Internal vs External Bifold Doors - What's The Difference?

Posted at 09/27/23

Bifold doors have become a popular home improvement in recent years. Modern homeowners love the sleek design of these doors and they can be configured to match your exact requirements. Unlike sliding or patio doors, bifold doors open by folding in a concertina fashion. As they fold neatly on top of themselves and to the side, bifold doors can really open up a space, and they won’t get in the way like traditional hinged doors do. Bifold doors can be used inside the home and on exterior walls to connect your home with your garden seamlessly. 

If you are considering a bifold door installation, we are sharing everything you need to know about internal vs external bifold doors.

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External Bifold Doors 

Enjoying your outdoor space all year round has never been easier, thanks to contemporary aluminium bifold doors. External bifold doors are unique because they don’t slide or open on hinges; each glazing panel folds neatly on top of the next. With floor to ceiling designs, you can enjoy stunning views of the outdoors when your doors are open and closed. 

External bifold doors are installed on an external wall, purposefully positioned to connect your living space with your garden. When you open your doors, your interior and exterior areas will become one. With the doors folded discretely to the side, you can enjoy undisturbed panoramic views of your surroundings. 

High quality bifold doors will offer reliable functionality. The doors will glide smoothly and open and close with ease. Popular locations for external bifold doors include rooms situated at the back of a property. These stylish doors can provide easy access from your living room to your garden or make your kitchen feel brighter and more spacious. 

All homes are different and that is why aluminium bifold doors are tailor made to suit your specifications. You can choose the number of glazing panels, frame colour and even configure your design to feature an independent ‘traffic door’. With this design, you will have a door within the whole bifold structure that opens and locks independently of the rest of the structure, meaning you don’t have to fold open all the panels when you want to move between your home and garden.  

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Benefits of External Bifold Doors 

There are many benefits to an external bifold door installation. Here are some of the most desirable: 

• Increased natural light inside your home 
• A seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces 
• Panoramic views 
• Bespoke design to suit your property
• Effective space saving solution  

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Internal Bifold Doors

Internal bifold doors have a similar function to external designs, except they are installed in different locations. These bifold doors are fitted inside the home and used to create a stylish connection between rooms. Popular locations for internal bifold doors include pantries, wardrobes and laundry rooms. 

With internal bifold doors, the rooms inside your home can feel larger and more natural light can pass from room to room. With the doors open, your rooms will feel bigger. In comparison, with the bifold doors closed, your rooms can become independent of each other again and have a cosier feel.

Top of the range security measures and advanced weatherproofing are important for external bifold doors, but these features are not necessary for interior designs. When your doors are installed on an exterior wall, they need to offer exceptional thermal efficiency and locking systems. However, when your bifold doors are installed between rooms, you just need to make sure the design offers reliable functionality and looks great. 

Internal bifold doors are popular for homeowners with small properties. As these doors concertina to the side, you can create larger rooms and there is no need to worry about a loss of space when the doors are open.  

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Benefits of Internal Bifold Doors 

Internal bifold doors are the perfect way to improve the appearance of your home. Here are some of their best benefits: 

• Creates space in smaller rooms 
• Seamlessly connects different rooms together 
• Can be tailor made to fit areas of all sizes 
• Invites more natural light into the home

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The Difference Between Internal & External Bifold Doors 

When it comes to internal vs external bifold doors, the main difference is their location. External doors are - as the name suggests - installed on an exterior wall. Internal bifold doors are fitted between rooms inside of a property. 

The two types of bifolding doors function in a similar way and can both be customised to match the individual style and specifications required by each homeowner. Alongside their location, internal and external doors can differ in the following ways: 

• External bifold doors feature more weatherproofing features 
• External bifold doors include advanced security measures
• Internal bifold doors can be installed by homeowners with previous DIY knowledge, but external doors will need to be professionally fitted 
• External bifold doors are larger (on average 6.10ft in height, compared to 6.8ft for internal models)

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Upgrade to Bifold Doors with MyBifold! 

Whether they are installed between rooms or as access to your outdoor space, aluminium bifold doors have many benefits. At My Bifold, we supply a stunning range of bifold doors and you can use our online tools to find an accredited installer and get a quote for your home improvement project today. 

We offer customisable bifold doors that can be tailor made to meet your exact style and configuration needs. If you would like to learn more about our market leading bifold doors, contact the My Bifold team by calling 01522 516615 or filling in our online contact form.