Bifold doors
Open the whole back of your house.
Bifold doors have become the defining feature of the modern London home. That shift is not just aesthetic. Bifold doors bring in more light, open up more space, and connect the house to the garden in a way that older door types simply cannot match. They suit the way people actually use their homes now, open plan, indoor-outdoor, light-filled. And with modern aluminium systems, they are thermally efficient, secure, and practically maintenance-free.
What is a bifold door?
A bifold door is an external door made up of multiple panels that fold back like a concertina. When you open it, the panels stack neatly to one side or split and stack to both sides, leaving a wide, clear opening.
Most aluminium bifold doors can open up to 90% of the total frame width. That means a 4-metre opening becomes almost entirely clear glass when the doors are folded back. No panel in the way. No obstruction between the house and the garden.
Bifold doors are most commonly fitted at the rear of the house, opening up a kitchen, dining room, or living room to a garden, terrace, or side return.
How bifold doors differ from other door types
Bifold doors vs sliding doors
A sliding door gives more glass when closed and a cleaner view year-round. A bifold door gives a wider open aperture in summer – up to 90% of the frame width opens, compared to around 50% on a sliding door. If maximum opening for summer entertaining is the priority, bifolds are the better choice.
Bifold doors vs French doors
French doors open outward on hinges and suit narrower openings, typically up to around 1.8 metres. Bifold doors suit much wider openings and give significantly more ventilation and light.
Bifold doors vs patio doors
A standard double glazed patio door has one fixed panel and one sliding panel. A bifold door folds the whole opening away. For anyone wanting to genuinely connect the house to the garden, rather than just access it, bifolds give a far more open result.
Bifold doors vs pivot doors
A pivot door is a single large panel that rotates on a pivot point, typically used as a front door statement piece. Bifold doors are the practical rear door choice where you want a wide opening across a large rear elevation.
Why aluminium bifold doors?
Aluminium is the most popular material for bifold doors in the UK:
The brands we work with
Bifold door colours and configurations
Panels
Two to seven panels. Two or three panels suit most openings up to around 4 metres wide. Four, five, or six panels suit wider rear elevations and are common on kitchen extensions and large rear ground-floor openings.
Opening direction
Panels can be configured to stack to the left, to the right, or split and fold to both sides. Traffic doors (a single leaf that opens independently without folding the whole set) are available on most systems.
Colours
Any RAL or BS colour in gloss, matt, or textured powder-coat. Black, anthracite grey, white, and grey remain the most popular choices on London projects. Dual-colour, different colour inside and out, is available on most systems.
Thresholds
Low-profile aluminium threshold as standard. Flush-fit available where the subfloor allows. Part M compliant thresholds fitted on new build and extension work.
Glass
Double glazing as standard. Triple glazing available on all premium systems. Acoustic glass for road-facing openings. Solar control glass for south or west-facing doors.
FAQ
A bifold door is made up of multiple panels that fold back like a concertina when opened. The panels stack to one or both sides of the frame, leaving a wide, near-unobstructed opening, typically up to 90% of the total frame width.
Two or three panels suit most openings up to around 4 metres. For wider openings, five, six or seven metres, four, five or six panels are more appropriate. We advise on configuration at the survey visit.
Bifold doors give a wider open aperture - up to 90% of the frame width. Sliding doors give more glass and a cleaner view when closed, and need no swing clearance. Which is better depends on whether your priority is summer opening or year-round light.
Yes. All systems we install are PAS 24 certified with multipoint locking, shoot bolts top and bottom, and Secured by Design compatible hardware as standard.
Yes. Triple glazing is available on all premium systems including Schüco, Origin, ALUK and Reynaers. It is worth specifying for north-facing or exposed openings.
Yes. All systems we install comply with current Part L (energy efficiency), Part M (accessibility) and Part Q (security) requirements. We handle any Building Control notifications needed.
Most residential bifold door installations take one day. Larger configurations or structural work may take two to three days.
A traffic door is a single leaf within the bifold set that opens independently on its own handle - without folding the whole set back. Useful as an everyday access door when you do not need the full opening.