Advantages and Disadvantages of Bi-Fold Doors

Choosing to install bi-fold doors will prove a brilliant addition to any home, providing a stunning contemporary environment to work, rest and play. It’s the most effective way of opening up your home without compromising the amount of open space you can bring in, while being the focal point of any kitchen, dining extension or lounge. There are many reasons why bi-fold doors are an ideal home improvement solution but here are just some of the fantastic benefits.

Flood your home with natural light

Whether open or closed, bi-fold doors allow maximum sunlight into your home turning a normally dark room into a space full of zest and life where you want to spend more time.

Outside/Inside living

With bi-fold doors you don’t need to physically be outside to feel that sense of freedom, as unlike conventional sliding doors they fold right back meaning there is greater space. You experience the comfort of being indoors while being able to enjoy your outdoor space.

Flexibility

A set of bi-fold doors allows you to open them to any width within the frame and customise where the leaves split. The way they can open into or out of a room and fold to the left or right means that when you compare them to a normal or sliding door, they are far more flexible.

Security

A greater level of security is offered with bi-fold doors as they feature multi-point locking systems, internally beaded frames and high-security hinges, whereas other types of glass door tend to have just one locking point.  

Low maintenance

Like most other windows and glass doors, they require cleaning regularly with detergent to ensure they stay looking spotless. But as they don’t have multiple panes or frames they’re generally easier to clean than most, and other than that you can just sit back and enjoy them.

Disadvantages of Bifold Doors

To be honest, there are almost no disadvantages to bifold doors. Some people may think it’s too much work to slide them to the side. When they are closed, the frames don’t allow for the same view a really large sliding door would give. The only other disadvantage we can think of is that you might not like all of that sun shining into your home.

Why have bifold doors become so popular?

There are three big reasons, in our opinion, that bifold doors are growing in popularity. The first is the unashamed stylishness of the way the doors look.

Homeowners who have had bifold doors installed in their property love the grandness they add to a room and there’s something very satisfying about the sleekness in how they move when you open and shut them.

If you’ve ever seen any of the episodes of “DIY SOS” or “Grand Designs” when the surprised homeowners see their newly renovated properties for the first time, they always seem to make a beeline for the bifold doors.

Second, the views. If you enjoy your garden or if you enjoy the wider views from a higher floor in your property, no other installation quite allows you to drink those views in like bifold doors. When they’re closed, bifold doors afford you a magnificent panorama of the outside. When they’re open and it’s a glorious day, the world outside becomes part of your living space not only by what you can see before you but by the sounds and smells of nature coming into your home.

Third, the integration between the indoors and the outdoors. Think of when you’ve been on holiday in the Mediterranean. Our European friends have the right idea about how to meld your private indoor space with the world around it. In the summer and on warmer days, bifold doors permit a continuity between your inner space and the need to enjoy the sun coupled with a gentle cooling breeze. In the winter, you don’t have to open your bifold doors fully to get outside – simply use the panel at the end which acts as a normal door when needed.