Bifolding Doors Strengths And Weaknesses

Clearly bifolding doors are not a cheap alternative to the traditional sliding door, but what are the real gains in making the extra investment. The most apparent is the fact that folding sliding doors are fully retractable. The commonly known French door is just a permutation of a bifolding door and most bifolding door manufacturers will be able to make their system into a french door.

A French door is a double pane system which opens in the middle so the both leafs are fully open and set at right angles to the track. They have been very popular over the years and can allow for an elegant opening mechanism with great clear glass views. Please find the strengths and weaknesses of the bifolding door below.

Strengths 

Fully retractable door panels

Choice of Aluminium and UPVC frames

Up to 10 metres wide

Add value to any home

Choice of over 400 RAL colours (Aluminium frames)

Up to 40 opening options

Well tested and regulated products

Weaknesses

More expensive than traditional alternative

UPVC frames can contract due to weather conditions

Must be installed with precision

UPVC frames are weak and are not capable of reaching widths more than 6 metres

When considering purchasing a bifolding door or folding sliding patio door system it is crucial to consider your budget. They are more expensive than the alternative Sliding doors or single patio door openers. However, there is clearly much to gain out of the extra investment. Many new homes are fitted with bifolding doors in order to add value to their investment. The next thing to consider is whether you would prefer a UPVC bifold or an aluminium bifold.

The aluminium folding door is around 50% more expensive but in terms of a product there is no comparison. The UPVC do not look as modern and can sometimes seem cumbersome due to the need for larger frames. In comparison the Aluminum folding sliding door system can be made with thinner frames which means more glass and clearer views. It can also be made much wider and higher due to the extra strength of the material.

The warping with the aluminium based bifolding door is also very minimal when compared to the UPVC alternative. The only benefit apart from price of the plastic patio door is that they have better heat efficiency. This is due to the heat retention properties of plastic compared with aluminium.

However, to overcome this there are many glass options which can help vastly improve the aluminium bifolding doors heat efficiency. Therefore if the budget is there, it is not much of a choice, the aluminium system is the better option. Having said that the UPVC folding sliding door is still a vast improvement to the standard sliding glass door or single opening patio door.

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