Internal bifold door sizes: how to choose the right size door for your home

Interior bifold doors are a fantastic addition to any home. Not only do they look great, they are also incredibly versatile. From open-plan setups to a walk-in closet, storage areas, and more, internal bifold doors can be used for a wide variety of purposes.

Internal bifold doors are available in a range of configurations so it’s essential to be aware of the options and to choose the right doors for your home.

Choosing the right internal bifold doors

There are several factors to consider when selecting a bifold door as an internal door so understanding the configuration you need and want before ordering is crucial.

Size of opening

The first factor to consider if the size of the opening you have for your bifold doors. The smallest recommended opening for internal bifold doors in 1200mm (1.2m). This size door is a two-panel door with two doors that are both 559mm wide. The opening required for these doors is 2017mm high and 1200mm in width.

Vufold’s range of internal bifold doors is available as a kit with everything you need to install your bifold doors once they arrive. When ordering your doors, the opening sizes are required so you should be able to find doors to suit the size of your opening and means your doors can be installed as soon as they arrive.

Space taken up by open doors

You will also need to factor in the amount of space that bifold doors take up when they’re open. Bifold doors don’t open in the same way as regular doors so the amount of space required is different. When bifold doors are open, the leaves are stacked up to one side of the opening. So, the bigger the bifold, the bigger the stack will be when the doors are open.

However, if you’re looking for bifold doors that do not take up space within your home, Vufold’s range of Inspire fold flat internal bifold doors can offer the perfect solution. These doors are available in two, three and four door options and can be folded back against the wall to maximise the opening in your home. Take a look at our video to find out more about how our Inspire range of bifold doors can help you to maximise space in your home.

Standard interior bifold door sizes

Buying an interior bifold door in the UK is made a little simpler as doors in the UK tend to follow predictable sizing conventions. While the precise measurements can vary between manufacturers and door ranges, most bifold doors are around 2078mm tall.

However, when it comes to the width of the doors, it can be a little more complicated. The width of internal folding doors can vary by several metres depending on the number of panels you wish to have. Each individual door panel has a width of between 550mm and 1000mm.

In terms of thickness, the panels of a folding door are the same as the majority of other internal doors sold in the UK which is 35mm. At this thickness, if your bifold door consists of five panels, it will form a 175mm stack when folded.

However, at Vufold, our internal bifold doors are available with a thickness of 40mm. Bifold doors put unique stresses and strains on the doors themselves due to the nature of the doors. When tested, we found that standard thickness doors are not as long-lasting and slightly thicker doors are required to ensure long-term stability and operation. This allows us to offer a 15 year guarantee on all of our internal bifold doors.

Precise measurements vary between manufacturers so the above measurements may vary. It’s important to measure the opening for your old door in your home carefully before committing to a purchase.

Vufold internal bifold door sizes

Door opening patterns and number of doors

When choosing internal bifold doors, you will need to consider the opening pattern. If you have an even number of panels that fold away to one side, you will not be able to open a single door in isolation. In configurations that allow for a single door to be opened on its own, the door is known as a daily access door.

Internal bifold doors are available in a number of configurations including:

2R -this configuration consists of a two-panel bifold door in which both panels fold away to the right.

2L -this configuration consists of a two panel bifold door in which both panels fold away to the left.

2L+1R -in this configuration, the door is made up of three panels with two folding away to the left and one to the right.

3R-this is a three-panel door with doors folding away together to the right.

3L -another three-panel configuration with doors folding to the left.

3R+1L -this is a four-door configuration with three doors folding to the right and one to the left.

Please note: All of our internal bifold doors include an access door so this is something you will need to consider when configuring your bifold doors.

How do you know what size internal bifold door you need?

Before purchasing internal bifold doors, you will need to carefully measure the aperture that they are going to be installed within. If you are replacing an existing door, you can take the measurements of that door as a guide.

Step one: To measure the opening, you should take your measurement from the sub-floor to the lintel above the opening. You need to know these measurements before you can select the right sized door.

Step two: Taking three vertical measurements, from the left, right and centre, will reveal whether you have a crooked opening. If your measurements vary by more than 10mm, this means the aperture is crooked. Use a spirit level to confirm this. If your measurements are within 10mm of each other, use the smallest one.

Step three: Once you have your measurements, you can start looking at the doors available to you. Every opening is different so make sure you find doors that are as close as possible to the size of your opening.

Custom internal bifold door sizes

If the space in your home where you intend to install bifold doors doesn’t match any available doors, some manufacturers will help you to create bespoke bifold doors for your home. Older properties built before door sizes were standardised are often the hardest to measure and install bifold doors for.

At Vufold, we offer bespoke bifold doors for these properties and can tailor them to the space available.

To find out more about our standard internal bifold doors or bespoke doors, please get in touch with our expert team today.