Bi-fold vs sliding vs French doors

Bi-fold, sliding and French doors can all open a room on to the garden, but they work in very different ways. The best choice depends on the width of your opening, how you use the space and what you want to see when the doors are closed. Here’s how they compare.

Bi-fold doors

How they work: a row of hinged panels that fold and stack to one or both sides.

Strengths: bi-folds can open up almost the full width of the opening, which joins the inside and outside like nothing else. They’re ideal for kitchen extensions and garden rooms where you want to open everything up in summer.

Things to consider: more panels mean more vertical frame lines across the view when the doors are closed, and the stacked panels need space on the inside or outside when open.

Our range: bespoke aluminium bi-folds from 1,200 to 7,000 mm wide in 2 to 7 panels, and stock sizes from 2.0 to 3.6 m.

Sliding doors

How they work: large glass panels glide past each other on tracks.

Strengths: big panes and fewer frame lines give the best view when the doors are closed. They never swing into the room or the garden, so they suit spaces where furniture or a patio sits close to the doors.

Things to consider: because panels slide past one another, part of the opening is always covered by glass. A 2-panel slider opens about half the width.

Our range: aluminium sliding doors in 2 or 3 panels, 1,800 to 6,000 mm wide, priced by quotation.

French doors

How they work: two hinged leaves that open from the centre.

Strengths: a classic look that suits period properties, and a simple, generous opening for narrower spaces. Heritage-style options with glazing bars or side panels add character.

Things to consider: the leaves need clear space to swing, and the maximum width is smaller than bi-folds or sliders.

Opening: our French doors open outwards.

Our range: aluminium French doors from 1,200 to 2,400 mm wide, standard or heritage.

Side-by-side comparison

Which should you choose?

• Choose bi-folds if you want to open the whole wall in good weather and you have room for the stacked panels.
• Choose sliding doors if the view is your priority for most of the year, or if there’s no room for doors to swing or stack.
• Choose French doors for narrower openings, period properties or a more traditional look.

Questions to ask before you decide

1. How wide is the structural opening, and could it change if you’re building new?
2. How often will you open the doors fully, rather than just stepping in and out?
3. Where will furniture, worktops or patio furniture sit?
4. What threshold do you want, and how will the floor levels and drainage work?
5. Who will install the doors? We supply only, so involve your installer early. See supply-only bi-fold doors: what you need to know.

Measure first

Whichever door you choose, start with an accurate measurement of the structural opening. Our measuring guide applies to all three types, and our bi-fold sizes guide explains panel choices.

Glass and colour choices

All three door types in our aluminium range can be ordered in Anthracite grey, White or Black, and with double glazed clear (Low-E, argon) glass as standard plus upgrades such as self-cleaning, solar control or triple glazing. Obscure glass is available on bi-fold and French doors. So the decision is mostly about how the doors open, not how they look.

Handles and locks

Our bi-fold and French doors come with standard hardware, including a lever handle and an Ultion high-security cylinder lock.

Thresholds and level access

Bespoke bi-folds offer standard, low and ultra-low weathered thresholds, and French doors offer standard or low thresholds. Whichever type you choose, a level or near-level threshold needs the inside floor, outside paving and drainage planned together. Talk to your builder early if level access matters to you.

Using the doors all year round

Think about how you’ll use the doors in winter as well as summer. If you’ll mostly step in and out, check how easy it is to open one leaf on its own: a French door master leaf, a single sliding leaf, or a bi-fold traffic door, which our bi-folds can include. If you want the room to feel connected to the garden even with the doors shut, the larger panes of a slider give the clearest view.

Frequently asked questions