How to Choose the Perfect Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are a great addition to a home, adding a contemporary finish, allowing more light into your room and increasing the accessibility of your garden area. When choosing the best bifold door for both you and your home there are many decisions you’ll encounter before you’ve even placed your order! From the range of finishes which affects the final style through to the choice of mechanism which will impact usage and security.
Choosing your material Aluminium vs uPVC
One of the first choices you’ll encounter when selecting your bifold door is between materials. The most common of which are uPVC and Aluminium.
Cost
Cost is a large factor when it comes to any decision for your home; uPVC bi-folds offer a lower initial cost however based on durability would need replacing sooner than aluminium which is a cheaper investment in the long run.
Aesthetic
In terms of aesthetics, Aluminium offers the most flexibility for design as the material remains strong ideal for when you are looking for slim frames for your glass. Because of its strength aluminium is the best choice if you are looking for larger panels of glass with the contemporary looking thinner frames.
Maintenance
Both options of materials can benefit from cleaning with soapy water, however, over long term use aluminium does withstand scratches and warping more than its uPVC counterpart.
Thermal Efficiency
Traditionally uPVC would offer the greatest thermal efficiency in comparison to aluminium due to aluminium being a conductive material, however, here at Lite Haus, our aluminium frames utilise polyamide thermal break technology which increases thermal insulation.
Choosing which style of Bifold (Colour)
Colour makes a huge difference to the impact of your bifold doors and the statement they make within your room. Your choice of colour will depend on the overall feel you are going for;
Anthracite grey
is one of our most popular choices by clients as its a neutral tone which is complementary to many brickwork finishes and interior styles whilst the dark nature of it is perfect for if you are looking for a modern finish.
White
is the most common choice we see for homeowners who are looking for a more uniform look in their bi-folds in line with their other windows.
Black
bi-folds are the choice for you if you want your bi-folds to make more of a statement in your home, however, the bold finish it offers isn’t for every home. Choose black thin bifold frames if you are looking for frames to disappear into the view, choose a thick frame to go bold.
If none of these presents the best colour option for you or your home, you could also look to have your bifold doors delivered in any RAL colour; whether you’re looking for a vivid colour or something which ties in perfectly to your existing colour scheme.
Selecting the configuration for your Bifolds
Bifold configuration options are so flexible, you can choose a simple 2 panel bifold to have 1 static frame which your entrance door can sit behind (this would be the choice for homeowners who are simply looking to replace french or patio doors with a more modern access solution).
However, when you’re looking to fully-embrace the bifold style, we’d recommend selecting an odd number of panes, that way you always have an even number of doors which fold back independent of your main traffic door.
When selecting your bifold configuration you’ll also need to consider which direction you’d like your doors to fold back, as well as whether you’d like them to fold inwards into your home or outwards. The opening direction will most impact the opening space you have to walk through and will be based on whether you want to pull the door in toward you or push away. Most homeowners choose an outward opening as they have limited space within their homes.
Using our online designer you can browse the variety of configurations we offer and the options they present for placement of your static entrance/traffic door. Alternatively have a read of our detailed blog on Bifold Door Configurations.
