Bi-Fold Doors

On a sunny afternoon, a café with its whole front folded open looks busy even when it is half empty, and people walk in more easily. That is the reason most of our bi-fold customers are cafés, bars, restaurants and dessert shops.

How they work

A bi-fold front is a row of glazed panels hinged together. They run on a track at the top and fold back like a concertina, stacking neatly at one or both ends. One panel is usually set up as a normal door, so you can use the front every day without folding everything.

Built for commercial use

Home bi-folds are opened a few times a week. A café front may be opened and closed every day for years, and pushed by customers in between. We use commercial systems with heavier rollers, stronger hinges and frames sized for the panel weight, not domestic products dressed up.

Weather and heat

Closed, a good bi-fold should keep wind and rain out like any other front. Frames with a thermal break and double glazing stop the front becoming a cold wall in winter. A low threshold makes the opening easier to step over but needs proper drainage outside, which we check at survey.

What the building has to carry

Folding panels hang from the top track, so the beam or lintel above has to carry the weight without sagging. On older buildings we may need a new steel. We check this at survey, before you commit, so there are no surprises.

Security at night

Panels lock to each other and into the frame top and bottom, and the glass can be laminated. Many owners add a shutter on the outside so the glass is covered when the shop is closed.

Planning

Replacing a shopfront with bi-folds changes how the building looks and usually needs planning permission. Councils sometimes ask for a stallriser or a door position that matches the street. We include drawings you can submit.