While often considered to be a modern-day marvel, the humble bifold door has actually been around since Roman times – albeit smoother, sleeker and more energy-efficient. These days, bifold doors are popular with renovations, property updates, and extensions and have become a steadfast staple for many Australian homes.
Providing a simple way to open up your home and blur the boundaries between indoors and out – bi-fold doors are a great choice for anyone looking to increase their living space, boost aesthetic appeal, and add a little more value to their property. With a great range of bifold doors made from quality Australian-sourced materials, our bifold doors are sure to meet your needs. Bifolds can be made from a variety of materials, including timber, aluminium, and uPVC.
If you’re thinking about updating your property by adding a modern touch to your living spaces, here’s everything you need to know about bifold doors.
What Exactly Are Bifold Doors?
In simple terms, bifold doors are basically two doors that fold together in a concertina pattern, creating a wider, space-saving opening. While typically made of timber or aluminium, bifold doors can be found in a variety of materials and sizes. Often seen as a superior alternative to French Doors, bifold doors are increasingly becoming the go-to option for many homes and businesses.
The Benefits of Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are becoming increasingly popular as a modern, stylish solution for creating an indoor/outdoor living area. At Wideline Windows and Doors, we are proud to offer high-quality timber bifold doors that provide superior quality and long-lasting durability. With bi-folds, you can easily open up the full width of your doorway or window space, connecting your interior with the outside world while still maintaining privacy when needed. Bifolds also come with several other benefits such as:
- Improved lighting: bifold doors allow natural light to pour into your home, brightening up dark spaces and improving overall ambiance. Taking advantage of natural light during the day can help to reduce costs associated with artificial lighting.
- Increased ventilation: bifolds offer superior airflow control compared to regular sliding doors – this helps keep rooms cool in summer and warm in winter
- Space saving: bifolds help you maximise the available space by providing an easy, one-touch option for opening up your doorway or window. This also helps create a more spacious feel to your home.
- Safety: Bifold doors are designed with safety in mind. Their strong locking mechanisms help to ensure the privacy and security of your home. When closed correctly, they provide an effective barrier against the elements and potential intruders. Plus, with the panes of glass that make up a bifold door, you can easily keep an eye on what’s going on outside your home without compromising security.
- Aesthetics: One of the best things about bifold doors is their ability to add style and sophistication to any room. With their elegant design and wide range of colours and finishes, they are sure to enhance the look of your home both inside and out. Bifold doors also create a more open feeling in rooms by allowing for larger views of the outdoors or other spaces within your home .
While many bifolds are manufactured using aluminium and uPVC, our timber bifold doors are made from high-grade timber material and come with a number of customisation options such as different sizes, style variations and hardware finishes – so you can find something that fits perfectly into your home’s existing décor.
Where to Use Bifold Doors
Whether you prefer aluminium, or timber bifold doors, placement is everything. Bifold doors can be used in a variety of locations throughout your property, giving you more space, light, and those all-important views. So to boost your door planning juices, here’s a little bit of inspo to help you.
Garden Access Wall: Bifold doors are the perfect way to expand your living space, allowing for easy access to your patio or terrace. Not only do they look great, but when professionally installed, they will flood the room with plenty of natural light, offering a seamless transition between indoors and out.
Kitchen/Dining: When it comes to maximising property value and streamlining its layout, many homeowners are now opting for bifold doors to separate their kitchen and dining area. Not only do these create inviting spaces that allow you to cook up family meals and entertain guests, but they let you close off the two separate areas with the closing of the doors. No need for expensive and time-consuming false walls.
Home Office: Recent changes in the ways that people work has seen the once flailing home office rise from the ashes like a phoenix. Unfortunately, many homes lack free rooms to create a home office, which is where bifolds come into play. Close off one end of a room with easy-to-open doors and you have instant office space. Not only do bifold doors look great, they also create some much needed privacy when jumping on important video calls.
Sunrooms: Bifold doors are a great way to open up your sunroom into your home. After all, why let all of that precious light and warmth go to waste with a single door when you can connect home and sunroom with bifolds. Choose from timber or aluminium frames, depending on your preference, for a stylish and secure way to access this popular feature room within your home.
How To Clean & Maintain Bifold Doors
Like all other types of doors, bifold doors require regular cleaning and maintenance in order to look their best and function properly. If you decide to have them installed, here’s how to keep your bifold doors looking great all year long:
- Start by wiping down the door frame with a damp cloth or sponge, paying extra attention to areas where dirt tends to accumulate such as the hinges and edges.
- Next, clean the panels with a mild soap and water solution. Make sure to rinse off all of the soap residue so that it does not leave streaks or smears on the surface.
- Once dry, inspect all of the moving parts of the bifold door, such as hinges and tracks. Remove any debris that has accumulated in these areas with a soft brush or vacuum cleaner attachment.
- If there are any worn-out or loose components, they should be replaced with new ones to ensure proper functioning.
- Apply a thin layer of lubricant to all moving parts of the door. This will help them to work properly and reduce friction and wear over time.
- Finally, clean the glass panels with a general purpose glass cleaner, making sure to remove any streaks or smears. If your bifold door has any decorative hardware, such as knobs or handles, take the time to polish these as well.
Where to Buy Bifold Doors
With over 50 years of hands-on experience within the window and door industry, we know our bifolds. Our practical and stylish timber bifold doors are the perfect solution for those seeking free-flowing access indoors and out.
From custom sizing to professional fitting, enjoy exceptional service from start to finish, no matter the size of your order. To view our bi-fold doors on display, visit a showroom near you or explore the range online.
