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Original poster

Are bifold doors worth it?

80 replies

BiscuitLover3678 · 11/04/2022 18:53

We’re getting an extension with dining/family room being added on to our current kitchen and looking out at the garden.

I know bifold doors are very ‘in’ but are they worth it? Would large French doors and floor length windows do the trick? I want lots of kigjt and to be able to look out when I sit down. Plus still see lots from the kitchen.

OP posts:
Original poster
BiscuitLover3678 · 11/04/2022 18:54

Kigjt means light !

OP posts:
MayCup · 11/04/2022 18:58

It depends if you've got a cat...

I've just taken mine out, couldn't have them open as my cat is a skilled hunter, I've replaced them with

1 lhs fixed panel with top opener
double French doors
1 rhs fixed panel with top opener

Still the same amount of light, half the opening though!
Bonus of having ventilation with the top openers.

BingoBungle · 11/04/2022 19:05

I know they are considered dated and Crittall style doors are all the rage now, but only bifolds give you a proper inside-outside connection because the opening is so wide and the sight line unimpeded. A friend has just had immense sliding doors installed - three panes each 150 wide and they look incredible so maybe another option for you?

organicapricot · 11/04/2022 19:06

For me yes, they are worth it. I love having the doors completely open onto the garden (decked area) feels so spacious and makes the garden part of the downstairs.

workingmomlife · 11/04/2022 19:06

Have a cat....don't bother

Dont live on the south coast where you get lots more sunshine.....don't bother

Only access for bins to garden.... don't bother

MikeWozniaksMohawk · 11/04/2022 19:21

I might be being really thick here but why all the comments not to bother if you have a cat?

over2021 · 11/04/2022 19:23

Yes, worth every penny for us. The light they're in is brilliant and in the summer it's lovely to have them opened up. I love bifold windows too!

Original poster
BiscuitLover3678 · 11/04/2022 19:24

@workingmomlife

Have a cat....don't bother

Dont live on the south coast where you get lots more sunshine.....don't bother

Only access for bins to garden.... don't bother

We don’t have a cat but might one day so that’s a thought. What about small children? Is there an option to open part way?

We get heaps of sun! That’s one of the reasons I want to make to most of this space.

No bins out that way (but why does this matter?)

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 11/04/2022 19:30

Our old cat went out from another door!

Bifolds can look good. We replaced French windows and glass with them. However we have 3 sets of French doors elsewhere. So maybe split up the space?

mumsiedarlingrevolta · 11/04/2022 19:34

I absolutely love ours-and I have a cat who is also a fan.

Just opens the back of the house completely to the garden-they are open as we speak.
I don't care if they are "fashionable" they are perfect-completely unobstructed opening and even very nice when closed.
So clean looking I do not own a bifold door company

Mine are 3 panels and you can just open the one on the right on it's own if you want to.

BarrelOfOtters2 · 11/04/2022 19:35

We got 2 big sets of sliding doors at right angles. Step down on to patio. More room inside as don’t have to allow for folding. Lots of glass. We are Nwest so too cold to open wide except a few days a year.

W3 have a cat, I spend a lot of time opening them for him….even though he has a cat flap in utility ….

Little opening windows at top.

They look great. Very wow.

edgeware · 11/04/2022 19:37

I hate our bifolds, we never open them. You need clear space inside and outside in order to open them, which for us means we can’t put anything on our patio. They came with the house. Would much rather have sliding doors.

minipie · 11/04/2022 19:41

Bifolds do allow a full opening but how many days of the year is it warm enough for that? Whereas when they are shut there are lots of thick frames chopping up the view.

I would go sliders if you want a modern look, or 2/3 sets of French doors if you want period style.

Cat or potential cat - don’t take the doors all the way across, have a section of wall somewhere for the catflap (it can’t have a steel in it).

BasementIdeas · 11/04/2022 20:27

To be honest, I’m not sure that they are very “in” any more, it’s all about sliders now for the reasons listed above

Throughabushbackwards · 11/04/2022 21:17

We love our bifolds. They completely open up our dining and informal sitting areas to the patio and garden. Ours need no inside clearance and less than a metre on the outside.

QuitMoaning · 11/04/2022 21:23

Had mine for early five years now and love them.
If I had sliding doors then you cannot open the space fully whereas you can with bifold as they tuck up in the corner. They don’t interfere with the patio at all but that might depend on how big each panel is.
Love them.
Don’t have a cat either.

TizerorFizz · 11/04/2022 21:25

@edgeware
You must have massive doors and a tiny patio. Ours take up little space when parked.

TobyWhatsit · 11/04/2022 21:25

We have a cat and bifolds and love them!!

We have a large 4 way bifold across most of the kitchen which can open at one end as a single door or completely fold open.

We also have a smaller 2 way bifold at a separate point which I also love and am so glad we didn't have normal French doors as it folds out of the way rather than having two open doors sticking out over the patio.

TobyWhatsit · 11/04/2022 21:28

I open the bifolds fully on every warm day - and there are definitely plenty of those in reality!

whatisheupto · 11/04/2022 21:31

Sliding doors much sleeker, neater and better functioning. You can open them just a crack if you want a breeze. Bifolds you have to open a whole door. No bulky doors stacking up. Massive panes instead of smaller more numerous bifold panels. Also bifolds tend to have more maintenance problems.

sausagepastapot · 11/04/2022 21:32

We put in a massive one in our previous renovation....Freezing cold in winter in that room, and boiling in the summer when it was too cold outside to keep them fully open.

We only fully opened them about 20 days each year. It's just rarely warm enough.

We are going to have them again in this renovation, but much smaller, and we have an alternative space away from them if it gets too hot or cold.

jackstini · 11/04/2022 21:33

Love ours - 2 sets at right angles on extension - best thing ever when both sets are open, it's like having a garden room

LadyCordeliaFitzgerald · 11/04/2022 21:37

Love ours. We open them a lot more than I thought we would. We can open just as one door too so the cat is happy. I love the inside/outside feeling.

I don’t like sliders at all though and crittal has too many corners for a slattern like me to be trying to clean.

ScaffoldingEndlessly · 11/04/2022 21:39

I had ours fully open yesterday. It was glorious! The cats use another door. Sliding doors are ok for light but not great if it is actually warm and you want the airflow.

MayCup · 11/04/2022 22:26

@MayCup

It depends if you've got a cat...

I've just taken mine out, couldn't have them open as my cat is a skilled hunter, I've replaced them with

1 lhs fixed panel with top opener
double French doors
1 rhs fixed panel with top opener

Still the same amount of light, half the opening though!
Bonus of having ventilation with the top openers.

My cat is a serial killer/hunter...

If the bifolds were fully open you'd no chance of shutting them in time to prevent him depositing his gifts indoors!

They had to go.