How to Choose Between Bifold, Sliding & French Doors

Choosing the right door type for your rear elevation or extension is a big decision. Bifold, sliding, and French doors all connect your home to the garden — but they do it differently. Here's a practical comparison.

Quick Comparison

Bifold Doors — The All-Rounder

Choose bifold if you want the widest clear opening. Bifold panels fold and stack to one or both sides, leaving up to 90% of the opening completely clear. This creates a genuine indoor-outdoor living space that's unmatched for summer entertaining.

Bifold doors suit the widest range of properties — from Victorian terraces in Headingley to modern extensions in Horsforth. They're available in 2–7 panel configurations covering openings up to 7 metres. Typical cost: From £2,200 supply-only for a 3-panel set.

Sliding Doors — The Modern Statement

Choose sliding if you want the slimmest frames and the sleekest look. Sliding door profiles can be as narrow as 20mm, creating a near-seamless wall of glass. When closed, sliding doors offer more glass and less frame than any other option.

The trade-off is the clear opening — because panels slide behind each other, you typically only open 50–66% of the width. For many homeowners, the dramatic closed view more than compensates.

Sliding doors excel on very wide openings (5m+) where a long run of bifold panels can look busy. Typical cost: From £2,800 supply-only for a 2-panel system.

French Doors — The Classic Choice

Choose French doors if you have a standard-width opening or want a traditional look. French doors are a pair of hinged doors that open outward, giving you a clear opening of up to ~1,800mm — enough for two people to walk through side by side.

French doors are the most affordable option and suit period properties beautifully. They're also ideal as a secondary door — for example, from a bedroom to a Juliet balcony, or from a side passage to the garden. Typical cost: From £1,200 supply-only.

Can You Mix and Match?

Absolutely — and it's increasingly common. Popular combinations in Leeds include:

• Bifold doors on the main rear opening + French doors from the living room
• Sliding doors on the main elevation + casement windows above
• Bifold doors on the ground floor + Juliet balcony French doors upstairs

Our Recommendation

• Standard extension (2.4–5m): Bifold doors — best value, most versatile
• Wide opening (5m+): Sliding doors — cleaner look at larger widths
• Standard door opening: French doors — affordable, classic, effective

All three door types are available in our full colour range with fast lead times. Explore our bifold doors, sliding doors, and French doors, or get a free quote.