Posted: 26 Feb 2021
Bifold doors are a brilliant way to add style and elegance to your home. For this reason, they are becoming very popular for those building rear extensions. Previously, many would opt for patio doors and regular windows for the back of their house. However, bifold door blinds are now the new trend! There are many different options to cover bi-fold doors, and finding the correct solution for your home can be tricky. We have outlined some blinds we would recommend and others we would not.
Blinds we recommend for Bifold Doors…
Recess Fitted Bifold Door Blinds
Recess fitted bifold blinds fit neatly against the glass, sitting next to the beading of the bifold door frame (with the optional drill-free alternative). A primary advantage of this type of blind is when not in use they retract away so neatly, you can barely even tell they are there. This is perfect for when you want to open up the space and let the natural light flood in. However, when extended they not only offer a sleek solution but are also great at controlling temperatures, reducing glare, and providing privacy. Unlike other DIY solutions on the market, we install our recess fitted blinds with a thin pure™ rail so the blinds do not affect the operation of the doors.
Free Hanging Bifold Door Blinds
Another great option is our free-hanging, folding door blinds. This option is available in a variety of different blinds types; with the most popular option being our remote-control roller blinds. However, smart blinds and battery-operated blinds are also an option from us.
We offer a range of hardware colours for this type of blind, so we can match hardware with the colour of the door frame for a truly integrated finish. Depending on the size of the folding doors, we can sometimes manufacture one large roller blind to cover the entire space. However, a common choice is to have one blind covering most of the doors and then a single-blind covering the traffic door with minimal gaps. This is very convenient, as day-to-day many customers will only use the traffic door to access their back garden.
The main benefit of using free-hanging blinds over recessed blinds is that they are even better at controlling temperature in a room. With recess blinds, heat can still escape through the metal frame of the doors; whereas, with a free-hanging blind, the entire area is given extra insulation. It’s because of this that some people will have both recessed and free-hanging blinds on the same set of doors. That way they can get the benefits of extra insulation and temperature control while still having the flexibility to use their doors as they wish.
Blinds we do not recommend for Bifold Doors…
Integrated Door Blinds
Another option for bifold doors is to have integrated blinds. This usually consists of a metal Venetian blind that gets manufactured with the doors and fitted between the double glazing. Although they can look like a neat way to add shading; there are many downsides that come with this type of product.
- You will never be able to get any sort of full blackout with them. Light will always bleed around the edges of the louvres and come into the room.
- They cannot be removed without totally removing the glass as well. This means that maintaining and replacing the blinds over the years is extremely difficult. And this is not something you can do without assistance.
- If you ever change the décor of the room you are stuck with blinds of a certain colour or style from when the doors were originally installed. These style of blinds are not a good solution for those who might want to change the style of their room.
- As the majority of heat loss happens through the frame of the doors, integrated blinds will not be able to control the temperature as well. A free-hanging blind over the doors is needed to achieve this effect.
Perfect Fit Blinds
Lastly, a common DIY solution for bifold doors is Perfect Fit blinds. While this is a cheap option, the bulky framing can cover a large area of the glazing. Consequently, this may affect the operation of the doors when they are completely folded back. For this reason, we would strongly recommend a recess fitted blind for folding doors; and perfect fit blinds for standard-shaped house windows instead.
If you’d like to see the range of bifold door blinds we offer, arrange a free quotation with one of our consultants.
