Folding doors create an airy ambience in any home, giving it an open feel. Their varied configuration options, angle adjustments, and hardware choices allow you to tailor them specifically to the feel and design of any given space.
Bi-fold doors allow maximum sunlight into indoor areas when closed, creating brighter and happier living environments while saving on electricity bills.
Aesthetics
Folding doors come in various designs, materials and finishes that can match any home design scheme. Custom made models may even be created specifically to meet the layout of an open concept living space – helping separate areas without blocking natural light or diminishing sense of space. These versatile doors make a statement without blocking off natural light!
Folding doors allow seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor living spaces, making them an excellent choice for modern homes. Furthermore, folding door systems require less maintenance compared to hinged ones which helps lower energy costs over time.
Larger folding door systems, also referred to as wall systems or bifold door systems, are suitable for larger homes and create seamless transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces. Featuring high-quality rolling hardware and robust panel and frame designs that create impressive openings while being both visually and functionally appealing, larger folding doors also help lower energy consumption costs, an essential feature given that energy costs continue to skyrocket. Insulation benefits are another plus factor, especially as energy costs continue to escalate.
Flexibility
Folding doors create large openings with unobstructed views, seamlessly transitioning indoor and outdoor spaces, making living areas accessible, and are great for entertaining purposes.
Bifolding doors not only look and function beautifully, they’re also more secure than other options thanks to a hidden inline track and multi-point locking system which makes it difficult for intruders to lift them out of place.
Though some might consider folding doors a modern trend designed by innovative engineers, they’ve been around since antiquity! Archaeological excavations in Pompeii reveal that Romans used bi-fold doors in their homes. Modern designs of folding doors have given them a sleek and sophisticated appearance that homeowners and architects appreciate; some jurisdictions even require site built folding doors be lab tested according to NAFS-08 in order to control air leakage, wind load resistance, and avoid water penetration.
Energy efficiency
As green incentives and regulations increase, homeowners are looking for energy efficiency solutions to cut their energy bills. One such way is bi-fold doors which connect indoor and outdoor spaces while still allowing natural light into your home – one such example would be bi-folds which act like doorways between them and allow light into both.
Most quality bifold doors are typically constructed from aluminium, which is an extremely recyclable material and less likely to sustain damage from repeated usage than materials such as uPVC.
Many bi-fold doors come equipped with polyamide thermal breaks to reduce thermal energy loss while maintaining structural integrity, helping keep your home warm in winter and cool in summer while decreasing artificial heating/cooling needs. This keeps your family warm in winter while saving on heating/cooling bills in summer months.
Safety
Folding doors are an excellent solution for spaces that experience high foot traffic. In these instances, doors must function efficiently while offering safety without compromising aesthetics. A door guide can be added as part of the folding door system to help ensure smooth and safe operation, especially in high-traffic areas.
Bi-folding doors constructed to the British standard ‘Secure by Design’ come equipped with premium hinges and an eight-point locking system, meeting police recommendations for security. In addition, these alarm sensors can be linked directly to smart home devices for extra peace of mind and protection.
Building codes may exempt site-built products from NAFS standards due to lab testing being impractical. However, large bifold wall systems that occupy whole walls seamlessly transitioning indoors to outdoors still must comply. Large folding doors such as these movable glass wall systems can achieve NAFS Performance Grade ratings for water penetration resistance and Canadian air infiltration/exfiltration resistance.
