Timber-clad bifold doors

Having narrow sight lines maximises the view. Our composite bifold doors have 118mm sightlines, fractionally wider than the 115mm of the SF55s and SF75 aluminium systems because of the internal timber cladding.

The internal timber cladding adds 20mm to the inside face of the aluminium door frame, increasing the frame depth compared to the SF55s and SF75 systems

We offer a choice of timber for the internal cladding of the composite systems.
Meranti is a durable hard wood, Nordic Pine is a knot-free softwood and American White Oak gives a lovely straight-grained appearance.

Choose from a wide range of Sikkens™ wood stains, with the choice of having different stains or even paint finishes available for interior and exterior surfaces also available.

The external frames of our composite doors are available in a range of standard colours, alternatively you can select from an almost infinite choice of optional colours and finishes.

Thermal performance of the doors is measured as a U-value. When comparing products it is crucial to compare the overall U-value of the system and not just the U-value of the sealed glass unit. The SUNFLEX SF75 timber-clad aluminium bifold doors can achieve a U-value from just 0.8W/m²K (based on a centre-pane of 0.5W/m²K), making them suitable to projects being constructed to Passivhaus standards.

Because our composite doors are made from an aluminium frame (rather than timber) our panel sizes are the largest of any composite door system on the market.

Whilst the majority of bifold doors are installed in an outward opening configuration, inward opening doors are ideal for use with balconies or with small courtyard gardens.

The gaskets that seal the panels of the doors together when closed, providing a weather-tight seal, are made from an incredibly durable, synthetic EPDM rubber.

Separating the external and internal aluminium frames of the door the polyamide thermal breaks prevent cold bridging, increasing the thermal performance of the system.

Our bifold doors include shoot bolt locks that extend from the lead door and intermediate panels into the top and bottom of the track, whilst the lead door features a mushroom head lock into the side jamb.

PAS 24:2016 is the testing standard for security required to comply with Building Regulations Document Q. P1a glass (usually laminated glass) specification is required to meet Building Regulations Document Q approval.

The Secured by Design award marks the police preferred security specification for windows and doors

Double glazing is a minimum requirement for external doors and windows. Our standard double glazed units consist of a soft-coat Low-E (low emissivity) pane and argon gas-filled cavity which provides a centre pane U-Value of 1.2W/m2K. Over the standard, we can provide super-insulated double glazed units providing a centre pane U-Value of 0.5W/m2K whilst providing solar control.

Triple glazing is becoming increasingly popular, especially in total new builds, as it provides the lowest U-Values possible and can be up to 40% more efficient than double glazing. Combining two panes of Low-E glass and two gas-filled cavities, glazing U-Values as low as 0.5W/m2K are possible with the added benefit of great sound reduction.

Every set of doors and windows undergoes independent physical testing to assess the ability of the systems to withstand air and water. Water tightness is tested against BS EN 12208 standard with air permeability tested against BS EN 12207 standard.

Our bifold doors come with a choice of 2 track options. Non-weather rated flush tracks are only typically recommended for internal or sheltered urban locations, but our low-threshold tracks have minimal 14mm upstands which are perfect for creating that flush appearance in urban or rural locations. Our ffully weathered tracks designed to offer the hightest protection against wind and rain and are therefore ideal for rural or exposed locations.

A truly unique and innovative feature, the SUNFLEX locking panel catch holds the lead door of the system in place when the doors are being opened, preventing the door from swinging shut.

Unique to SUNFLEX bifold doors, the exclusive stacking clip holds the doors securely in place when they are stacked open, stopping the wind (or young children) closing the doors unexpectedly.

The running gear of our composite bifold doors are designed to offer effortless operation, however large the panels and however wide the opening.

The integration of a moveable corner post allows the doors to open up a complete, unobstructed corner of a room

We are able to fit integral Venetian blinds within the glazed unit, ensuring a totally dust-free environment which requires no cleaning or maintenance. These are very popular, especially on internally opening systems where curtains are not practical.

Integrated blinds can be tilted to help prevent the build-up of excessive heat and glare of the sun during the daytime and provide privacy when closed. Blind units are manually operated with an ingenious magnetic control device.

The requirement for trickle vents to provide background ventilation can be a requirement of Building Regulations Document F, depending on the type of project you are undertaking. IDSystems trickle vents are installed through the head track of the outer frame if required.

Laminated glass: Improved security and UV reduction preventing furniture fading.
Solar-control glass: Manufactured with an external coating that features reflective properties to reduce solar gain.
Self-cleaning glass: Reduces the need to clean the glass, very useful in roofs.
Obscure glass: Our satin deco is a stylish solution for areas requiring privacy.
Low-iron glass: Improves the light transmittance through glass while providing some free energy.

For new-build homes or for change of use projects (barn conversions etc) we fit laminated glass as standard to meet the requirement for P1a glass as specified by Building Regulations Document Q for security. For all other projects (extensions, replacements or renovations etc) we fit toughened glass to comply with Building Regulations Document N.

Toughened glass
Toughened glass has been heat tempered to increasing its strength over ordinary annealed glass by up to five times. Other than the strength the advantage of toughened glass is that should it break it would shatter into non-sharp pieces. It is also available with the widest variety of coatings and can be supplied in larger sheets than equivalent thickness laminated glass.

When the glass is toughened it can suffer from some visual distortion making, meaning the face of the glass is not perfectly flat distorting some reflections.

Laminated glass
Laminated glass is manufactured by bonding two panes of annealed glass with a clear plastic interlayer. The benefit of laminated glass is that if it’s broken the glass will crack rather than shattering, improving security. In addition, laminated glass reduces bleaching of carpets, curtains and furniture by filtering UV rays that would usually penetrate the glass.

The drawback of laminated glass is that extreme heat or cold can cause invisible defects in the glass to form a crack due to the two panes expanding and contracting independently. As the laminated glass is not toughened is does not suffer from the visual distortion that can occur to toughened glass during the toughening process.