Bifold Doors

Customers Often Ask:

• How much are bifold doors?

  It depends on various factors, so there is no straight answer to this question, aluminium bifolding doors cost more than uPVC doors. The size of the bifold doors you install, the number of panels, the type of glazing used, whether single, double, or triple glazed, and the materials used for the frames will all dictate the cost, among other factors.

  You will want to look at styles and designs that you like and start pricing up your bi-fold doors so that you can see the cost of the various options. You can see whether you can afford triple-glazed windows and compare the cost of the aluminium, wooden, or composite bifold door frames.

  Speak to the experts at Bifold Shop and arrange a quote for your preferred aluminium bifold doors and get a cost customised to your precise requirements. You can also get answers to any questions you might have and see options you may not have considered for your home.

• How to fit bifold doors?

  It is a relatively simple task to fit smaller bifold doors that fit in an existing opening, but the task can become more complicated if you are opening up your home and removing walls to install aluminium bifolds. It does take some skill to fit bifold doors well, and the process is as follows.

  Prepare the opening: You will need to prepare the opening for your bifold doors and ensure that it is the correct size for the ordered frames. You may need to widen the opening in the home, which will involve removing brickwork and ensuring it is wide enough for the frame to fit.

  Assemble the frame: You will need to assemble the door frame for your aluminium bi-fold doors, but you will not want to install the windowpanes, which will make it much heavier.

  Install the door frames: You will need to install the door frames and connect them to the surrounding brickwork, ensuring it is sealed and there are no gaps.

  Install the glass: You can now install the glass to the bi-fold doors and ensure that they are fully functional and work as they should.

  However, a much easier way to install beautiful aluminium bi folding doors to your property is to contact Bifold Shop today. Our in house installation team can ensure that the process is seamless, with little disruption to your day.

• How to adjust bifold doors?

  You may find that your aluminium bifold doors move slightly, and when this happens, you will need to adjust them to ensure they run smoothly. Begin by opening and closing your bifolding doors so you can isolate where the problem is. If there is a binding with the door jamb or it is not sitting correctly in the opening, your bifold door may require some horizontal adjustment.

  You can use an Allen key to adjust the hinges of the aluminium bi-folding doors at the sill or the threshold, and you can also adjust the hinges in the tracks if required. You will need to play around with it and experiment by sliding your bi-fold doors open until they operate smoothly.

  If your bifold doors are dragging or they drop out of the track, you will need to adjust their height using the hinge bolts in the doors themselves. You can lower the doors by pushing the bolt lower, and when you extend the bolt, it raises the height. You can play around to get the balance correct, but all Bifold Shop aluminium bifold doors come with a ten-year warranty, so if you buy them from us, we will fix them for you.

• How do bifold doors work?

  Installing aluminium bifolding doors to your home is an excellent way of increasing the natural light in your home and can create an impressive space when opened. Some homes open almost an entire corner of their property when doors are installed, so aluminium bifold doors can dramatically impact your home's look and feel.

  Bifold doors work using the concertina principle, similar to the bellows on an accordion. The sliding windowpanes run in a track in the door, so the windows can be turned 90 degrees and slid to one side, opening up a large area of your home to the outside.

  There is a track in the floor and the ceiling for the aluminium bi-folding doors to slide along. The profile of the bifold door track can be recessed into the floor so nobody will trip over it, and when closed, they will not let in draughts. Contact Bifold Shop today; we can show you what options are available and give you more details about how bifold doors work.

• Are bifold doors secure?

  You would be wrong to think that because bifold doors can be opened and closed so easily, they are simple for thieves to break into, but this would be an incorrect conclusion. A traditional back door in a garden can often be kicked or prised open using basic tools. However, high-quality wood, composite, or aluminium bi-fold doors can be tough to break into for burglars and can increase your home security.

  Depending on the style and design of the bifold doors you choose for your property, many of them feature multiple locking points on the doors. You cannot simply lift the bi-fold doors out of the track either, as they are connected to a gear within the track made using hardened steel.

  The glazing for your bifolding doors can also add to the security of your property, and you can consider installing toughened safety glass suitable for domestic properties. You cannot move the bifolding doors, cannot lift them out, and cannot smash the glass to break in, so burglars will often move to a much easier target. Contact Bifold Shop today and see how we can help secure your home with high-quality aluminium bi-folding doors.

• Do exterior bifold doors need planning permission?

  Whether you need to get planning permission to install bifolding doors on your property will depend on various things. You may need to approach your local planning office for permission to build if you are planning a large extension with bifolding doors, have a new build property, change the building use, or it is the first time the property has had bifolding doors installed.

  You will need to check with the local council whether you require planning permission or not, and if you do, the process often takes around eight weeks to complete before you receive permission to build. If you have a listed building or live in an area of outstanding beauty, restrictions may apply.

  All the aluminium bifold doors from Bifold Shop are made to meet regulations, and we can give you an idea of the planning restrictions in your area, but you will still need to confirm with the local council.

• Are bifold doors energy efficient?

  Bi-folding Aluminium doors and ones made using other materials can be highly energy efficient, but you must ensure that you purchase high-quality doors from a reputable company, such as Bifold Shop. You will need to ensure that the frames are tightly sealed when installed, and no gaps are letting in draughts, but it is the windowpanes that you need to pay attention to as these dictate the thermal efficiency of your bifolding doors.

  The thermal efficiency of your bifold doors is governed by the quality of the windowpanes you use in them, and you will want to choose the best ones you can afford for your property. It is worth stretching your budget and opting for triple-glazed doors, which are much more thermally efficient than single or double-glazed units.

  When selecting the glazing for your bifold doors, you must look at the U-Value of the windowpanes. Most bifold door manufacturers advertise the U-Value of their products, and you are looking for ones with the lowest number value, which will use less energy to heat your home. Bifold Shop has a wide selection of aluminium bi-folding doors that are all thermally efficient and come with a ten-year warranty on the frames and installation.

• What are composite bifold doors?

  When looking for the best quality and most thermally efficient bifold doors for your property, consider getting composite bifolding doors. These are an investment for your home that can improve its thermal efficiency and reduce the energy needed to keep you and your family comfortable. They also look fantastic, are simple to maintain, are available in various colours, and can last for as many as 30 years or more.

  Composite bifold doors have an aluminium façade that is exposed to the elements. Aluminium bifold doors are highly weather resistant, and their colour does not fade. The internal part of the bifolding doors is made using wood, which has excellent thermal properties, and as it is protected from the elements, it will not rot or warp.

  The colours of your doors will not fade in the sunlight, and when you need to clean them, all you require is some water and a soft cloth, and they will be back to looking like new. Whether you want to install composite bifolding doors or aluminium bifold doors to your property, Bifold Shop is the name you can trust to do a fantastic job and install a quality product.