Bifold door opening options explained

When planning bifolding doors for a new extension or for an existing opening, the bifold door opening options available all provide a different look and user experience for your trade or end-user clients.

For buildings looking to buy direct or for homeowners wanting more information here is a guide to the various bifolding door options available with our leading folding sliding door system using the Alutech extrusions, made by Trueglide. Or you can choose the Origin brand, also available in similar styles.

Why your choice of bifolding door opening options matter

four panel door showing bifolding door opening options
Choosing the right bifolding door opening options gives a better experience.

The folding direction, opening in or out, or the way the panels slide and fold all affect how the end user lives with the bifold day-to-day. With many bifold doors being the main door out to the garden, getting the configuration right avoids costly mistakes or an unhappy customer.

Configure a bifold opening inwards and it’s worth knowing that the panels will take up space in the room. For smaller patio areas, choosing wider door panels will take up more space there with all the bifold doors stacked together.

Choosing the right opening direction the first time avoids making the door inflexible should patio furniture be moved or design changes made to the garden.

In addition to choosing the right folding and opening direction, bifold doors from Trueglide also come with other design and customisation options.

  • The sizes required
  • Choosing the RAL colour from over 150 different shades
  • Whether double or triple glazed
  • A standard or low threshold
  • Choosing the handle and hardware colours, matching or contrasting

Here are the bifold door opening options available with a quality door system

Here are the popular configurations for door opening options, demonstrating just how versatile this product can be for any property project.

Single and Double Doors

Using folding sliding door panels, you can create single or double hinged doors. These work just like a regular residential door on a property.

Two Panel Bifolding doors.

By their nature, two panel folding sliding doors only concertina together in one direction. This is a popular option for smaller openings and where the doors aren’t a main garden access door.

Three Panel Bifolding doors.

For most opening sizes, the three-panel bifold provides one of the easiest to live with solutions. The addition of an access leaf without folding the panels back makes three panel bifolds one of the most functional bifold door opening options. This configuration is available with our slimline or standard bifold range.

Four panel bifolding doors

It’s usually the case that an even number of panels is chosen to fold in one direction only. Four panel doors can fold together inside the room or outside to the patio. Traffic doors are also available hinged on the mullion rather than the frame and moving with the other three doors. If you want French doors in the middle, four panel doors create a look of doors with side panels when closed.

Five panel bifolding doors

As you get to larger door sets such as five panel, you get more opening options. All the panels can fold together or you can split them unequally, three folding on one side and two on the other.

Six panel bifolding doors

Another of our bifolding door opening options for even larger new or existing apertures is six panels, available to split equally or unequally and also coming with a traffic door. Remember the more panels you have the thicker the stack of door panels all folded together.

Seven panel bifolding doors

Want an even larger bifolding door set? Seven panels provide the better functionality of an odd number of doors and these come in many different bifolding door opening options. The panels can fold together, split in any uneven configuration and of course, come with a traffic door.

Fixed and open corner bifold doors

corner bifold doors fully open with garden views

The fixed or open corner bifold door design gives a property a new dimension. Both our Origin and Alutech bifolds are available in the fixed or open corner design giving you more glass, more light and better views.

More information on bifold door opening options and designs

Specialising in the trade supply of quality folding sliding doors for builders, property professionals or homeowners wanting to buy direct. Contact us today for information about choosing the best possible folding sliding door solution.

Our doors are perfect for the replacement of dated patio doors or a new build opening. All come with a choice of colours, bifolding door opening options, a range of glass, handle colours and at fast lead times. Get a free quote today.