Bi-fold Doors, Sliding Doors and French Doors: Which option is best for me and my home?

If you want to open up your home and create a seamless connection between a home and garden, bi-fold doors, sliding doors and French doors are a fantastic choice. Whether you choose a hinged, sliding, folding or stacked door, you will receive a high quality installation that comes with a range of unique benefits.

What is the best door for my home?

The style or era of your home will affect whether your choice bi-fold doors, sliding doors or French doors. You need to consider with you are replacing an existing set of doors, modernising your space, or adding something that seamless fits in with your existing architecture.

There is more flexibility with bifolding and sliding doors, than French profiles. If it is a new installation, you have full control over the size of the opening. If you have an existing opening that needs a new door, you’re limited by the size you have.

Also, consider how you use your door. Will it stay open or close all year round or will it be open wide. Do you need an accessible installation or a traffic door? It is important to think about your lifestyle before picking a new door.

French doors generally suit more traditional properties and heritage homes. They can be adapted with features like sash windows and Georgian accessories for truly timeless aesthetics. Bi-fold and sliding doors are more associated with newer architecture but can be adapted to more traditional designs. Our profiles come with a range of customisation options, allowing you to make your new door look as modern or traditional as you want.

What is best replacement door?

Are you replacing your old back doors? French doors, sliding doors or bifolding doors come in a range of configurations for smaller and larger doorways.

If your door aperture is around two metres wide, then French doors are the best solution. Two panel sliding doors also work for smaller openings. Sliding patio doors with only 2 panels will allow homeowners to have a half open door effect, Bi-fold doors aren’t always best solution because they work best with 3 panels or more, although you can use 2.

For opening sizes above two metres to around four metres, bi-fold, sliding and French doors are all suitable. Sliding doors come with the most expansive panes of glazing. With either two panel or three panel doors, they offer either one or two visible vertical mullions. This allows homeowners to create a wall of glass with just one thin middle mullion.

For French doors in openings between two and four metres, double doors with one or two side panels are the best solution. For medium size openings, French doors will give homeowners almost fully clear entry when opened up. Any opening over four meters can work with any of these door designs.

One possible drawback of installing a bi-fold door is that they take up more space than sliding doors or French door when opened. A bifold door usually needs 1 metre of clearance in order to operate which may cause issues when it comes to furniture a space. Consider this when choosing the right double glazing to install into your home.

Improve Views Within Your Home

Bi-folding doors feature multiple leaves that concertina back to totally open up the aperture. Sliding patio doors are slightly less opening, as two or more panels of glazing sliding behind each other. Traditional French profiles feature two door that opens out into your garden, patio or outside space.

All three door designs commonly used for back doors offer an enhanced view when compared to alternatives on the market. Sliding and bi-fold doors will deliver enhanced views in comparison to French profiles.

Both bi-fold doors and sliding doors can replace an entire wall of your home with high grade double glazing, creating stunning views of your outside space. There are pros and cons to installing both folding and sliding doors when it comes to the view.

Bi-fold doors are created using a range of different door leafs and although these frames are narrow, the views can be disrupted when not open. If you want to enjoy a brighter room, even with the doors closed, folding profiles are not the right solution for you. Sliding doors will offer an interrupted view even when fully open, unlike French or bi-fold fold doors.

Sliding doors offer a greater degree of control in how they are opened. If you just want to create a slight opening for fresh air or ventilation, sliding doors have made it fuss free.

You can use our free online design tool to create your perfect door installation and get a quick and instant quote. To find out more about our doors and which is the best for you, get in touch with us today.