Bifolds and sliders are high on many people’s home improvement wish lists because they’re both a great way to bring in lots of natural light and make the most of views of the outside. They open and close smoothly and effortlessly and both provide an easy and stylish transition from the house to the garden.
The most obvious difference between the two is that bifold panels slide fully back to allow an entire wall of glass to be opened up, while slider panels only move one behind the other, either to the left or to the right, opening to a maximum of 65%.
Space
Bifolds generally need more space than sliders because they slide back concertina style, and the multiple panels need to stack to one side either inwards or outwards.
Flexibility
Sliders typically give you more flexibility because they can be opened just a few inches to let in some fresh air or if you just want to pop into the garden. For the same flexibility with a bifold, yYou can though opt for a bifold traffic door which opens and closes like a regular door without having to slide back all the panels, if you prefer.
Aesthetics
Bifolds undoubtedly have the wow factor when they’re opened up, but sliders arguably look better when they’re closed because there’s a higher glass- to- frame ration so more glass and less frame on show. There’s also the issue of the British weather and how often it’s actually warm enough to open up bifolds to the max.
Cost
There’s not a huge amount of difference – it will depend on the height and the size of the glass panes because it is the size of the glass unit which has the biggest impact on the cost.
Performance
Both bifolds and sliders can achieve similar thermal performance – sliders tend to be marginally more efficient because there’s more glass and less frame, but the difference isn’t particularly significant.
Security
Both options come with secure multi-point locking systems, which can be tested to the industry security standard PAS24 and accredited to the police’s Secured By Design scheme to give you complete peace of mind.
Ultimately, the choice will depend on the style and layout of your home, your views to the outside and how you plan to use your garden.
When it comes to choosing the right aluminium sliding patios for your home or project, the options are either inline or lift and slide patio doors. They both look the same when closed, but the key differences are in the sliding and opening mechanism.