The blinds are integrated within the cavity of the permanently sealed double glazed units therefore requiring no cleaning, are protected from damage and always look like new. Ensuring privacy when closed they can also be tilted to provide protection from the heat and the glare of the sun. We are able to supply the Screenline system with the manual cord, battery or mains powered.When it comes to shading for glazed doors there are several options available. Your final choice will depend on the door configuration. For example opening in bi-folding doors could snag on curtains or blinds. In this regard consideration should be given to the type of shading you might want prior to choosing your door configuration. In most instances bi-fold doors are better opening outward into the garden and in this regard they should not impact on your choice of blinds or curtains. The following guide should help you in finding the perfect blind for your new doors. Perhaps the simplest and the best way to shade bi-folding doors is using roller blinds.
The clean, modern lines compliment the doors and the choice of colours and fabrics available can be tailored to match in with your decor. Silent Gliss, a brand leader, is sold through John Lewis who offer a made to measure service so this is a good place to start. Whilst they offer a measure and fit service you might be better placed to call in store to discuss the best options and look through the the different styles, colours and textures available. In every instance if you are ordering your doors from Viva we will provide a drawing of these upon receipt of your deposit. You can take this drawing with you to any blind shop to help both you and the advisor understand the set up and work out a cost. Choose between manually or electrically operated blinds. Electrically operated roller blinds With a little research on google you will find there are two main types of electrically operated blinds : battery operated and those that will require wiring up to the mains. Both are usually operated by remote control.
There are arguments in favour of either type and ultimately your choice will come down to personal preference and cost. In most instances the blinds can be synced to open and close at the push of a button. For sliding doors consider panel glide blinds which are essentially sliding panels of modern fabric suspended from a track attached to the ceiling. Like the roller blinds these can be operated by hand or electrically. They can be stacked in the same manner as your choice of doors. Choose from a huge array of colours and fabrics to match your interior at John Lewis. The latest track system is curved which allows the panels to stack around a corner – leaving your view unobstructed. Available from John Lewis here. In most instances on bi-folding doors it is possible to have integral blinds. A venetian blind is essentially sandwiched between the glazing of the doors. This is a neat solution is offered in three popular colours – white, silver and light grey. The blinds are manually operated using a pull cord to raise and lower the venetian blind as well as offering the facility to tilt the leaves.
The manual system will cost in the order of £300 per panel so a three door set will add approximately £900 (inc vat) to the cost of the doors.There is an option of electrically operating these but the cost is eye watering. In most instances we find our customers come back to electrically operated roller blinds which offer so much more choice to match in with the interior and decor. Read more about the options available directly on the John Lewis website here. Alternatively find your nearest Silent Gliss supplier here.AWARDED BEST OF HOUZZ 2017 2016 PRODUCT OF THE YEAR A NEW CLASS OF MULTI SLIDE LIVE MORE IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU LaCantina is a pioneer in designing and manufacturing large opening door systems. Our focus in developing and refining these products has resulted in the most innovative and comprehensive range of folding doors available. Step into the LaCantina Life! LaCantina Awarded Best of Houzz 2017 LaCantina Doors was awarded "Best of Houzz" 2017 for the fifth consecutive year by Houzz, the leading global online platform for residential remodeling and design.
Check out John Colaneri's of HGTV Kitchen Cousins new custom New Jersey home featuring LaCantina. LaCantina Doors' Multi Slide system transforms Morgan's on Fulton's rooftop into one of Chicago's top event spaces. A New Spin on Vinyl LaCantina Doors brings high quality contemporary styling to the Vinyl door market. LaCantina Doors help real-life cousins Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri transform a completely overhauled living room into a retreat for Coach Keenan and his family to relax.It can seem, these days, that no self build or renovation is complete without a swathe of glazing somewhere in its design. And for good reason — who wouldn’t want the option of opening up their home to the great outdoors when the sun shines, adding what effectively becomes another living space, and to flooding their interiors with natural light? But bi-folds can be quite an investment — and a confusing one at that. There is a huge choice of materials, glazing options, operating systems and optional extras to be taken into consideration, and knowing which one offers best value for money and will work with the design of your home – both in practical and visual terms – can feel a bit like a gamble.
Shop our selection of bi-fold doors and find the right design for your project Timber bi-folds are beautiful and certainly a fantastic option for those creating a traditional-style home or adding them to a period property. However, do be careful when choosing between the different timber options. Engineered timbers are ideal as they have more dimensional stability than solid timber doors. Although softwood engineered products are available, which are cheaper than hardwood, some of the lower-end models can still be prone to warping over time when exposed to heat and moisture, meaning they will stick in their frames or won’t close. “Bi-fold doors made from wood give a traditional appearance as well as having the natural beauty of a living material. The downside is that they require regular painting or varnishing to maintain their appearance. Typically, wooden doors provide the best thermal insulation, though,” advises Peter Watkins, General Manager of Centor Europe. These Kloeber aluminium Kustomfold bi-fold doors measure 2,090mm high by 1,000mm wide
“Aluminium does have the distinct advantage of slimmer sightlines and a powder-coated finish, which will never have to be re-coated,” adds Matt Higgs, Sales Director at Kloeber. “Aluminium bi-fold door panels can be made wider than timber doors so can sometimes be more cost-effective due to needing fewer doors within the frame.” As with all window and door products, this varies hugely on size, material and quality. “For a standard height door you should expect to pay around £1,200 per linear metre of overall frame width for a good-quality, well-engineered system with a good spec of glass and ironmongery,” says Matt Higgs of Kloeber. You will also need to factor in VAT and installation costs to the total price, and possibly delivery. Some companies will ask for a deposit on ordering, with the full amount payable on installation or delivery. A three-panel door like the one above might typically cost in the region of £4,000-£5,000. “A bi-fold door has many aspects as well as price that should be considered before making a choice.
It is important to look closely at a company’s history, warranties and the general quality of the products. aluminium expands and contracts with climactic change — can the system cope with this movement? Never buy a bi-fold without seeing it first; there’s no substitution for seeing and operating the product for yourself,” warns Matt Higgs. “Hardware systems have maximum individual panel weight, width and height restrictions,” says Peter Watkins of Centor. “Panel weight is affected by the size and type of glazing used. Standard aluminium panels can be double or triple glazed, 1,000mm wide and 2,800m high, while wooden doors can go higher, with specialist systems up to 4,000mm high and 1,100m wide. You can have up to 16 panels in one frame depending on the accuracy of manufacture and tolerance.” For Kloeber’s bi-fold doors, for example, which are available in both aluminium and timber, panel widths can be up to 900mm for timber and 1,200mm for aluminium, with a maximum number of 12 panels overall.
The best thresholds between inside and out are the ones you don’t notice. Rain penetration can be an issue, particularly on exposed south- and west-facing walls. The answer is a correctly installed rebated, weather-tested threshold. “We offer several different types of threshold for different purposes,” says Kloeber’s Matt Higgs. “Each door has a threshold at the bottom and this part can be dropped down so your finished floor inside lines up with the top of the threshold. Sometimes this may mean taking out a course of bricks under your existing aperture. There would usually be a small difference, say 20mm, between the internal and external floor heights to ensure a fully weathertight seal.” Bi-folds are usually specified for their ability to merge inside and out (as in this instance from Origin) — but make sure the threshold is as level as possible The simplest solution is to opt for full-length curtains, but this is an unpopular choice as it blocks some of the light coming in even when the curtains are open, and somewhat distracts from the sleek look offered by bi-folds.
“It is possible to buy glazed units with built-in venetian blinds, which give a satisfactory solution but partially obscure the glass. Vertical blinds are either housed in a unit on the wall or built into the ceiling, but hinder access from inside to out,” explains Centor’s Peter Watkins. “Built-in screens and shades that move horizontally (as with Centor’s integrated doors) provide a good solution. Insect screens offer protection when the doors are open, and their shades provide protection from harsh sunlight and offer privacy when the doors are closed. The screens and shades are drawn from the door jamb when needed, move aside for access, and retract when not in use.” When choosing bi-folds there are two terms you will come across: ‘top hung’ and ‘bottom rolling’. This refers to the way the weight of the door is supported. Advice varies on which is best, but bear in mind that top-hung doors conceal the bulk of the operating mechanisms in the frame head, plus dirt and leaves are less likely to become lodged in the top track, unlike the bottom track, where it can affect the running operation.