Bifold doors have a reputation for suiting sunny, open plan living, which makes some Yorkshire homeowners wonder whether they really make sense in our greyer, wetter climate. The honest answer is yes, they can be a great fit, as long as you spec them for the weather and think about how you will actually use them. Here is a local take on whether bi-folds suit a Yorkshire home.
The concern is understandable. Bi-folds are all about opening the house up to the garden, and Yorkshire is not exactly the Mediterranean. If you only value them for the days you can throw them wide open, you might feel short changed by the number of grey days.
But that misses most of the point. A good set of bifold doors earns its keep even when closed, and modern ones are built for exactly our kind of climate. So the weather is a reason to choose well, not a reason to rule them out.
Here is the thing that matters most in our part of the world: light. Yorkshire gets its share of short, dim winter days, and that is precisely when a large expanse of glass earns its keep. Bifold doors flood a room with daylight from a full wall of glass, which makes a real difference to how bright and cheerful a room feels through the darker months.
So even shut tight against the rain, bi-folds are pulling their weight by letting the light pour in. For a north facing kitchen or a room that has always felt gloomy, that alone can be reason enough.
The old worry about draughty, cold folding doors is out of date. Modern bifold doors, especially aluminium ones, are made to handle British weather:
Specified properly, a bi-fold will keep a Yorkshire living room warm and dry through the worst of a winter. The key is a quality door well fitted, not the cheapest option you can find. Our aluminium sliding and bi-fold doors are built for exactly this.
When the good days do come, and they do, bi-folds are wonderful. Fold the whole wall back and the kitchen or living room flows straight onto the patio, which is brilliant for summer gatherings, keeping an eye on children in the garden, or just enjoying a rare warm evening. On a Yorkshire summer day there is nothing nicer than opening the house right up.
The trick is to enjoy that when it is on offer and to have a door that is just as good closed for the other three quarters of the year. Bi-folds give you both, which is why they suit our climate better than people assume.
A few honest questions to ask yourself:
If you want the wide open effect and the flood of light, bi-folds are a strong choice. If you mostly want the view and rarely open up, a sliding door might suit better, and it is worth comparing the two before you decide.
Yes. Modern bifold doors, particularly aluminium ones, are built with thermal breaks, insulated glass and good weather seals, so they keep warm and dry through a British winter. They also flood rooms with light, which is a real benefit on grey days.
Not if they are specified well. Quality aluminium bi-folds have thermal breaks and modern sealed units that insulate effectively. Cheaper doors can disappoint, so it pays to choose a good product and have it fitted properly.
Very. A full wall of glass lets in far more daylight than a standard door and window, which makes a big difference to a dark or north facing room, especially through Yorkshire's short winter days. Even closed, they brighten the space.
Yes, when properly specified. Thermal breaks, argon filled low emissivity glass, good weather seals and a weathered low threshold keep the room warm and dry. Fold them open on the good days and enjoy the light and insulation the rest of the year.
Both can work. Bi-folds open the whole width but need wall space to stack onto, while sliding doors give big uninterrupted glass and a smaller maximum opening. For a small garden, consider how you will use the space and compare the two before deciding.
Wondering if bi-folds suit your home? Download our latest brochure, or request a free quote and we will come and have a look at your space.