DOORS & WINDOWS FOCUS
The perfect blend of style, comfort & practicality
Paul Higgins of TuffX explores why bi-fold doors remain a top choice for self- build and renovation projects, innovative ways to confi gure them, and how technology advancements allow them to serve as an effi cient heat source.
A VERSATILE SOLUTION FOR EVERY SPACE Bi-fold doors have become a staple in modern home design, offering a balance of practicality, aesthetics, and functionality. Whether it’s a compact two door unit adding depth to a small living space or a fi ve metre wide system opening up a home to the garden, bi-folds create a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors. Bi-folds are the ideal solution to maximise natural daylight and remain a popular choice for both new builds and renovations, especially when paired with roofl ights. With the planning permission in place, if required, they can also be integrated into existing properties, complementing period brickwork while creating a striking feature.
When planning a bi-fold installation, consider how it will interact with both interior and exterior spaces. Consider whether to include a traffi c door for easy access or the best direction for the doors to fold and stack, either internally or externally, to ensure fl exibility in your layout – whether on the patio or inside your home.
MAXIMISING VIEWS WITH MINIMAL SIGHTLINES When choosing bi-fold doors for your home, reducing sightlines is key to enhancing your view and maximising natural light. Any non-glass element in a bi-fold system, such as the frame and the vertical mullions between panes, affects the openness of your space. The more panels you have, the more mullions there
will be, which is why thoughtful design and specifi cation are essential. To keep sightlines minimal, opting for wider individual panels reduces the number of mullions, creating a more seamless connection with the outdoors. Slimline frame designs also allow for larger panes of glass with fewer divisions, increasing the amount of daylight entering your home. For a bi-fold door design, a minimum panel width of 1,400mm is recommended, allowing for just two panels while maintaining a sleek, modern aesthetic. Larger openings can accommodate multiple doors, but this requires additional tracking systems to ensure smooth operation.
For the most uninterrupted views, fully frameless slide-and-fold systems provide
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