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What is a Concertina Door?
Simply put, a concertina door is another way of describing a bifold door. The name takes inspiration from the musical instrument concertina or accordion, as these instruments are folded open and closed to create music (similar to the way in which fire bellows are operated), so the concertina folding doors slide open and closed using panels.
We have a wide range of concertina doors for you to choose from including wooden concertina doors, concertina French doors, concertina glass doors and internal concertina doors.
History of Concertina Doors in the UK
Folding doors are also known as bifold doors, but the design is essentially the same, and dates as far back as Roman times.
Archeological finds in Pompeii have shown that Romans favoured wooden concertina doors, and according to historian Peter Connolly, Romans “disliked single-leaf doors and wherever possible, both inside and out, they used double or even folding doors.” Hence our modern love of internal folding doors.
Over the centuries different materials have been used to update the look and feel to represent design trends of the times. Today, the majority of sliding external concertina doors are made from materials such as wood, UPVC or aluminium, and many contain window or glass panels to amplify the natural lighting.
The design remains the same however, and as well as being great at maximising space, they’re cost effective too.
How do Concertina Doors Work?
Internal and external bifold doors use a straightforward tracking system which runs along the panels. These are linked via a train. Because the doors fold in on themselves, they slide along the tracking system effortlessly thanks to a set of wheels or a lower tracking system – resulting in seamless motion and discreet operation.
These doors typically come in pairs, particularly internal concertina doors, with two doors folding to one side or four that separate in the middle – as well as two doors folding back to either side. Your concertina folding doors come with all fittings and tracking already fitted and can be opened either outwards or inwards, making them incredibly versatile and wonderful for saving space.
The majority feature between two and seven panels, all of which can be linked with hinges and connected to the roller track at the top or bottom of the door (or both).
Benefits of Concertina Doors
Concertina folding doors offer homeowners a number of different advantages.
Saving space. For one, the sliding mechanism allows the accordian doors to open without having to take up space in the room, making them an ideal installation in compact living spaces. This sliding opening also makes a pleasant departure from more conventional doors that open outwards, so they’re also good for modern homes that have a contemporary aesthetic.
Accordion doors can be used both inside the home and out, making them a versatile design choice. Internal concertina doors, particularly, take up very little space when they’re open, making them the ideal option for smaller rooms like kitchen pantries or laundry rooms. Why not have folding doors that open into your wardrobe? You’ll be able to access the whole space at once, since it opens both sides.
Our concertina folding doors are efficient as the doors fold up panel by panel, so they don’t take up much space when open, either.
Versatile. Of course, you can blend both interior and exterior design by using the folding doors as gateways to your patio, garden, orangery or conservatory. When closed, the windows in the concertina glass doors allow in plenty of natural light and enable you to enjoy views of the outdoors. When open, these space-saving entryways make it easy for you to step in and out and to carry things like toys, drinks trays and other items in and out without the hassle of dealing with door handles.
Extra natural light. Without a doubt, one of the real plusses of having external concertina French doors is the breath-taking views they offer. They literally bring a little of the outside in (without any of the mess). What’s more, they let a significant amount of light in meaning you’ll save on electricity bills.
At Bifold Doors UK, we pride ourselves on manufacturing made to measure folding doors, meaning we can customise the length and width of your door panels so that they open exactly how you want inside the frame, giving you the option for having the wooden concertina doors partially open as well as allowing you control over the final finished look.
