In the past bifold doors were more commonly known for their interior uses. Now external versions are available They are a flexible and appealing substitute for French or patio doors.You can find out why you should now consider bifolding doors in the following article.

Conventional patio doors are much less versatile than Bifold doors. They can be fully opened, completely closed, or partially opened depending on the amount of space required. Their ability to connect the inside to the outside is unsurpassed. There are ideal as connections between the home and garden allowing the whole back of a house to be opened out.

Bifolding doors are also called zig-zag doors. Zig-zag is a fairly accurate descriptions of the doors working. They are usually made up of 3 or more glass panels that can be joined together in a number of configurations. When the door is made up from an odd number of panes a single panel can be used like any conventional swing door. You will often see these kinds of door systems fully open in good weather at cafes and restaurants.

Most commonly available in aluminium these doors are also available in timber, aluminium clad timber or the ubiquitous PVCU. A very attractive option is aluminium clad timber allows a timber finish on the interior and the flexibility of aluminium on the exterior. Whilst only usually available in white PVCU is usually the least costly. However doors made in aluminium are available in a wide variety of finishes and colours. It is essential that exposed or south facing timber doors should be made from laminated timber. A specialist in bifolding doors should advise you on the best material to use.

Make sure that any bifolding doors are manufactured to the latest standards. They must keep the wind and rain out even when the weather does its worst. The glazing must also be optimised to give the best thermal insulation. You should also consider how the doors need to be configured (i.e. how they can be opened) and the total of number of panels required. Quality gearing is also essential if you want smooth and durable door performance.

The media is showing these types of doors much more often than the past. Their visual impact makes them popular for use in home rebuilding programs such as C4’s “Grand designs” where they often used to stunning effect.Anybody designing a new extension or simply having a patio door replaced must consider bifold doors.

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