With many homeowners choosing to improve their home rather than move to a new one, upgrading, renovating and extending the home is very popular.
This is particularly the case in areas throughout the UK that are enjoying rising house prices. In these areas homeowners are weighing up the pros and cons of improving their existing home or buying a new one.
Often, when taking into consideration estate agent fees, stamp duty as well as other common associated costs, many are opting to carry out improvements to their homes. This has the advantage of making the property more sellable and adding value. Whilst of course making homes more pleasant to live in.
One very popular way of adding value and increasing living space is by building an extension. For several years the trend in home extensions is very much a light filled room with an open plan living arrangement.
Why bifolding doors are popular
But by far the most popular glazed product that is installed is the bifolding door.
Bifolding doors are one unique product that, compared to patio doors, provide a way of completely opening up an entire wall and provide seamless access to your outside space.
They are also very attractive, look set to remain in fashion for the foreseeable future and aided by home improvement television programmes and lifestyle shows have changed how we use our living spaces.
Therefore with bifolding doors now so popular and the benefits appreciated how do you choose from the many types of products available?
Purchasing Bifolding Doors doors can appear a complicated process. With different materials to choose from such as PVCu, timber and the more popular aluminium what should you consider if you’re in the market for a bifolding door?
Why buy a bifolding door?
Bifolding doors are versatile and flexible. Clever engineering and design now means they do much more than simply slide back in the summer.
One clever innovation with modern bifolding door products is that they can be used all year round. Design your bifolding doors with an access leaf and you can enjoy simple exit and entry without having to slide all the doors back every time.
What is best PVCu, Aluminium, Timber or Glass?
Each material has its place in the market. PVCu doors are great for those on a budget that simply require a bifolding door at the lowest possible price.
PVCu doors however provide very thick sight lines compared to aluminium and the doors when closed (as they are most of the year) can appear bulky. PVCu also expands 2.5 times more than aluminium. Professionals in the trade have historically stated that when it comes to bifolding doors aluminium is best, but that is changing.
Timber bifolds are ideal if you want the warm natural feel of wood. Again their sight lines will be thicker but timber bifolding doors also have their merits in the right property.
Glass Bifolding Doors or Frameless Bifolding Doors are a product you may not be aware of. These doors are a departure from traditional construction of doors where each door leaf has a perimeter frame.
Glass bifolding doors feature ultra slim top and bottom rails normally found in the glass door leaves used in many retail outlets and frameless glass doors and screens.
Between each door leaf is only glass along with a sophisticated slimline gasket ensuring weather resistance. There is no intermediate frame meaning when the doors are closed, you are enjoying better views having no aluminium framing in the vertical positions between each panel.
What colour should I choose for bifolding doors?
The sophisticated powder coating technology used in aluminium doors and windows now gives homeowners virtually unlimited colour choice including different colours inside and out.
It is also popular today for customers to choose white windows in their homes with contrasting colours on bifolding doors and french doors, such as grey or black.
Grey remains one of the most popular colours, but did you know that there are over 20 different shades of grey available?
With over 250 possible colours available in doors there is certainly choice. Our advice is to opt for the colour that will best suit your home, interior decor or any other factor important to you. There is nothing wrong with choosing bold vibrant colours such as yellow, red or blue either.
What about security on Bifolding Doors?
Quality bifolding doors will have been tested to the relevant standards.
The rear of the property is often the target area for opportune burglars as in many homes the back is hidden from view.
Door and window security is uppermost in the minds of homeowners and the expectation is that all doors and windows have to be secure.
Bifolding doors need to be particularly secure given their large glass panes and moving panels.
Even uur own frameless glass doors are independently tested to one of the highest standards in security – PAS24 2012. This enhanced security standard proves that our doors have been subjected to sustained and timed attacks and remained locked tight and secure.
We still achieve this high security test standard even though our doors have significantly less framing than any other typical aluminium bifolding door.
Try before buying bi folding doors.
Not all bifolding doors are the same so it makes sense to shop around and see what products are available.
What you will find in many typical double glazing showrooms is common makes of doors that are widely available.
Our own glass bifolding doors are significantly different from the many doors you will see. They are unique and benefit from all the advantages of aluminium bifolding doors but with virtually no frame other than at the head and sides.
Despite this lack of visible framing, our glass bifolding and sliding doors are highly secure and ultra weathertight.
If you are in the market for a bifolding door and wish to see a product that stands out from the mainstream, contact us for more information and prices.
