Timber Bifold Doors or Aluminium?

Since modern housing design began back in the late 1960s, homeowners have always been looking for a way to connect the outside of their properties to the inside. Whether that be with a balcony that overlooks a busy city street or a garden that is home to plenty of social gatherings over the summer months. Whatever it may be the homeowner has on the outside, having a large opening out back really helps with providing the illusion of more space within the home and giving the home lots of airflow. The sliding door was previously the best choice, and for many people, that still is the case. The sliding door takes up very little extra space when it’s open and gives the household wonderful views of the outside when it is closed. 

However, for those with the space, the modern bifold door has started to take the market by storm as the preferred option. Whilst the bifold door may not provide the completely clear view that the sliding door does when it is closed, the sheer breadth of the opening is unmatched. Essentially acting like opening the entire wall, the bifold door is just superb as a modern innovation. 

Here at Dempsey Dyer, we provide modern bifold doors in both aluminium and timber variants, each with its own unique benefits and stylistic appeal. Both are excellent choices, but it depends on what the homeowner is after when choosing between them.

What is a Bifold Door

In truth, the folding door has been a part of homes since ancient times. Their first recorded use seems to date back to the ancient Romans in various building types and applications. The concertina design (as it is otherwise known) gives the building a difficult entranceway that can take up a lot of space and provide a large opening, likely perfect for merchants and the like. 

The bifold door fell out of fashion somewhat over the centuries until very recently, when the double glazed concertina door came back into style. Before this innovation, bifold doors acted as folding walls of a sort, but their lack of structural integrity compared with an actual wall left a lot to be desired. However, when compared to a window, the structure is not massively affected, especially with a back door into the garden. 

Bifold doors operate on a rail system on the top and bottom with hinges between each panel. The door has one ‘master door’ at the end on either side or in the middle that can open independently of the others. The rest can then be folded into starting from the master door across the length of the installation. If the master door is in the middle, then the door opens both ways towards the edges.

The design has recently taken the British home design market by storm due to its modern finish and superior ability to provide the illusion of space over the sliding door. Here at Dempsey Dyer, we provide bi-fold doors to trade customers and homeowners in timber or aluminium. 

Timber

The timber bifold door combines contemporary design with traditional materials. With the advent of modern resin and varnishing, timber no longer degrades in the weather in the same way that it used to. There was a time when purchasing a new timber installation came with a caveat of constant maintenance to keep it from rotting in the humid British weather. Luckily this is no longer the case. You can enjoy the thermal insulating properties of timber as a material with no concern of degradation or deterioration over the years!

We provide three timber species for our bifold doors:

• Accoya
• Sapele
• European Oak

Accoya is the high-performance species that we provide and is made from sustainably sourced softwood. With class 1 durability, you’ll struggle to find better on the market for longevity alone.

Sapele is a common hardwood used for both windows and bifold doors with a class 3 durability classification qualifying it as moderately durable. Don’t let the term fool you, though. This wood species is still able to achieve many years of service in the home.

Our final option is the European Oak that we source through an FSC (Forest Stewardship Council). European Oak has a class 2 durability classification and is excellent for the homeowner looking for an authentic and sustainable bifold door. 

Aluminium 

Aluminium bifold doors are likely the reason that the bifold door has really taken off in the last ten years. With slim frames, occupants can enjoy exceptional views of the garden whilst also having the option of opening up the door and potentially providing an opening as large as the wall. 

Our aluminium doors are able to circumnavigate the issues that once came with aluminium thermal efficiency. We use modern thermal break technology to stop aluminium elements from coming into contact with each other. In doing this, we prevent global cooling of the whole installation and affect your home’s thermal efficiency. With aluminium bifold doors, you can enjoy modern levels of comfort with modern design styles too.

If you’re interested in a bifold door from Dempsey Dyer, whether you be a trade or homeowner, we provide quick quotes right here on our website with our online pricing tool! You can also contact us directly through our contact form with any specific questions you may have.