2-panel bifold doors, made to measure

On this bifold door both panels fold to the same side. There is no separate traffic door — a panel that opens on its own like an ordinary door — as there is on the wider bifold doors: for everyday use you fold the whole set open and walk through the opening. That suits a smaller opening, where a separate door would take up a large share of the width.

The standard size is 1,900 × 2,300 mm, up to 2.05 m wide according to the description of this layout. If you want a bifold door you can use every day without folding the whole set, the 3-panel bifold door — with a traffic door — is the wider choice.

Two panels is also the simplest form to operate: one movement, one place where the stack comes to rest against the reveal, and no second kind of panel needing its own hardware and a different lock. For a small patio or a balcony door that you mainly open right up on fine days, that is exactly enough — you don't need to go through a small opening every day.

Because there is no traffic door, you always have to move at least one panel to get outside, even for a quick trip. If you use the opening every day — to let the dog out, or in and out of the garden a lot — that is a reason to look at the 3-panel bifold door after all: the same folding principle, with a separate door that is quicker to open and close.

For this bifold door, measure the reveal the stack of folded panels will stand against and the floor build-up where the bottom track goes, as well as the width and height. Have your installer confirm how it meets the floor before you order, especially if you are considering a low or level threshold.

You choose colour and finish freely for the whole set — with two panels that fold together, nearly every customer has them in the same colour. Maintenance is in the folding hinges between the two panels and in the bottom track: keep both clear of dirt, and check now and then that the panels still fold together smoothly without catching.

In a renovation, this is often the smallest step from a set of French doors to a bifold door, for an opening that isn't wide enough for more panels. In a new build, this compact bifold door is often chosen for a smaller room or a bedroom with a balcony, where a larger bifold with a traffic door would be out of proportion with the room behind it.

For security, a bifold door has more locking points than an ordinary door, because each panel joint has to lock separately. Ask about the standard specification of those locks if the set is going on the ground floor.

Each panel carries its own frame and glass weight on its own folding hinge. The configurator checks for each panel whether the hardware suits the profile and the size you enter.

Still not sure? Use the comparison with the other layouts in this group, above, to see which arrangement suits your situation best.