Are you looking to update the look of your home? Then why not replace your existing doors with bifold doors? Bifold doors aren’t just for new build properties or extensions, they can be a great way to get the feeling of extending the living space of your home without having to do major renovations. They are also great for adding a modern and stylish touch to any room. In this blog, we will explore the potential benefits of replacing your existing doors with bifold doors, the different types of bifold doors available, and the steps required to install them. We will also cover the cost and time considerations for replacing doors with bifold doors, why you might want to replace them and a brief overview of how to remove your existing doors. Finally, we will discuss the maintenance and care for bifold doors and how that might differ to your existing doors.
What Are Bifold Doors?
Bifold doors are great solution for transforming the look of your home. They are an excellent way to create an open and inviting space, with extra security while also making the space more functional. Bifold doors are made of two or more panels that fold in on themselves, allowing them to be easily opened and closed. Bifold doors are typically made of wood, metal, or UPVc, and they come in a variety of styles and finishes. They are a great way to let in natural light and create a more spacious feel to any room.
What Are The Benefits of Bifold Doors?
There are many benefits to replacing your existing doors with bifold doors. For starters, they can be used to divide a room into two or more sections, which is perfect for creating a more open and inviting space or merging an inside space with an outside space like a garden (when the weather is good enough!). They are also great for allowing natural light to enter a room and can be very thermally efficient, helping you save on energy costs.
Additionally, if required bifold doors can provide extra privacy (dependent on your glass option) and security (if security certified such as PAS 24), as they can be opened and closed to partition off or open up an area. Finally, bifold doors are relatively easy to install, keeping your install costs down and require very minimal maintenance.
What Size Opening Do You Need For Bifold Doors?
Bifold doors are highly configurable and can be made to suit many different sizes openings. Now Aluminium’s bifold doors can be made to suit an opening up to 16.8 meters wide and 3 meters tall for example. This said, the size of your existing opening will somewhat dictate the size and configuration of any potential new bifold doors. For example, if you have existing French doors at 2 meters wide, you can either have a 2-part bifold door or 3-part bifold door, as each individual door or ‘sash’ on a bifold can be between 0.6 – 1.2 meters wide.
Another option is not only replacing your existing doors, but also change the size of your opening. For this, you’d need a builder, but even widening an opening by 0.5 meters can have a dramatic effect improving the functionality and visual appeal of your home. This is a slightly more expensive option, but still far more cost effective than a full extension.
Cost and Time Considerations for Replacing Doors with Bifold Doors
Replacing your existing doors with bifold doors can be a cost-effective and time-efficient way to improve the look of your home, make it more energy efficient and also add value. The cost of replacing your existing doors with bifold doors will depend on the type of door you choose and the size of the space in which it will be installed. It will also depend on how much your installer is, or whether you save on this cost by installing yourself. On average, you can expect to pay anywhere from £2000 to £3500 for the materials and installation of a 3-part bifold door as an example. Additionally, the installation process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 hours, again, depending on the size of the space and the complexity of the job.
Remove Your Existing Doors
If you are choosing to replace your existing doors with bifold doors, then you will need to remove the old doors first. To do this, you will need to locate the door hinges and use a drill or screwdriver to loosen and remove them. Once the hinges have been removed, you will need to carefully remove the door from the frame and set it aside. Then, being careful not to damage the structure of the opening, remove the frame of the existing door so you’re left with just the brickwork of the opening. Once complete, check you have a completely level and relatively flush opening. Finally, check the size of your new bifold against the size of the opening again, before attempting to install!
Maintenance and Care for Bifold Doors
Like any door, the more you look after it, the longer they’ll last, but aluminium bifold doors in particular require very little maintenance, unlike wood which requires regular painting and can expand a shrink with changing weather and UPVc which can discolour over time. That said, a small but important thing you can do to help keep your door in full working order, is to make sure to keep the door rollers and track clean and free of dirt and debris so the doors continue to run smoothly. Other than this and occasional cleaning, there is very little else required to maintain aluminium bifold doors.
To summarise, replacing your existing doors with bifold doors is a great way to update the look of your home. Bifold doors are a great way to get the feeling of extending the living space of your home without having to do major renovations. They are also great for adding a modern and stylish touch to any room and adding value to your home. Additionally, bifold doors can provide extra privacy and security, as they can be opened and closed in a variety of ways. Finally, bifold doors are relatively easy to install and require minimal maintenance.
So, if you are looking for an easy and cost-effective way to update the look of your home, then why not consider replacing your existing doors with bifold doors?
