to withstand snapping, picking, drilling and bumping. In addition, you should also ask about the security rating of the door glass.
• Building regulations (energy efficiency) – Your new bifold door should meet or exceed current building regulations for energy efficiency, which at present is a u-value of 1.8. For new builds or extensions, the required u-value is 2.0. The lower the u-value, the greater the thermal performance of your doors which is vital for maintaining a comfortable room temperature in both hotter and cooler weather.
• Guarantees – New bifold doors should be installed by a FENSA installer. In addition, there should be guarantees for both the door itself and any powder coating applied if installing aluminium bifold doors.

When installing any new aluminium windows and doors, it’s essential you opt for a trusted installer who will not only use a high-quality product but ensure your new installation looks and works great for many years to come.

ABS is a leading installer of aluminium doors along with aluminium windows in the UK. Find out more about our aluminium door service here.

Based in Nottinghamshire, we operate across the UK and produce our aluminium windows at our purpose-built factory. By producing our own products, we oversee the entire lifecycle of our bifold doors to ensure maximum satisfaction with the finished installation. 

If you’re ready to purchase, you can use our build a quote service to place your order, Or, if you’d like to speak to our team about bifold doors please give us a call on 01623 721 172.