Bifold doors Vs sliding patio doors – which is best for homes in the South of England?

Written by Thom Emerson

The choice between bifold doors and sliding doors can be a tricky one when wanting to make the right decision for your home. It is ultimately personal preference and budget. Both bifold and sliding doors have a great balance of inside and outside space, providing natural light, and can create a beautiful home aesthetic. Bifold doors and sliding doors do operate differently so which one is right for you?

Let’s look at the different considerations you should think about when investing in sliding doors or bifolds.

What is the main difference between sliding doors and bifold doors?

When you are looking into installing a bifolding door or a glass sliding door in your property, it’s essential to understand the differences.

Bifold and sliding doors have a great range of benefits, but the external doors you choose will mainly focus on the needs of your home and the available space.

What are the benefits of bifold doors?

Bifold doors are commonly made up of at least two or more door leaves and fold back, when opened, against themselves in a concertina effect. The door panels in bifolds are connected by hinges and run along a top and bottom track.

Bifold doors can open an entire entranceway, helping bring inside and outside of your home together, creating an open-plan home. Bifold doors are an accessible entrance between your home and garden without sliding back all the doors.

Pros of bifold doors

• Available in aluminium, uPVC, and timber frames
• Low threshold doorways
• Can be fully opened to connect indoors and outdoors effortlessly
• Open outwards or inwards
• Can increase your home’s value
• Traffic and access door options available
• Wide range of configurations and options
• Can work in large or small entranceways
• Flexibility in style
• Super low weather-rated thresholds
• Seamless transition between indoors and outdoors
• Great visibility
• Range of materials and finishes available
• Available with both double and triple-glazing options

What are the benefits of sliding doors?

Sliding doors are made of two or more large panes of glass which move to the side, and the panes sit behind each other.

These doors provide the closest thing to uninterrupted views and are ideal for large openings. Sliding doors allow you to enjoy the natural daylight and panoramic views as much as possible. However, unlike a bifolding door, they commonly don’t provide a complete opening as the sliding doors design stack back against each other, so one door pane is always noticeable.

A sliding door system can also be a fantastic choice for homeowners with limited space as they don’t need as much room to open as bifold doors.

Pros of sliding doors

• Large glass panels provide unobstructed views whether doors are open or shut
• Available in aluminium, uPVC, and timber
• Slim sightline frames
• Take up the least amount of space when open compared to bifold doors
• Large panels for optimum views
• Slim aluminium frame provides thin sightlines
• Sleek, modern style
• Super low weather rated thresholds
• Top-quality thermal efficiency
• Superior security
• Available with both double and triple glazing options

Are sliding or bifold doors better?

We created a quick comparison table of a sliding door and bifold door so you can see how these door types could benefit you and your home.

What is the main difference between sliding doors and bifold doors?

When you are looking into installing a bi-folding door or a patio sliding door in your property, it’s essential to understand the differences.

Bifold and sliding glass doors have a vast range of benefits, but the external door you choose will mainly focus on the needs of your home and the available space.

How to choose between bi-fold or sliding patio doors?

Two significant differences between bi-folding and sliding doors may also influence which door type is best for you.

The multiple-panel nature of bi-folding doors means more visible door panels and frame profiles. So, whilst a bifold fully opens up in the summer, you’ve got smaller glass sizes, and more frame materials on show with the doors closed most of the year.

Sliding doors differ. No other door provides large glass sizes up to three metres wide or more. The benefit of these large glass sizes is better views of the outside and, in some cases, one central, visible frame profile.

Therefore, sliding doors are best if large glass panels are lighter and have a cleaner look through the door.

The advantage of bi-folding doors is in smaller homes and gardens. The fully opening nature creates an illusion of more space, so this, too, maybe a consideration.

The other consideration, as well as glass sizes and visible frames, is the thickness of the frame material itself, especially with closed doors.

Sliding and Bifold doors in Hampshire

Ideal Windows has many years of experience installing high-quality home improvements for Hampshire homeowners.

We have showrooms in Fareham and Chichester where you can see our quality windows, doors, and conservatories.

Speak with our expert team, who can help you with any questions. Call us on 0800 7318761 or use our online form for more information.