Can You Tell if Your Bifold Doors Are High-Quality?

Bifold doors are meant to take the place of a huge portion of your home’s wall. If the doors are of low quality, they have the potential to allow draughts and rains into your home. If they aren’t waterproof or airtight, they will be less energy efficient and increase your heating bills. They also wear out more rapidly and break down or suffer damage. As a result, jeopardising your home’s security significantly impacts your home’s overall appearance and attractiveness.

Not sure if the bifold doors you are looking at are high-quality? Here are some things to watch out for to help you know the difference.

Aluminium Quality

Let’s say you’ve decided to use aluminium doors instead of wood or uPVC doors. Some industries use remelted scrap aluminium to produce their door frames and other parts. Because this lower-quality aluminium isn’t always smooth, when the powder coating is sprayed, it might generate bubbles or pitted areas in the paint. Aluminium bifold doors of high quality are constructed from prime billets—in other words, brand-new aluminium. This is the kind that all Origin bifold doors utilise.

Powder Coat Finish

High-quality aluminium items should have a perfectly smooth and uniform surface when powder coated. When powder coating low-quality aluminium, the heat created during the process can leave an uneven, pitted impression on the metal’s surface, making it difficult to obtain the same smoothness.

Look at the U-Value

The best-quality doors have good thermal efficiency, which means they can retain warm air while keeping cold air out. Thermal efficiency can help you save money on your energy expenses. U-values are used to calculate it.

The U-value of your house is the amount of heat lost per square metre of material, measured in watts. As a result, a lower U-value is preferable. A maximum U-value of 1.8W is the government standard for replacement doors and windows. It is 2.0W for doors and windows in new-build buildings or additions.

High-quality bifold doors will provide lower values. When determining the U-value of a set of doors, consider the entire door system, not just the centre pane.

Quality of Components

The components’ appearance, feel, and functionality can significantly impact the overall quality of the bifold doors. Handles should be ergonomic, sturdy, and simple to use, but not at the sacrifice of aesthetics. The lead handle should ideally have a choice of style and finish, while the D-handle and slave handle should have a choice of finish. All other components, such as the running gear, hinges, gaskets, and locking mechanisms, should also be well-engineered and tested since they add to the overall appearance and feel of the bi-fold door.