Bi-Fold Doors - 'Traffic Door'

[chewymix]

We are getting Alu Bi-Fold doors and are looking at if we need what seems to be called a traffic door. I thought this door opened on its own but could also fold and slide with the rest of the doors but i am hearing that the traffic door gets left behind and hinges on its own on one side and then the other doors slide to the opposite side.

Is this right or can it be done wither way - The openeing is a little over 4 meters if that makes any difference.

thanks

 

[foxhole]

If the door was hinged off the sliding section it would be insecure and flap around when opened as it does not sit in a track like the sliders.

 

[God]

Can be done either way
One we done recently with a traffic door in the middle

 

[Sponge]

We are getting Alu Bi-Fold doors and are looking at if we need what seems to be called a traffic door. I thought this door opened on its own but could also fold and slide with the rest of the doors but i am hearing that the traffic door gets left behind and hinges on its own on one side and then the other doors slide to the opposite side.

Is this right or can it be done wither way - The openeing is a little over 4 meters if that makes any difference.

thanks

I went looking at bi-folding doors this afternoon and was offered, amongst others, two versions of a three section installation.

The first had a door on the left. It was hinged on the left and opened/closed like a traditional door. The other two sections were sliding and slid to the right.

The second had the left most section as a door again, but it was hinged on the right to the centre section. When open, it could be clipped to the centre section to stop it 'flapping'. The whole assembly slid/folded to the right.

Actually, there's a third and fourth option - to have the above two, but the other way around, i.e. hinged on the right/sliding to the left. If you get me?

I think we're going for option 2, but sliding to the left.

The showroom had examples of the same, but with more sections, 4, 5, 6...

 

[chewymix]

yep - thanks for the replies and after some digging it seems that doors fold in pairs therefore if you have an odd number of panels then you have a 'traffic' door that opens and slides with the rest. If you have an even number of panels then the traffic door opens on its own and is fixed and the others slide out of the way.

In the end the configuration we were expected was to have an openening door that slid with the rest therefore the doors have gone back to be remade with 3 panels.

thanks

 

[Sponge]

Can I ask what research and considerations you...considered...when deciding on Aluminium bi-folds?

I'm currently looking at uPVC, but haven't considered Aluminium due to some pre-conceived notions (dated, cold). That is, until I stumbled across a company that sells them and had a website with lots of interesting reading material. But I'm always sceptical of such recommendations, when they come from companies that might not necessarily be unbiased.

A builder friend of mine suggested I look at Screwfix. They have some nice looking solid oak bi-folds.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/jeld-wen-canberra-solid-oak-slide-fold-patio-door-set-2394-x-2094mm/28072

Although, we've been looking at ones that don't have the opposite opening 'slave door' like the one I linked to above, but ones which all slide together, in one direction (the left).

 

[chewymix]

all the bi-folds we are aware of in friends houses are aluminum and i think modern ones look smart and are not cold. We have been advised by all builders, completely separately, to avoid wooden bi-folds as over a few years they'll change shape and not run true and generally be a pain. I generally have a dislike for uPVC anything having had to replace the windows here with sash reinstatement's so would not consider them for bi-fold but i am sure they'd be fine.