Sliding Doors vs Bifold Doors, Which is Better?

Deciding between bifold doors and sliding doors can be difficult when wanting to make the right choice. For many homeowners, it ultimately comes down to personal preference and budget. Both bifold and sliding doors create a great connection between any inside and outside space, provides natural light, and can create a modern aesthetic. However, bifold Doors and sliding doors operate differently.

Let’s look at the different factors you should consider when purchasing sliding doors or bifolds and see what is best for you and your home.

What is the difference between bifold and sliding doors?

When you are looking into installing a folding door or a glass sliding door in your home, it’s essential to understand the differences and key benefits of each door structure.

Bifold and sliding doors have a great range of benefits, but the external doors you choose will mainly focus on your home needs and the available space.

What are the benefits of bifold doors?

Bifold doors are made up of two or more door leaves and, when opened, fold back against themselves in a concertina design. The door panels are connected by hinges and run back and forth along a top and bottom track.

Bifold doors can open an entire entrance way, helping connect the inside and outside of your home seamlessly, creating an open-plan home. Bifold doors can also give an entrance and allow easy access between your garden or patio without sliding back all the doors.

Pros of bifold doors

• Available in aluminium, uPVC, and timber frames
• Available with a low threshold
• Can be fully opened to connect indoors and outdoors seamlessly
• Can open outwards or inwards
• Can increase your home’s value
• Traffic/access door option available
• Wide range of options and configurations
• Can work in a large or small opening

What are the benefits of sliding doors?

Sliding doors are made of two or more large panes of glass which move to the side, and the panes sit behind each other.

These doors provide the closest thing to uninterrupted views and are ideal for large openings. Sliding doors allow you to enjoy the natural daylight and panoramic views as much as possible. However, unlike a bifolding door, they commonly don’t provide a complete opening as the sliding doors design stack back against each other, so one door pane is always noticeable.

A sliding door system can also be a fantastic choice for homeowners with limited space as they don’t need as much room to open as bifold doors.

Pros of sliding doors

• Large glass panels provide unobstructed views whether doors are open or shut
• Available in aluminium, uPVC, and timber
• Slim sightline frames
• Take up the least amount of space when open compared to bifold doors

Which are better, sliding or bifold doors?

We created a quick comparison table of a sliding door and bifold door so you can see how these door types could benefit you and your home.

Sliding and Bifold doors in Hampshire

Sherborne has over 30 years of experience installing high-quality home improvements for Hampshire homeowners. If you have more questions regarding bifold and sliding doors, don’t hesitate to contact us at 01252 370 917 or use our online form.

We have showrooms in Windlesham, Farnborough, and Hartley Wintney, where you can see our quality windows, doors, and conservatories. Speak with our expert team, who can help you with any questions; start your dream home design with Sherborne.