Bi-fold Doors

“Links your home to your garden for that outdoor living experience, they said!”

The solution: A mix of films or blinds with the perfect fit.
Get the perfect solution for your particular bi-fold doors expertly picked and designed for you.

Do you find yourself thinking...

A large open expanse of glass made up of doors that fold up against each other often leaves people wondering what options they have to dress them.

My floor is lifting with the heat and fading in front of my Bi-folds
The large expanse of glass bring lots of damaging heat and light, which can focus on the flooring immediately in front of the windows and very quickly cause irreparable damage to many types of expensive flooring.

When I sit near the Bi-folds at night I have to cover up with a blanket I'm so cold
Large expanses of glass and aluminium frames feel cold on colder days. Even if the room temperature is comfortable, being near cold can make you feel cold.

The heat coming in though the Bi-folds makes the room unusable
Lots of glass equals lots of heat. If the glass hasn't been specified correctly, it very quickly overheats the immediate and adjoining rooms.

The setting sun streaming though the doors washes out the TV screen
Bi-fold doors tend to be fitted on the southerly or westerly aspects to catch the sun. However, the setting sun in the west and the low sun in the south during winter brings the sun deeper into the room, causing glare issues.

Since we fitted the Bi-folds we've lost all our privacy
Bi-fold doors are often fitted during renovations or extensions and fitted in place of smaller French or sliding doors. People soon feel a loss of privacy due to the larger area of glass that wasn't there before.

Window dressing and privacy all in one box
Three motorised roller Vision blinds individually controlled by a timer remote control fitted into one seamless header box. This provided privacy, shade and dressed the doors.

Heat & glare issues from the setting sun
A common mistake people make is trying to address several issues by only using one product. External window films are very light and powerful and can address heat and sun damage. Anti-glare blinds address the blinding light whilst retaining the view.

Triple the trouble
This triple configuration is becoming more common. To ventilate the ground floor, you have to open the doors, leaving the building insecure; not good if you have young children or pets. The heat gain and lack of privacy are considerable. The external glass coatings used here reduced heat gain by 50% and kept the ground floor from being viewed by neighbours.

Creative solutions
Three motorised blinds were installed in one box to address the blinding light while also allowing quick access outside.

To address the heat and floor protection, external light glass coatings make the room more comfortable.

"Once the film was fitted, I noticed an immediate impact with the heat not coming into the house."
- Amanda & John , Grimsby

FAQ

Why do I need a glass coating to address heat?
The modern glass used in contemporary construction can cause heat retention and a room to overheat, even in winter. Modern glass is designed to reflect heat back into the room. The heat (Infrared) hits a blind or surface, absorbing that IR and emits it as convected heat (warm air) and the glass pushes it back into the room. By using an external reflector, light can be let in, but heat levels are reduced. The reflectors outperform anything fitted internally on modern double glazed units.

Can I have a roller blind for each door or one big blind?
The answer is both, but it will be down to budget, the space available and product availability. Usually, the bigger the blind, the bigger the tube it requires. You don’t want a blind with such a wide diameter that a person could hit their head walking under it. It’s often better to split the configuration. For example, 2:3 or 4:1 or 2:1:2 if it’s a five-door system. If you are doing an extension, speak to us at the design stage. One big blind could be concealed within the ceiling void. We can comfortably do blinds 4 metres wide to fit bi-folds in one piece if you have an existing building.

Why a top-down blind rather than side opening?
There are several benefits of using top-down blinds. Sun appears typically in the top half of the glass. With a top-down blind, you can drop the blind down without sacrificing light or views. Side drawing blinds can obstruct light and views and may blow around and get dirty.

Can I have blinds attached to the doors?
We do have a few systems which attach directly to the doors, but after mentioning some of the pitfalls and the potential risk of damage, extra cleaning and the gathering when closed, they are rarely peoples’ first choice. People prefer blinds that disappear entirely when not needed to retain as much light as possible and clear views. The other issue is that this blind fails at addressing the large expanse of cold glass and framework that makes you feel cold if you’re seated nearby. By using blinds that cover the glass and frame, you create a thermal break from the room, making the room feel warmer.

Why a side opening blind not a top down?
If you like your window dressed, then this option is for you. If you prefer to have shear blinds or curtains to soften the light and give privacy, side opening blinds are a good option. Often you can walk through hanging blinds to access the door rather than having to draw up a blind first. If your bi-folds are inward opening, there might not be a clearance above the doors to allow an inside recess installation. Some side opening systems have very narrow rails that enable the doors to open where top downs don’t.

Can I use your aluminium backed solar blind material to only install one product?
The simple answer is yes, but the user experience isn’t as good. The heat prevention will never match an external product. You’ll have to remember to lower them before you go out in case the sun comes out when you’re away (unless you go motorised with sun sensors). You may want to address only a heat problem in high summer and not a glare issue, but you will have to lower the blinds fully and lose natural light if the sun creates glare when it’s lower in the sky. A film combats the heat without sacrificing the light or views. If that isn’t an issue for you and would suit your lifestyle better, it’s always worth considering.