Vufold vs Climadoor: External bifold doors

Author: David Ross - Sales Manager

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When choosing the perfect external bifold doors, there are several considerations to be made: material, sightlines, thermal efficiency and security measures, to name a few.

Two popular bifold door suppliers are Vufold and Climadoor. Both offer top quality external bifold doors. However, their products are very different in terms of style and quality.

This guide compares both brands by important considerations so you can make the right choice for you.

Vufold vs Climadoor external bifolds: an overview

Similarities between Vufold and Climadoor external bifolds

Vufold and Climadoor share a few basic similarities, including:

• Each range is available in wood, which is perfect for achieving a nautral style
• Both offer double glazing options for the glass
• Multipoint locking systems are available for both
• Range of finishes available for different materials

Differences between Vufold and Climadoor external bifolds

There are several important distinctions between external doors offered by Vufold and Climadoor. These differences will help you decide what your priorities are when choosing your external bifold door.

Warranties

When you are ready to purchase your bifold door, you want some assurances of quality. One of the best ways to find out the quality of a bifold door is to check the warranty. The longer the warranty, the more likely the door will last a reasonable amount of time.

Another benefit of longer warranties is that it reveals the supplier's confidence in their product. If they are offering warranties above and beyond standard lengths, you know their product is designed to last. Vufold offers a 15-year warranty on their aluminium external bifold doors, giving you extra peace of mind.

The maximum warranty Climadoor offers is a 10-year guarantee, with some guarantees being as low as 2 years on some wooden bifolds.

Materials and styles

Both Climadoor and Vufold offer aluminium and wooden bifold doors, though Vufold offers a much wider selection of colours. For wooden bifolds, you can choose between a prefinished oak or unfinished oak (which allows you to stain the wood to any colour). For bespoke orders, Vufold can supply bifolds in any RAL colour.

Composite bifold doors offered by Vufold are a great way to merge two styles - giving you the classic oak finish on the interior (and excellent thermal efficiency!) and the durability of aluminium on the external side.

While Climadoor also offers a budget option with uPVC doors, these are often cheaper looking, are less durable and lack customisation. The uPVC doors cannot be painted, which means the colour you choose will be what you see for the life of the doors.

When researching external bi-fold door options, make sure you also consider any sightlines. This is the size of each panel’s frame or the parts that will block your line of vision. Aluminium doors often have the thinnest sightlines, with Vufold offering sightlines as thin as 123mm!

Ease of installation

Climadoor bifolds are designed to be installed by a professional tradesperson. This will obviously increase your cost and can delay the installation process.

Vufold supplies ‘ready-to-assemble doors sets’ for easy installation. As the name suggests, RTA doors are ready to be assembled on-site the moment they arrive:

• Doors are pre-machined meaning no specialist equipment is required.
• All hardware and drill bits are included
• Straightforward instructions included
• Only basic tools need to be sourced

RTA doors can be installed by any competent DIYer, saving you money!

Standard sizes and bespoke bi-fold doors

Both Vufold and Climadoor offer sizes starting at 1.8m, but Vufold’s standard sizes cover more range, offering up to 6 metres compared to Climadoor’s 4.8 metres. This means whether large or small, Vufold’s standard sizes will likely suit your needs.

However, not all door openings will match a standard size. Vufold’s bespoke service is perfect if you’re renovating an older property with non-standard door sizes or building an extension and want a uniquely styled bifold door.

Thermal efficiency

Thermal efficiency is essential as it reduces the amount of energy required to keep rooms at a normal temperature. Both Vufold and Climadoor offer double glazing as a minimum, ensuring decent thermal efficiency.

However, the difference between U-values reveals the real difference between Vufold and Climadoors’ thermal efficiency. Vufold's composite bifold doors offer triple glazing and U-values as low a 1.0 W/m2k - one of the best U-values on the market.

Conclusion

Choosing the right bifold door for your home is more than just looking at a price tag. You should look for a bifold door that offers:

• Longevity
• Quality
• Style
• Thermal efficiency

Vufold can offer all these and more. Take a look at our full range of external bifold doors today!

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• External bifold door locations: patio, kitchen, extensions and summer houses
• Patio doors: bifold, sliding and French doors
• How to choose the best external bifold door