Bi-Fold & Patio Doors

Bi-Fold & Patio Doors

Nothing changes the feel of a room quite like replacing a small back door or an ageing set of patio doors with a proper set of bi-folding or sliding patio doors. It's one of the most popular upgrades we're asked for on kitchen extensions and living-room-to-garden conversions across Gateshead, Newcastle, Durham and Northumberland - and it's as much about how the room feels day-to-day as it is about the finished look.

This page covers the two main options - bi-folding doors and sliding patio doors - what each is best suited to, and what to expect from having them installed.

What's Included

• Full survey and structural assessment of the opening
• Bi-folding door supply and installation, 2 to 7 panels
• Sliding patio door supply and installation
• Aluminium and UPVC frame options
• Removal and disposal of your old door and frame
• Full fitting, sealing and finishing by our own tradesmen

Bi-Folding Doors: How They Work

A bi-folding door is made up of several panels hinged together, which concertina back against one side of the opening when fully open, leaving the space almost entirely clear - the closest you can get to removing the wall between a room and the garden without actually doing it. They're particularly popular on kitchen extensions and garden rooms, where the point of the build is to blur the line between inside and outside as much as possible. Panel configurations range from two panels on a smaller opening up to seven or more on a full-width extension, and you can usually choose which side the doors stack to and whether one panel is set up as a separate everyday-use door, so you're not opening the whole set just to nip out to the bin.

Sliding Patio Doors: The Alternative

Sliding patio doors run on a track, with one or more panels sliding behind another to open. They don't clear the opening quite as completely as a bi-fold does, but they take up less space when open (no panels stacking outward or inward into the room), tend to cost less than an equivalent-width bi-fold set, and suit a slightly more traditional look. For a smaller opening, or where budget is more of a factor than maximising the fully-open width, patio doors are often the more sensible choice - we'll talk through both options honestly rather than steering you toward the higher-cost bi-fold by default.

Aluminium vs UPVC Frames

Both bi-folding and patio doors are available in UPVC or aluminium frames. Aluminium is the more popular choice for bi-folds specifically, because the frame profile can be made significantly slimmer than UPVC while still being structurally strong enough to support a large multi-panel door - which means more glass, less frame, and a better view when the doors are closed. UPVC is a lower-cost option and remains a perfectly good choice, particularly for patio doors or smaller bi-fold sets where the slimmer sightlines matter less. We'll recommend the option that suits the size and style of your specific opening rather than assuming aluminium is always the right upgrade.

Structural Considerations

Opening up a wall to fit a wide bi-fold or patio door set is a bigger job than a straightforward door swap, and on most properties it involves removing or altering load-bearing brickwork, which means a structural beam (a lintel) needs to be calculated and installed to support the wall above the new opening. This isn't something to skip or estimate roughly - it needs to be done to Building Regulations standard, signed off properly, and is a detail worth confirming is included and costed clearly in any quote you're comparing. We handle this as part of the job where it's needed, working with the structural calculations required rather than leaving you to sort that separately.

Security and Weather Performance

A common concern with a large expanse of glazing and multiple panels is whether it compromises security or lets the weather in compared to a solid wall - modern bi-fold and patio door systems are built with multi-point locking across every panel and are engineered to perform properly in exposed, weather-facing positions, which matters given how much wind-driven rain the North East gets through autumn and winter. We fit systems designed and tested for the UK climate, not a specification suited to a drier, more sheltered market.

Choosing Panel Configuration and Opening Direction

Beyond the number of panels, there's a genuine decision to make about which way the doors stack and open, and it's worth thinking through before the survey rather than deciding on the day. Doors can stack fully to one side, split and stack to both sides of a wide opening, or - a popular option on kitchen extensions - be configured with one panel set up as a standalone, everyday-use door on a separate hinge, so you're not unlocking and folding back the entire set just to let the dog out. We'll talk through how you actually use the space - is it mainly opened fully for entertaining, or do you need quick, regular access - since that genuinely changes which configuration makes sense.

Our Installation Process

We start with a survey that looks at both the door itself and the structural opening required - if a beam's needed, we'll factor that into the quote and timeline from the outset rather than it becoming a surprise mid-job. You get a clear, itemised quote covering the door, any structural work, and the fitting. Once agreed, we book the work in; a straightforward like-for-like door swap can be a one-day job, while a wider opening with structural work involved typically takes longer, and we'll give you a realistic timeframe upfront.

Thresholds and Accessibility

Standard bi-fold and patio doors are built with a raised track or threshold, which is a trip hazard for some households and a genuine barrier for wheelchair or pushchair access. Low-threshold and flush-track options are available on most systems, levelling the transition between inside and outside almost completely, and are worth specifying upfront if step-free access matters for your household - retrofitting it later is far more disruptive than building it into the original installation.

Why Choose 1st Fix UPVC

Bi-fold and patio door installations are one of the bigger jobs we take on, and getting the structural side right matters as much as the door itself - a beautifully fitted door in an opening that wasn't properly supported is a problem waiting to happen. We handle both the door installation and the structural requirements as one coordinated job with our own tradesmen, rather than leaving you to manage separate contractors for each part.

Blinds and Shading Built Into the Glazing

Large expanses of south or west-facing glazing can turn a room into a greenhouse on a sunny day, and it's worth factoring shading into the decision rather than an afterthought once the doors are fitted. Integral blinds - fitted inside the sealed unit itself, between the panes - are available on some systems, giving you shading control without external blinds catching dust or getting caught in the folding mechanism. We'll flag this as an option at survey stage if the orientation of your opening makes it worth considering.

Areas We Cover

Bi-folding and patio doors fitted across Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham and Northumberland. Call with your postcode to confirm coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Get a Free Quote

For bi-fold or patio door installation anywhere across Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham or Northumberland, call 0800 047 2610 for a free, no-obligation quote, or see our full range of services.