Bifold Doors and Windows
Bifold doors and windows make a huge difference to the appearance and value of your home. They can completely change the look and feel of your home without an extreme renovation makeover.
They are great in the summer months and for entertaining family and friends. But they are a feature in their own right and add style.
They bring the outdoors in, allowing for a better view, fresh air and a feeling of more openness and space.
Kitchen bifold windows look great with a counter overhang (pass through) where you can place stools for people to sit outdoors. You can serve people food and drink through this pass from the kitchen. The stools can be neatly tucked under when not in use.
The kitchen window bifold can be nicely matched to the alfresco bifold door. When open the bifolds fold neatly to the side and when closed, they add character to the indoor room and outdoor area.
Having a bifold door opening up to an outdoor entertaining area, is like adding an extra room onto your house. Family and friends will feel compelled to sit and relax outdoors.
Choice of materials
There are various materials you can choose from for your bifold windows and doors.
Initially, timber bifold doors were fashionable. Over time, metallic doors and windows became popular. Aluminium bifold doors have now also become quite common.
In recent times, glass bifold doors and windows have become increasingly popular.
When it comes to external bifold doors, you will typically need to choose from timber or aluminium.
Wooden bifold doors are probably the most natural of all materials. Timber bifold doors will almost always look good being classic and timeless. However, they will also be the most expensive.
Over time, timber bifold doors could experience various wear-and-tear issues such as rotting, warping etc. They need to be maintained by sanding them down and reapplying the finish to the external layer every two years or so.
The sight lines of timber bifold doors will be slightly larger than those of aluminium bifold doors. Meaning the width of the timber frame, where they meet, will be wider than aluminium.
Aluminium bifold doors
Aluminium bifold doors are the material of choice when it comes to durability and cost-effectiveness.
Suppliers can machine or extrude aluminium to precise sections based on the given specifications. Aluminium comes in various slim line sections.
The advancement of coating techniques mean that aluminium bifold doors are no longer available in only dull grey.
For bifold doors to work well, the workers will need to engineer the material to highly accurate sizes and dimensions. In this aspect, aluminium bifold doors offer a greater degree of finished sized tolerance.
Bifold doors made of aluminium will typically feature the slimmest frames and offer the slimmest sight lines. This allows for the glass panels to be more on show.
Similarly, aluminium does not contract or expand much when subjected to temperature changes. This means that aluminium bifold doors will keep your house insulated more than doors made of other materials.
But, aluminium does conduct heat quickly. So, you will need a reasonably sized thermal break to offer superior levels of thermal performance.
Aluminium bifold doors also have the ability to bear the weight of glass more than other materials.
Aluminium bifold doors are maintenance-free too. This makes it a popular choice when considering the material for your bifold door.
In summary
The options are endless when it comes to interior bifold doors and windows.
You can choose from glass panel bifold doors or solid core bifold doors, wooden bifold doors and aluminium bifold doors.
The size of the opening for the bifold door or window is workable due to narrow and large bifold doors being available. Configurations are flexible enough for nearly any space. Manufacturers can supply 2 panel bifold doors, 3 panel bifold doors and more.
The higher the quality of the bifold door or window, the longer it will look good and last for years to come. The same goes for the workmanship put into the design and installation.
If you have any questions or would just like to chat about options, please give us a ring and we’ll be happy to help.