Learn about the different options available for interior and exterior folding doors and wall systems to choose the right product for your home or project.
Your original plan was to go with an inswing or outswing door. But it became clear that that wasn’t going to work because of stubborn space constraints. Folding doors can offer a great solution in such situations. They also create a larger, more unobstructed opening than most sliding interior or patio doors. Let’s take a look at three different types of folding doors.
When it comes to doors, builders and do-it-yourselfers can encounter a range of challenges en route to finding the best door solution for a given need. In this post, we’ll explore folding doors and the variety of scenarios in which they can be called upon to provide the perfect option.
Say you’re facing a situation in which space constraints make traditional inswing or outswing products impractical. Or perhaps you simply prefer a larger, more unobstructed opening than most sliding interior or patio doors can deliver. These are just two examples of cases in which a folding door might prove the ideal approach. But what kind of folding door?
The different kinds of folding doors
Folding doors come in a wide variety of designs and options. There are bifold doors, closet doors, accordion doors, and glass walls, to name just a few. Each has its own benefits and ideal applications. Let’s take a look at three common styles: interior folding doors (think closet and pantry doors), folding patio doors, and larger folding wall systems.
Interior folding doors
Interior folding doors, also known as bifold doors, are best suited to closets, pantries, laundry rooms, and passageways. Bifolds are sometimes paired to create a room divider, separating, for example, a home office from a living space.
JELD-WEN® interior bifold doors are offered in a variety of materials and styles to suit most home build and remodel projects:
- Stile and rail – Skillfully designed with premium wood veneers, these bifold doors deliver stylish performance with plenty of designs and finishes for creating the right look.
- Flush wood composite – Dependable and economical, this unadorned flush wood composite bifold door is available with solid core options to reduce sound transmission and meet fire ratings.
- IWP® Wood – Beautiful, handcrafted wood bifold doors with custom design options create a look that’s unique and a feel that’s like no other. Multiple wood species and stain finishes are available.
- Molded wood composite – These bifold doors provide an environmentally friendly and affordable option, offering a variety of raised or flat-panel designs and paint or stain finishes, and a ProCore® solid core door option.
- Tria™ composite – JELD-WEN® Tria composite bifold doors offer modern Shaker-style designs with clean lines, dramatic contours with architectural detailing, or raised panels with a carved appearance.
- Woodview™ Collection – The durability of molded interior folding doors offer strikingly beautiful wood-look stain finishes and a ProCore solid core door option.
Folding patio doors
Folding patio doors, also called accordion doors, glass bifold doors, and retractable glass walls, feature hinged glass panels that fold in and stack together to the left or right or that part in the middle and stack to both sides.
JELD-WEN® folding patio doors come in a variety of materials and configurations to meet the needs of just about any space. Some configurations feature a swinging door for simple in-out access without operating the full patio door system.
- F-2500™ fiberglass – Low-maintenance fiberglass doors resist dents, cracking, rotting, swelling, and shrinking. Designed to fit a standard patio door opening, the two-panel folding system stacks to one side.
- IWP® Aurora® fiberglass – Indistinguishable from real wood, these folding patio doors are elegant, versatile, and built to withstand even tough climates. They are available in two-to-eight-panel configurations with special order options.
- Siteline® clad wood – Expertly crafted Siteline® folding patio doors are built with AuraLast pine to preserve the beauty of your investment. Choose from two-to-four-panel configurations and options that complement different architectural styles.
- W-5500™ clad wood – The simple, timeless design of these doors, also made with AuraLast pine, brings in natural light via two-to-four-panel configurations.
Folding wall systems
Larger folding door systems—also called wall systems, bifold door systems, or movable glass walls—create seamless openings that can span almost an entire wall. These large bifold wall systems are often seen in high-end residences and commercial buildings and are available for a range of home sizes and styles.
- LaCantina™ – These doors combine the highest-quality rolling hardware with robust panel and frame designs to create truly impressive openings that blend indoors and outdoors. Top hung for effortless control, LaCantina folding door systems come in unlimited configurations. The unique Zero Post Corner System combines two door systems at a 90° angle and is able to eliminate the need for a supporting wall or post where the door systems meet.
Learn more about JELD-WEN interior folding doors.
Explore JELD-WEN patio folding doors.
See the best-in-class folding door systems from LaCantina.
