8 benefits of bi-fold doors
Want to give your home the wow factor? Why not consider fitting bi-fold doors? Explore the benefits in our 8-point guide.
We've been opening our houses to the garden for years, often with patio doors or French doors. But is there an alternative?
Whether you're finishing an extension or looking to enhance your home's functionality without making major changes to its structure, bi-fold doors are a beautiful way to let the outside in.
These modern marvels create a seamless transition between house and garden. They provide your home with an all-important wow factor and – potentially – add value to your property.
(Though when your home looks this beautiful, you may never want to move again…)
What are bi-fold doors?
Bi-fold doors are comprised of multiple separate door panels laid out on a track system.
When opened, the panes fold outward to stack neatly on top of one another in a concertina pattern. Each panel slides and folds over the next before resting at the side of the door frame, creating an entirely open exit into your garden.
This clever design means they create a lot of space while only occupying a small area.
Bi-fold doors are easy to install – and you can have as many sections as necessary to cover the opening (between two and seven panes).
Are they just for outside access?
No. Bi-fold doors can also be fitted inside your home, creating a divide between two rooms or expanding it into one large space when needed.
Still not sold on the benefits of bi-folds? Here are eight more perks to consider.
1. They flood the room with light
It stands to reason that the larger the window, the more light can enter your home.
Bi-fold doors offer the ultimate in this regard. They stretch from floor to ceiling and wall to wall, allowing the maximum light possible while protecting you from the elements when necessary.
2. They're beautiful
Bi-fold doors bring a modern, open-plan aesthetic to your living space. They're gorgeous – and, better yet, they're customisable.
At Calder Windows, we currently offer bi-fold doors in 11 different colours and finishes – and with a choice of white or black hardware. This allows you to match your doors to your interior design.
Search "indoor/outdoor living" on sites like Pinterest or Instagram and you'll be inspired with hundreds of ideas on how to make the most of your new outdoor "room".
Which look would work best for you? To decide, consider the aesthetic you're aiming for and the age of your house.
For classic and contemporary styles, black, white and grey work well. However, in a period property, a traditional finish such as a natural wood effect or neutral shade may work better.
3. They make things not too cold and not too hot
Once upon a time, buildings were constructed with as few windows as possible to conserve heat.
But thanks to modern technology, today's glass is energy efficient. It can even help save you money on your energy bills.
Our bi-fold doors are no exception. They're built with superior seals along the door edges to ensure they're draught and weatherproof.
On the other hand, if it's excess heat you are worried about, ask the team at Calder Windows about Uni-Blinds.
These can be integrated at the installation stage or fitted into an existing frame, giving you full control over the levels of light and shade.
4. They create a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors
One lesson learnt during the COVID-19 crisis was how our homes impact our mental health.
Forced to stay home, people discovered the joy of gardening and the great outdoors. They built summer houses, decked out their patios with bars and pizza ovens and enjoyed creating a holiday-like atmosphere. And, as a bonus, we boosted our vitamin D levels in the process.
Brits are famous for complaining about the weather – but according to the Met Office, there are more than 1,300 sunshine hours in a year in the UK.
How do we make the most of those hours?
Bi-fold doors are one way to steal a little more sunshine. They're famous, after all, for creating a seamless transition between indoors and outdoors.
You can even enhance the effect with a matching floor. Many flooring companies offer choices that blur the lines from one area to the other, creating a beautiful, sleek and contemporary aesthetic.
A curated outdoor seating and dining area creates, in effect, another room. These garden spaces are ideal for relaxing as a family or as an entertainment area for barbecues and parties.
5. They're space-saving
Bi-fold doors often span the full length of a room. However, thanks to their concertina design, they actually take up very little space, opening up an uncluttered wall-length view of your garden.
At Calder Windows, we offer 17 possible configurations, available with inward and outward opening doors. A discussion with our team will pinpoint the design that works best for you.
6. They're easy to open
Despite their size, bi-fold doors are easy to open as they are designed to glide along their track.
Our doors have built-in four-rail aluminium roller tracks, allowing smooth and effortless movement.
7. They're secure
From a security point of view, the rear of a house is the most vulnerable. However, with the right measures and precautions, bi-fold doors can be one of the most secure options.
Our bi-fold doors feature multi-point locking systems, making them more secure than a standard door.
And that's not all. They're also supplied with toughened glass, a high-security Yale lock and an anti-jarring pin enclosed within the roller track. This means the door can't be removed from the outside.
8. They're easy to look after
Despite the expanse of glass, bi-fold doors are easy to keep clean – and with a yearly service to lubricate the locks and wipe down the frames, they'll stay in peak condition.
Calder Windows' bi-fold doors have unique D-shaped interior handles with an intelligent anti-mishandling feature that stops the shoot bolt from scraping the floor. This helps to protect the bolts from damage.
Calder Windows is an experienced bi-fold door supplier based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire.
If you want quality at an affordable price, give our team a call today. Or why not pop into our showroom to see our huge range of colours and designs? We'd be happy to discuss which bi-fold door configuration is best suited to your home.
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