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Original poster

Bifold doors or French doors?

31 replies

LostMyLastHatfulOfWords · 27/01/2022 14:52

Has anyone any experience that would help me choose?

I'm replacing a 1970s 'picture window' (large wide window with very low window ledge).

OP posts:
JustWonderingIfYou · 27/01/2022 15:01

Sliders!

MintJulia · 27/01/2022 15:03

Bi-folds are more in keeping with 1970s windows.

I went for French windows but my house is older with generally smaller windows.

foggygreyday · 27/01/2022 15:19

Sliders over bifolds. But if space is less than 2 meters go French doors.

JustJam4Tea · 27/01/2022 15:59

We went for sliding as wanted to keep floor space and we would hardly ever have them fully open. We open the doors a lot for cat etc so would have needed a separate door that did that and the opening just wasn’t wide enough. They look nice, big panes to view the disaster that is our garden after the builders left. Nice.

ReviewingTheSituation · 27/01/2022 16:31

We have bifolds and love them. We have space outside for them to open without compromising the patio. They've been in 12 years with no problems at all. Being able to open up the whole of the back of the house is just lovely, and we do it a lot (north facing garden in the midlands). The door at one end is openable to let the cat in/out and to go in/out of ourselves! It's a 3 pane opening.

mdh2020 · 27/01/2022 16:57

We replaced our double glazed sliders (which no longer slid) with french doors. The house is 100 years old so basically we’ve put back what was there originally and the room looks much nicer. We have a couple of small top windows which open if we want to get some fresh air but keep the room secure.

Africa2go · 27/01/2022 17:18

There have been quite a few threads about this, so it really depends on how you live and what your priorities are.

French doors - quite narrow usually so you might need 2 sets? Still leaves quite alot of wall blocking the view and don't really open up the space? Lovely for period properties.

Sliders - minimal frame so if your priority is lots of glass and unobstructed view, sliders are an option. Downside is that its a pay off between the number of panels you have and the size of the opening (so if you only have 2 panels, the size of the opening is only half of the width of glazing; 3 panels and the size of the opening is usually 2/3 of the width of glazing)

Bi-folds - ability to open up the whole width so if you intend to do this, bifolds are the answer. You do have more frame though than sliders which some people don't like, and especially on MN they're seen as a bit ubiquitous. Issue of space where they fold back and whether you want a traffic door.

LosingTheWill2022 · 27/01/2022 17:25

I have bifolds at the back of my small Victorian semi and absolutely love them. They open up the whole of the back of my house. Fabulous

MuggleStudiesResearchProject · 27/01/2022 17:50

I think we're going to go for French doors as our garden is South facing and will be too hot and bright in summer for my liking with more glass. We're all pretty sun sensitive in our house and often have curtains / blinds closed on sunny days, and I think French doors will feel more cosy in winter too. We're slightly overlooked so also more sense of privacy. I like the option of half opening windows at the sides so we can have them open without our dog getting into the garden. It probably won't look quite as spectacular but practicality wins for me.

foggygreyday · 27/01/2022 20:10

Exactly what @JustJam4Tea said! Except we have a dog instead of a cat Grin we chose 3 pane sliders so that we can leave it open 10 inches and the dog can come in and out. Yes you can open one door on bifolds but it can catch the wind and the whole door is open. Plus when you have bifolds fully open you have an ugly bit of dead space at the end where you just see the ends of the doors all next to each other. We have 5 meters of sliders split into 3 panes, can pull 2 panes back to have 2 thirds open which is still very open and doesn't spoil the look.

tootyfruitypickle · 27/01/2022 20:42

I had bifolds in my last house and they basically allow every single insect in the world into your house ! Now I have French doors with a fly screen. I'd like sliders when it's time to update them .
Also bifolds take up a lot of space as they fold out and are annoying when you get crap in the run.

outnumbered77 · 27/01/2022 20:43

We have swing and slide doors and love them. Fab alternative to bifolds.

custardbear · 27/01/2022 20:49

Don't k kw what my doors are exactly, but we have a corner bifold set. One door opens like a 'door' and we can also open the adjoining door, at the corner, to widen open space. They all (6panels, 3 each side) open fully by sliding them all back together - I love these doors they're awesome!

parkrunner1977 · 27/01/2022 21:09

Our last house had bifold doors, such a pain in the backside, would never have them again. House we moved to has french doors, so much better. Wouldn't but another house with bifold, I dislike them that much!

Mandyjack · 27/01/2022 21:43

A lot of people are now opting for sliders instead of bi folds

Concestor · 27/01/2022 21:53

I have bi-folds in the living room and French doors in the dining room which is next door. Both open to the back garden. I prefer the bi-folds
I wouldn't have sliding doors, you can't open the whole back up and they are so 1970s to my mind.

Mailys · 27/01/2022 22:08

We have french doors with a window either side. Absolutely love it, we think it looks more ornate than bi-folds. Also being in UK, so many times you want some air but to have a whole door open is too much so we just open the windows either side

BonnesVacances · 28/01/2022 10:52

@zurala

I have bi-folds in the living room and French doors in the dining room which is next door. Both open to the back garden. I prefer the bi-folds I wouldn't have sliding doors, you can't open the whole back up and they are so 1970s to my mind.
Are you thinking of patio doors? I imagine sliders to be sliding panes. The ones I've seen all slide one by one to the end and then pivot out like a door. So when open they look exactly the same as bifolds but only need the opening space at the end.
Africa2go · 28/01/2022 10:58

@bonnesvacances Sliders (in the main) are the updated version of 70s patios doors - they slide side to side. I think if you want them to pivot out, those as a different type, swing and slide as a pp has mentioned.

Greenbather · 28/01/2022 11:02

Don't understand the attraction of bi-folds, they are quite ugly looking. Think they will be falling out of fashion soon. They are the new conservatory.

Original poster
LostMyLastHatfulOfWords · 28/01/2022 14:14

Thank-you all for this!

The point about insects has been particularly helpful. (I do get eaten alive in summer.)

The house is odd. The 70s picture window was an addition to a 50s/60s house. The space will be enough for french doors in the middle and glass side panels on each side.

Bifolds look more difficult for getting in and out of when you don't want them fully open. I worry about them getting stuck too.

Do they get worse with wear on the working parts?

OP posts:
trunktoes · 28/01/2022 14:23

I have all of the above. I chose sliders for a room where a door width would be obstructive (I was also worried about the patio door thing but they are quite en Vogue again now. French doors are nice but the opening is small so only really suitable for smaller walls. The bifold a are my favourite a large opening bringing the outside in. Love them

trunktoes · 28/01/2022 14:24

On the getting in and out of bifolds we have on which is door width on one side so you can open like a door and then the rest slide to the other side so it's really flexible. If you just want to open a door and get out you have that option

Africa2go · 28/01/2022 14:26

We've had bifolds for 5 years, our priority was having the whole inside/outside thing and we have them open - mostly fully open - almost every day between April / September. Never, ever had a problem with insects!

In terms of the working parts, I guess you just have to make sure you use a reputable company and fitter. We had a handle replaced at the end of last summer as it had become stiff - think it cost about £70.

Citymum2one · 28/01/2022 17:43

We had bifolds put in our previous house when we extended the kitchen. Bought from a reputable company with good guarantee etc. They were nice in the summer when they worked and great for entertaining but often got stuck so when this happened had to call the company to come out and fix them which was a hassle. I also remember we got a bird visitor once when they were open, which was a bit stressful for all and a lot of wasps/bees/flies too. Looking back we didn't use them that much (prob for the reasons I've just given!).

We now have french doors and I much prefer them but the walls next to the doors have large windows so we get the garden view.