Bifold doors and sliding stacker doors are both great modern options for your home. Unlike traditional doors, bifold and sliding stacker doors both allow your home to really open up to your garden or patio – in addition to being highly functional and easy to use.
When choosing doors for your home you may ask yourself, which is better – bifold or stacker? At Open Windows and Doors we love both but what you choose will depend on your personal preference and your home’s suitability.
Here’s a handy guide on the pros and cons of bifold and stackers – to help you choose the best doors for your unique needs.
Bifold Doors
Bifold doors (sometimes called “concertina” doors – for the way each panel folds up flat on the next when opened) are a terrific way of eliminating barriers so you can fully utilise an open patio space – as well as opening onto balconies, courtyards, outdoor dining areas and much more.
The level of accessibility can be controlled by just opening up partly to enter through an access door – or fully to completely engage with the outdoors! They can also be great for joining commonly used areas – for instance between living and dining rooms or between offices that often collaborate.
There is a certain elegance to bifold doors, and indeed with their sharply defined and variable spatial angles they certainly can add a touch of ‘art’.
That being said, bifold doors are generally more expensive than sliding doors. Additionally, because they are commonly ‘top-hung’ (the weight is hung from top track rollers) they can impose certain structural limitations depending on the placement and the surrounding structural materials. There can also be limitations depending on how the doors need to open and the number of panels required due to minimum and maximum size restrictions.
Screening options are limited for bifold doors with the only practical solution being retractable screens.
Sliding Stacker Doors
Sliding stacker doors can create a similar open feeling to your home, as with bifold doors – although when fully open the space created is a little less than bifold doors.
Sliding doors are easy to use when opening and shutting, making them a good choice for areas that will be used frequently in high traffic areas. Because they slide within a track they don’t take up any extra floor space and the sliding panels can be left partially or fully open without moving. This is not always the case with bifold doors, which have a swinging action.
While one downside to sliding stacker doors may be that the maximum opening is not as big as with bifold doors, sliding doors do provide a larger glazed area and finer framing, which means less obstruction to the view when closed.
Sliding stacker doors are also more versatile when it comes to screening options, being suitable for either retractable or regular sliding screen options.
Both sliding stacker doors and bifold doors are great options for your home. Whichever you choose will depend on the balance you wish to strike between aesthetics and functionality – as well as natural preference! At Open Windows and Doors, we are happy to discuss what will suit you best.
Our great aluminium products will ensure the maximum in safety, function and aesthetics no matter which option you choose. Contact us today to find out more!
