Is Our Love Affair With Bi-Fold Doors Over?
Do bi-fold doors justify their popularity, or should we be choosing a different way to open our homes to the garden?
Think rear extension, or boosting the house-to-garden connection, and a wall of folding doors pretty much pops into your brain unbidden, but should we be progressing to other solutions? Read on to assess the arguments for and against opting for bi-folds.
The alternative: Sliding doors.
Why they’re a contender: They’re super-sleek.
If indoor-outdoor living and seeing the garden from indoors is top of your list of priorities, the wide expanse of glazing and slim frame of a quality sliding door might be the answer. Here, two sets of sliding doors open this zinc-finished extension to the terrace and pond.
Why they’re a contender: They’re super-sleek.
If indoor-outdoor living and seeing the garden from indoors is top of your list of priorities, the wide expanse of glazing and slim frame of a quality sliding door might be the answer. Here, two sets of sliding doors open this zinc-finished extension to the terrace and pond.
Sliding doors work beautifully on multiple or single walls too, of course. These are tidily stacked to one side when open and both sets form a minimal presence when closed.
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The alternative: Pivoting doors.
Why they’re a contender: A hinge-free outlook.
A pivoting door usually turns through 90 degrees to open the interior to the exterior, creating views as well as a pleasant flow of air through the openings. They have slim frames, so once again you’re maximally connected to the garden even when they’re closed.
Why they’re a contender: A hinge-free outlook.
A pivoting door usually turns through 90 degrees to open the interior to the exterior, creating views as well as a pleasant flow of air through the openings. They have slim frames, so once again you’re maximally connected to the garden even when they’re closed.
Pivot doors work across both conventional surroundings and larger openings, such as this double-height space.
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The alternative: French doors.
Why they’re a contender:They’re a classic.
Bi-fold door fans who worry they won’t often open the doors fully might want to reacquaint themselves with the benefits of French doors. Modern framing materials mean they’re not just the traditional solution anymore, and access to the garden, light and air are all delivered, but with the option of having a little more privacy than with a wall of glazing.
Why they’re a contender:They’re a classic.
Bi-fold door fans who worry they won’t often open the doors fully might want to reacquaint themselves with the benefits of French doors. Modern framing materials mean they’re not just the traditional solution anymore, and access to the garden, light and air are all delivered, but with the option of having a little more privacy than with a wall of glazing.
The alternative: A glass wall.
Why it’s a contender: It’ll maximise your views.
If bi-fold doors appeal because appreciating your home’s surroundings and boosting light are the goals, perhaps a glass wall is, in fact, what you’re after. Here, frameless panels of glass are joined together with structural-grade silicone to create a frameless glass wall.
With as little a barrier as possible between the inside and out, this room has been simply furnished, with all the visual detail supplied by the amazing landscape.
Why it’s a contender: It’ll maximise your views.
If bi-fold doors appeal because appreciating your home’s surroundings and boosting light are the goals, perhaps a glass wall is, in fact, what you’re after. Here, frameless panels of glass are joined together with structural-grade silicone to create a frameless glass wall.
With as little a barrier as possible between the inside and out, this room has been simply furnished, with all the visual detail supplied by the amazing landscape.
So, is it truly over for bi-fold doors?
The alternatives are full of merit, but should we bid farewell to bi-folds? We’d love to know what you think of these five reasons for selecting them.
1. They make indoors and outdoors seamless
If you want more space, what better way to create it than with an entire wall that opens up, so house and outdoor space are a continuous area?
Here, the indoor/outdoor line is blurred further by the use of the same or very similar floor tiles in both spaces. Like the idea? Check with your tile supplier that your selection will stand up to garden temperatures and won’t become slippery in wet weather.
The alternatives are full of merit, but should we bid farewell to bi-folds? We’d love to know what you think of these five reasons for selecting them.
1. They make indoors and outdoors seamless
If you want more space, what better way to create it than with an entire wall that opens up, so house and outdoor space are a continuous area?
Here, the indoor/outdoor line is blurred further by the use of the same or very similar floor tiles in both spaces. Like the idea? Check with your tile supplier that your selection will stand up to garden temperatures and won’t become slippery in wet weather.
2. They get out of the way
Stacked to one side, bi-fold door panels are tidy once they’re open, so there’s nothing at all between you and the garden.
To repeat the success of this design, consider frame size – a bulky frame wouldn’t stack so neatly. Think about the panel sizes that will span the opening too, as narrower panels equal more to stack.
Stacked to one side, bi-fold door panels are tidy once they’re open, so there’s nothing at all between you and the garden.
To repeat the success of this design, consider frame size – a bulky frame wouldn’t stack so neatly. Think about the panel sizes that will span the opening too, as narrower panels equal more to stack.
3. They can open out a corner
It’s true that bi-folds aren’t the only way to pull off this trick, but, as this indoor-outdoor room shows, they’re an effective way to fully open two whole sides of a room. The track for the doors is flush to the floor here too, meaning inside and out are one when the bi-folds are open.
It’s worth bearing in mind that if bi-folds are in an exposed position, a completely flat threshold may not be weatherproof, but the upstand you’d then require need only be small to do its job.
See more amazing homes designed for indoor/outdoor living
It’s true that bi-folds aren’t the only way to pull off this trick, but, as this indoor-outdoor room shows, they’re an effective way to fully open two whole sides of a room. The track for the doors is flush to the floor here too, meaning inside and out are one when the bi-folds are open.
It’s worth bearing in mind that if bi-folds are in an exposed position, a completely flat threshold may not be weatherproof, but the upstand you’d then require need only be small to do its job.
See more amazing homes designed for indoor/outdoor living
4. They can be repeated inside
The bi-fold doors to the garden are echoed by internal bi-folds in this home. It’s a clever way to frame the views – from one room to the other and to the garden – and makes the interior feel harmonious. It’s also a reminder that interior bi-folds are handy for sub-dividing a room without losing that sense of openness, especially when the opening is large, as it is here.
The bi-fold doors to the garden are echoed by internal bi-folds in this home. It’s a clever way to frame the views – from one room to the other and to the garden – and makes the interior feel harmonious. It’s also a reminder that interior bi-folds are handy for sub-dividing a room without losing that sense of openness, especially when the opening is large, as it is here.
5. They can be great value
Let’s not forget that bi-folds equal a lot of glazing at a pretty good price compared to some of the other options. Where homes used to turn their backs to the garden, and access might be via a single door, they’ve brought us the opportunity to make more of indoor and outdoor space, even with extensions of quite modest proportions.
Let’s not forget that bi-folds equal a lot of glazing at a pretty good price compared to some of the other options. Where homes used to turn their backs to the garden, and access might be via a single door, they’ve brought us the opportunity to make more of indoor and outdoor space, even with extensions of quite modest proportions.
Your turn
Have bi-fold doors had their day? Or are they a brilliant solution for 21st-century living? Share your opinions in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more practical advice on selecting doors? Read up on How to Choose External Glass Doors for Style and Energy Smarts
Have bi-fold doors had their day? Or are they a brilliant solution for 21st-century living? Share your opinions in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more practical advice on selecting doors? Read up on How to Choose External Glass Doors for Style and Energy Smarts
The alternative: Black steel-framed doors.
Why they’re a contender: They’re good-lookers.
Steel-framed doors may have seen their heyday in the 1920s and 1930s, but they have a strongly contemporary appeal. Pick them and your garden doors will be a feature in themselves, not just a way to open out a space. Complement their sharp lines with streamlined kitchen cabinetry and modern furnishings, or use them alongside industrial-style features and furniture.