Northwest Bifolds are your specialist aluminium door suppliers, providing a quality range of bifolding and sliding doors. If you are trying to choose between a bifold or sliding patio doors we are here to help.
Bifolding doors remain a hugely popular product, but sliding doors are once again finding a new niche market. The modern aluminium sliding door has advanced significantly from the patio doors of old. There are still many great reasons to think about a sliding door. In some cases a sliding door may even be better for you than a folding door.
Our Reynaers CP130 is an excellent example of how the modern sliding door can provide stunning glass doors and panoramic glass doors in the home. There are other excellent sliding doors to choose from too.
Advantages of a sliding door.
Sliding doors are available as an inline door, sliding within its frame, or as a lift and slide door. Lift and slide doors provide more opening flexibility and optional ventilation. Other advantages of aluminium sliding doors are:
- Even slimmer than before, with the middle interlock as thin as 25-30mm with some products.
- Sliding doors can now completely disappear into a wall, opening up your room more than a bifold.
- Sliding doors can accept bigger glass than a bifold, creating spectacular views.
- Even the heaviest large sliding doors are effortless to open. They can even open automatically.
- Sliding doors can be provided as a cornerless solution just like a bifold.
- Sliding doors can have the same flush threshold as a bifolding door.
When to consider a sliding door for your home.
If you are trying to decide between a bifold or sliding patio doors, the type of property, the type of view and your own preference on how you will use your door are important factors.
If your property has more than one reception room or more than one access into your garden, sliding doors might work better. If you live in a smaller property with a small outside space, bifolding doors will open up this space better. However, if you are lucky to have a home with countryside views or a large garden, a sliding door makes the most of these views when the doors are shut.
We are finding that sliding doors are more popular in properties enjoying a more rural location, large gardens, better views and simply when they want as much glass as possible to look through.
Both sliding and folding doors are perfect for the modern home extension. Security is excellent; weather performance is exceptional, and energy efficiency is optimum.
It is the large glass panels, the 3 metre or more widths of a sliding panel and the impressive heights that make sliding doors better than bifolding doors. You benefit from less visible aluminium as well, especially when the doors are closed.
The only consideration with sliding doors is that they won’t fully open up like a bifolding door (unless they slide into a wall), however it’s the trade off between how you use your doors all year round and not just the summer, you’ll need to consider.
Northwest Bifold provide a range of sliding doors whatever your budget, design or property style. Contact us today to view our products and for a free, no-obligation quotation.