uPVC bi-folding doors have become a popular choice for modern renovations and extensions, thanks to the amount of space and light they introduce in to a room. They offer a great way to flood light into an area of the home that may typically be darker or closed up, and give a feel of having your garden as more a part of your living space.
Bi-fold doors can be incorporated anywhere within a property but are very often found to the rear giving an uninterrupted view into your outside space and usually open up onto a garden or patio area.
Much as it’s name suggests a bi-fold door is a barrier between your home and your garden with a number of doors, or panels, that can slide on a track to ‘fold’ up and open a wide area within an external wall. They concertina up into a small storage space, as opposed to sliding doors, which typically only open up half the space they occupy as the doors have nowhere to go other than beside each other.
Bi-fold doors can come in a range of sizes and panels, although typically come in odd numbers such as 3 or 5. How many panels you will need within your property will depend on the space you are looking at utilising and the style of door you choose. Obviously the fewer panels you have will mean a clearer view of your outdoor space. They should slide onto their tracks and fold up seamlessly and if the doorway you are filling is heavily used you will need one panel to also be useable as a functioning doorway, rather than having to fold open all the doors to leave or enter the house.
All homeowners are looking to make the most of every inch of their property, so being able to extend the house space out to a garden or patio area, can not only offer more space for all the family, but can be an important design choice. They can help you make more regular use of areas of your home that weather wouldn’t normally allow such as a patio or garden.
For some, a ‘wall of glass’ (which essentially is what you are creating with bi-folding doors) can feel cold compared to a solid wall, and you may feel open to the elements despite being in the house. However, modern bi-folding doors can offer excellent thermal performance. They work hard to retain your heat when in situ during winter months or spells of bad weather, while also offering a great form of ventilation when fully opened during the warmer months.
All our modern bi-fold doors have security at the heart of their design, utilising the latest security features to ensure your property is protected. The glazing is of a high quality that can’t be tampered with and when fitted well, a bi-fold door can be stronger than the typical old wooden door usually found at the back of a property.
uPVC and Aluminium bi-folding doors have many similarities. They both offer a strength and durability that will keep your doors looking good for longer, as well as offering high standards of thermal performance which means your property will retain it’s heat well and keep those energy bills lower.
One main difference is often the appearance of the doors themselves. Aluminium bi-fold doors have thinner pillars and a larger expanse of glass compared to uPVC bi-fold doors. Which can be of benefit if the view is your top priority. uPVC bi-fold doors however are the more affordable choice and come in a range of colours and finishes to compliment most properties.
