If you’re buying a set of bifolding patio doors for the first time, knowing how to decide which material to go for can seem like a bit of a mystery.
The three options of timber, aluminium and PVC are all very different from each other, but no material ticks every single box so it’s a case of weighing up the pros and cons to find the best fit for your home. Luckily, we’re here to talk you through each potential material for your bifolds to help you make the right decision.
It’s important to make sure that you take a few things into consideration when deciding on the material of your door. Some common mistakes homeowners make include:
PVC – or polyvinyl chloride if you’re feeling fancy – is a widely produced plastic that’s used to make a broad range of products from waste pipes to window frames. PVC is very cheap to manufacture and highly versatile, allowing it to be shaped into cross-sectional profiles with large air chambers that improve the insulation of your doors. Although most commonly supplied in white, it is possible to source PVC bifolds in almost any colour. (We offer uPVC French door with a grey exterior and a white interior at Aspire)
While PVC is very easy to maintain, the plastic can unavoidably make the doors look like a budget option. It’s not a particularly strong material either, resulting in bifolding doors that can feel flimsy, which isn’t ideal in situations where structural stability is highly important.
Are a homeowner who is on a budget and would like high performance doors that are easy to maintain. You may have a busy household or need exceptionally moisture resistant doors. You may also live next to a busy road and want excellent sound insulation and be okay without customising your doors.
You’ll get a low upfront cost and modest thermal performance with simpler maintenance.
Are looking for a more premium or luxurious look. The plastic of uPVC can’t replicate the beauty of natural timber. If you’re a homeowner who wants to be able to customise their door, then timber may be a better overall option. You may also avoid it if you’re looking for a long term solution. uPVC doors typically only last around 15-30 years and can warp over time, lessening the thermal and sound insulation as it ages. If you prefer a more environmentally friendly option, then aluminium will last longer and is 100% recyclable.
Wooden bifolds are the classic option amongst the three, and for good reason. Timber bifolds will look beautiful on any property, whether they’re finished with a stain to display the natural grain or painted a feature colour to compliment the rest of the house. Wood is also a fantastic natural insulator, while also being inherently strong. There are also options on the specific species used – Oak and Pine for example – to accommodate pretty much any budget.
Maintenance is the main downside of timber bifolds, requiring a check over every 6 months or so and a quick touch up in the event of any finish deterioration. Though modern doors with engineered wood often need less maintenance than the standard solid timber doors. On top of this old manufacturing methods used to leave the doors vulnerable to warping or bowing, but modern constructions are designed to resist these problems providing the doors are looked after.
Value the natural look and feel of wood. Timber doors, including engineered timber, have a natural woodgrain that highlights the natural beauty of the material. You may like to customise the tone and colour of your door. Timber is easily painted and stained – and can be refinished many times (as long as the wooden veneer doesn’t get sanded down). You’ll be okay investing a bit more to carry out regular maintenance on the door. You may have a more traditional home with natural fittings.
Want to avoid higher maintenance (though modern timber doors are engineered to need less maintenance). uPVC doors often have a lower price tag but with proper maintenance timber doors can last longer and provide excellent thermal insulation.
While aluminium bifolds are the newest option for homeowners, they’ve quickly established themselves and their presence continues to grow. Aluminium is both incredibly strong and relatively lightweight, making it a superb material for constructing bifolding doors out of. Its characteristic strength allows the framing around each pane of glass to be very slim, creating a sleek minimalist effect that had, up until recently, been reserved for bespoke architectural projects.
It is also highly durable, requiring no maintenance of the finish and minimal upkeep needed for the rest of the set. Aluminium bifolds tend to be power coated in your choice of finish from RAL colour charts, giving you almost endless options. This all comes at a cost though; aluminium is by far the most expensive material out of the three due to the high costs involved in producing the metal itself. Also, being a metal, aluminium is a very poor insulator. Manufacturers limit the effects of this by incorporating thermal breaks – sections of a better insulating material – into the structure, but aluminium sets still depend heavily on the glass used to achieve acceptable insulation performance.
Have a more industrial or contemporary style in your home. You’ll be okay investing a high amount for an extremely long lasting option. Aluminium resists warping, corrosion, sun damage, and can last for up to 50 years. You may want aluminium doors if you prioritise durability and low maintenance and would like the maximum amount of glazing installed – these doors often have thin frames, and so allow natural light to flow throughout your home, uninterrupted. With this option, you’ll avoid maintenance and the limitation of timber, and the high quality feel of an extremely durable materials.
Prefer to avoid a higher upfront cost – aluminium is the most expensive of the three, though you sign up for a long lasting door. You may also avoid it if you’d prefer a more natural look – aluminum can have a very modern and urban look that some homeowners would rather avoid.
Overall choosing the material for your door is a personal choice. Extensive research into your project and the pros and cons of each material are an important part of the process.
If you’re still unsure then we can make it easy for you:
As you can see from our breakdown, each option definitely has its place. Although the positives and negatives of each material vary quite widely, this does mean that you should be able to find an ideal match, whatever your budget or the style of your project. Head over to our external bifold doors page to view the ranges we’ve currently got for sale, or give our office a call on 020 3744 0704 if you’d like any further advice.
