The benefits of aluminium bifold doors

Bifold doors remain a popular addition in the home, particularly for those who wish to create an open plan space, flood rooms with light, or invest in a space saving solution that blends in effortlessly with your existing surroundings.

In this article, we explain why aluminium bifold doors are a good addition for your extension, home renovation or new build project, how they can add value to your home, and the best bifold doors which can meet your needs.

Why choose SUNFLEX aluminium bifold doors?

Aluminium bifold doors, also known as folding or concertina doors, effortlessly blend in with both older and contemporary properties and remain a stylish feature that holds universal appeal. With their ability to completely open and connect inside and out, bifold doors create a unique focal point, and help full your home full of natural light.

With access to either aluminium or timber clad aluminium designs,  three track options and  an almost infinite range of sizes and configurations, SUNFLEX bifold doors provide up to a 95% clear opening, creating a wow factor in small or large apertures, with every set of doors custom made to the exact requirements of each and every project.

How much do bifold doors cost?

The cost of aluminium bifold doors will ultimately vary depending on a number of factors including the system you choose, the size of your bifold doors, your configuration and choice of glazing. SUNFLEX bifold doors are built with the highest standards of quality and performance, underpinned by over 20 years’ experience, making us industry leaders in the market.

What are the key features of aluminium bifold doors?

Best suited for smaller apertures (under 5m wide) aluminium bifold doors are ideal for being able to open up in summer, extending your living space out on to the patio. Whilst uPVC was once an option for bifold doors, the flexible nature of plastic as a material and relative lack of strength meant chunkier frames, less glass and more issues maintaining the doors in the long term,

At SUNFLEX, our aluminium bifold doors can be incorporated into new openings or used as a replacement to old timber or plastic doors. We look at some of the additional key benefits of aluminium bifold doors.

Thermally efficient

When looking for energy efficient bifold doors, it is important to look at the U-values, which demonstrate how well insulated your bifold doors will be throughout the year. The lower the U-value, the more thermally efficient your bifold doors are.

Our German designed bifold doors have set the standard for thermal efficiency for more than 35 years. Today the industry leading SF75eco offers unbeatable performance standards achieving U-values as low as just 0.8W/m²K† (based on a centre-pane of 0.5W/m²K) and are suitable for even the most rural or exposed coastal locations thanks to the systems’ advanced weather protection.

A fully tailored look

Aluminium bifold doors can be suited for both period properties and the latest in contemporary homes. For more traditional homes SUNFLEX timber-clad aluminium bifold doors are an ideal alternative to timber doors. The maintenance-free aluminium frames are designed with internal timber cladding that means from the inside the doors look like wooden framed system, ideal for matching the style of timber framed homes, whilst the external aluminium frames protect your home from the elements in the same way as our aluminium bifold doors do.

Like all SUNFLEX bifold doors the systems can be designed to open either inwards or outwards, and slide to the left, to the right or from the centre. Available in a range of RAL colours to suit your home, even the handles and hinges of the doors are colour matched to the frame of the doors to provide a stylish appearance.

A flexible space

A contemporary alternative to traditional French doors and patio doors, bifold doors can offer additional flexibility by completely opening up an aperture – more than 95% when the doors are fully stacked back. The inclusion of lots of glass helps to flood your home with light and further create the illusion of a larger space by breaking down the boundaries between inside and out. Bifold doors can even be used internally to create an open plan space, or create separate spaces, such as individual dining and living room areas.

Durable and long lasting

Previous generations of bifold doors saw uPVC and timber utilised for the frames however as folding door technology has moved on aluminium has quickly become the ‘go-to’ material for almost all bifold doors. Its innate strength, relatively lightweight nature and durability means that it is possible to create large panels with far less frame needed compared to other materials and it won’t warp, flex or expand like uPVC or wood. Aluminium as a material is not prone to rust so provides a maintenance free solution that ensures the doors continue to look and perform perfectly time after time, year after year.

Low maintenance

For ease of use, bifold doors can easily be operated, requiring minimal upkeep throughout the years. Available as bottom running systems, SUNFLEX bifold doors enable the weight of the doors to be supported by the running mechanisms at the base, rather than solely placing the weight from above, making them accessible for all the family.

Advanced protection

Catering to the diverse needs of our customers, one thing we can all agree on is that embedding robust security measures remains an essential part of investing in aluminium bifold doors that you can trust. Here at SUNFLEX UK, our bifold doors carry the prestigious Secured by Design™ award, which meet police security standards to ensure your home remains protected at all times. No matter whether your home is an older property or new build, our bifold doors also exceed the requirements of PAS 24:2016 testing to adhere to current Building Regulations when fitted with laminated glass, so you are in safe hands!

Find your bespoke bifold door with SUNFLEX UK

Whether you are looking for bifold doors which can provide space saving opportunities, open the corner of your home, or offer stunning panoramic views, discover how our bespoke bifold doors can transform your extension, renovation or new build project. You can search for your closest showroom using our postcode finder tool.