Which Patio Door Type Suits Your Opening?
Patio doors connect your home to the garden, terrace, or balcony. Whether you prefer the wide views of a sliding patio door or the classic elegance of French patio doors, we manufacture both styles from engineered timber — built to your exact opening dimensions.
Timber patio doors outperform aluminium and uPVC in thermal efficiency, repairability, and character. Engineered Accoya provides dimensional stability with a 50-year rot guarantee, while our factory spray finish ensures a flawless appearance from day one.
French vs Sliding vs Bifold at a Glance
| French doors | Sliding doors | Bifold doors | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical opening width | 1.2–2.4m | 2.4–4.8m | 1.8–7.2m |
| Clear opening when open | Full width (both leaves) | About half (panels stack) | Almost full width (panels fold to the side) |
| Swing space needed | Yes, inward or outward | None | Fold stack only |
| Glass per frame | Medium | Largest panes, slimmest sightlines | Smaller panes, more frames |
| Period property fit | Best: bars and fanlights available | Good on rear elevations | Modern look |
| Guide price from | £2,780 (1.5m pair) | £4,990 (2 panels, 2.4m) | £3,570 (2 panels, 1.8m) |
| Price per m² | £882 | £990 (£1,260 extra-width panels) | £945 |
Rule of thumb: under 2.4m choose French doors; wide openings where the view matters choose sliding; wide openings you want to open fully choose bifold. Price each in the timber door price calculator.
Patio Door Styles in Detail
- Sliding patio doors — 2, 3, or 4 panels glide on precision aluminium tracks. Slim sightlines, maximum glass area. Panels stack behind each other — no swing space needed. Ideal for wide openings where unobstructed views are the priority. See full sliding door specification →
- French patio doors — two leaves swing open (inward or outward) for a classic, elegant opening. Sequential opening on French pairs. Glazing bar options for period properties. See full French door specification →
- Bifold patio doors — 2 to 8 panels fold to one side, creating a full-width opening. Ideal for merging indoor and outdoor living. See full bifold door specification →
🇬🇧 Made in UK · 6–8 Week Delivery
Design Your Patio Doors in 3D
Choose sliding, French, or bifold. Pick dimensions, colour, glazing, and threshold. See a 3D preview and get an instant price.
Open the 3D Configurator Book a SurveyGuide Pricing
| Patio door type | Approx. price |
|---|---|
| French patio doors (1.5m wide) | From £2,780 |
| Sliding patio doors — 2 panel (2.4m wide) | From £4,990 |
| Sliding patio doors — 3 panel (3.6m wide) | From £7,480 |
| Bifold patio doors — 3 panel (2.7m wide) | From £5,360 |
| Bifold patio doors — 4 panel (3.6m wide) | From £7,140 |
Guide prices from our online configurator (October 2026): supply only, excluding VAT and installation, standard specification (engineered timber, double glazing, white finish). Standard height 2100mm. Use our 3D configurator for an exact quote based on your specification.
Why Timber Patio Doors?
Aluminium patio doors dominate the mass market, but timber offers significant advantages. Timber is a natural insulator — it conducts heat 1,500 times less efficiently than aluminium, eliminating cold bridging and reducing energy bills. Timber can be repaired, sanded, and refinished indefinitely; aluminium and uPVC cannot. And timber patio doors suit period properties and Conservation Areas where metal or plastic may be refused by planning officers.
Our engineered construction uses laminated timber sections that resist warping and bowing — the traditional weakness of solid timber doors. Combined with precision manufacturing and factory-applied Sikkens coatings, our patio doors are built to perform for decades.
Specification Highlights
- Timber — engineered Accoya or hardwood. 50-year rot guarantee (Accoya).
- Glazing — double glazed (U-value 1.4) or triple glazed (U-value 0.8).
- Security — PAS24 multi-point locking on all door types.
- Threshold — standard hardwood, aluminium low-profile, or flush aluminium.
- Colour — any RAL colour, full Farrow & Ball range. Dual colour available.
- FENSA registered — Building Regulations self-certification on completion.
How It Works
- 1. Design online — Use our 3D configurator to design and price your patio doors instantly.
- 2. Free survey — We visit your property, measure the opening, and confirm the specification.
- 3. Manufacture — Your doors are built in our workshop. Typical lead time 6–10 weeks.
- 4. Installation — Our FENSA-certified fitting team installs your doors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which patio door is cheapest?
For a normal opening a French pair is the lowest price (from about £2,780 for 1.5 m); for wide openings bifolds (from about £3,570 for 2 panels) usually cost less than sliding doors (from about £4,990 for 2 panels) (supply only, excluding VAT and installation; standard specification from our online configurator, October 2026).
Which patio door gives the widest clear opening?
Bifold doors: the panels fold to one side and the opening is almost the full width. Sliding doors open to about half the width; French doors open fully but only span up to about 2.4 m.
Which patio door needs no swing space?
Sliding doors. The panels move within the frame, so nothing projects into the room or the garden.
Can I compare the three types with my own sizes?
Yes. The timber door price calculator and the 3D configurator price French, sliding and bifold doors for the same opening so you can compare them directly.
Areas We Cover
We manufacture and install timber patio doors across all London boroughs and Hertfordshire. Free site surveys within 25 miles of London. Our most active areas include Wandsworth, Chiswick, Richmond, Dulwich, Hampstead, Chelsea, Kensington, and St Albans.
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