Bifold vs sliding. Which doors are for me?

You know your patio doors need an update, but will it be bifold or sliding next? Both door types create a focal point for your home, allowing great expanses of light to flood inside and providing a seamless connection to the outside.

Both bifold doors and sliding doors have similar benefits, but the main difference is how they operate. Here is the Bowalker Doors breakdown on which one will work best for you.

Bifold doors

Bifold doors fold back against themselves in a concertina style. A key advantage of this door type is they fold up against one side to create a large opening to your garden, and there are plenty of configuration options, so you’ll be sure to find the right fit for your home. You don’t need to have the biggest of openings to benefit from bifold doors, but just make sure there’s enough space to stack the panes inside or outside of your home.

At Bowalker, our aluminium bifold doors are available in panel sizes up to 2500mm x 1000mm. We also offer aïr 800 bifold doors, which are available in sizes 1200mm x 3000mm.

Sliding doors

Sliding patio doors sit behind one another to create an opening to the outdoors. Choose from two, three, or four panes, and a dual or triple track to fit the space you have. This door type won’t provide you with a full opening as they slide behind each other when open, so one panel is always visible. Sliding doors are a great choice if you’re short of room, as they don’t steal space from the inside or outside of your home.

Thermal efficiency

Both our bifold doors and sliding doors offer exceptional thermal efficiency. Our bifold doors have U values as low as 1.5 W/m²K, and the aïr 800 bifold doors have U values as low 1.4 W/m²K.

Our sliding doors are available in double or triple glazing with modern thermal breaks to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. At Bowalker, we have aïr Lift & Slide doors available with U values from 1.38 W/m²K.

Slim sightlines

Bifold and sliding doors both offer incredible views to your garden when opened and closed. But some have better sightlines when closed than others. Bowalker bifold doors have sightlines as slim as 132mm and the aïr 800 bifold doors have sightlines of 108mm.

Sliding doors do have a better glass-to-frame ratio, so if you’re top priority is to maximise views of your garden when the doors are closed, sliding doors may be your best option. The aïr Lift & Slide doors have interlock sightlines as slim as 48mm, ensuring you can enjoy the views of your garden all year round. As bifold doors tend to have more panes, the frames can interrupt your view, which is a key point consider when making your choice.

Why Bowalker Doors?

At Bowalker we strive to offer exceptional service at every point of your project, so whatever you need, don’t hesitate to ask! If you’ve made a decision on your new patio doors, request a quote today, or to talk through the doors that will work best for you, give us a call on 0800 881 5640 to speak to a member of our expert team.