What's the better option Aluminium or Wood Bifold Doors
Aluminium Doors are fast becoming the norm in new homes, including renovations. I decided to put this article together solely based on my 15 years of experience repairing doors, hoping it would provide a good understanding of the pros and cons of these doors. I'll also offer my recommendation.
So why are aluminium doors popping up everywhere? What's their advantage over wood doors? Should you install wood or aluminium doors. I'll provide you with an honest opinion on my experience repairing thousands of aluminium, wood, and PVS doors.
Whether you're building a new home or looking to install new doors, you'll most likely consider aluminium doors as an option. If it's a new build, the likelihood of choosing aluminium appears to be a given due to builders already recommending them over wood. This is usually due to prearrangements with aluminium door and window manufacturers as they are easier to churn out.
A great selling point for installers
recommending aluminium doors over wood doors is maintenance. This decision is like a double edge sword. Yes, you may never need to paint them, unlike wood doors, which need painting every few years to protect them from the elements. It's like a no-brainer because most customers don't want to paint all these wood doors and frames every few years, so let's get aluminium doors; problem solved. Only if it were that simple, the reality is that both these door types have their pros and cons, but aluminium doors far outweigh wood doors in being the costliest of the two.
Aluminium bifold/sliding doors are fundamentally error-riddled. This means they are not always repairable. So, what happens if your 7-year building insurance has expired and you discover the doors aren't fixable? It's unfair for the buyer, but unfortunately, there's not much you can do. These doors are not always repairable because parts are not easily accessible, if at all. A common issue is when the frame has shifted, causing the doors to scrape together. Components for aluminium bifold doors are generally specific to the setup, and you can't just install any hinge, pivot or carriage, and so on. You'll need the exact parts from the manufacturers. My time dealing with many manufacturers is they prefer to replace the doors rather than repair them, so they will nearly always quote on a new setup/installation as a result, aluminum door systems allow for limited repairs if any. For example, if the doors are scraping, the system will allow for around 5/10mm of adjustment either way. In theory, it should be enough to fix the issue, but in many cases, it's not. A house foundation can shift over 10mm, whether clay or concrete. I've seen it all. If the foundation raises 10mm, typical in homes, you cannot repair the doors. The door can't be trimmed, chiseled, or planed, and that leaves you in a difficult position. Even repairs to a bottom track or change of rollers can be complex.
Myreno Door repair has recently seen homeowners experience aluminium bifold door problems that we do not wish upon anyone. For example, one owner purchased a relatively new home around seven years old. Only to find the door was scraping and not repairable. To give an idea of cost, to install a six-panel bifold door setup like these costs around $8,000 to $14,000 supplied and installed. A builder advised a homeowner to install aluminium bifold doors in another situation. The owner paid $11,000 and eight years later, the doors stopped working; unfortunately, they now need another 11k for a new set of folding doors. That's a high price to pay. On the other hand, if they were wood doors, they may have been required to paint them once in this period, at the cost of roughly $500/$800, in this case, a saving of over $7,000 in my time fixing doors this scenario is escalating.
Aluminum Bifold Door Conclusion
Pros:
A. Painting not required
Cons:
A. Parts are specific to set up and not always accessible
B. Doors or panels aren't repairable/replaceable
C. Cannot trim or alter door or frame dimensions
D. Hardware lifespan limited (may void after several years)
E. If one door panel needs replacing, this is not possible, may need to replace complete setup.
Wood Bifold Doors are fundamentally easy to deal with; as you can imagine, this comparison won't need much explaining. Wood doors and frames are user-friendly and easy to deal with, potentially saving you thousands of dollars no matter the problem. It sounds too good to be true. Myreno door repair can fix these doors in nearly all scenarios. For example, parts are accessible, and all doors and frames can be altered to fit new or alternative hardware. If a panel is scraping and the system isn't allowing further adjustment, we can remove the door/s and trim them down, chisel, sand, and so on. We then reset the hardware to allow further adjustment in the future. This will enable the doors and system to function as intended, like new. Even if only one panel was damaged, you could still replace it without needing a completely new setup and installation, saving you significant dollars. In worst-case scenarios, if all doors are worn due to negligence, this happens for example, if the doors haven't been painted over several years in this case, you can still replace them without the need to replace the frame, unlike aluminium doors. You don't want to know what some manufacturers advise, even if a hinge is broken? Yep! a new setup and installation will usually occur when the owner isn't aware of other options.
Wood Bifold Door Conclusion
Pros:
A. Part more accessible
B. Doors and panels are repairable/replaceable
C. Can alter door or frame dimensions to suit.
D. Hardware lifespan limited (alternate parts available)
E. If one door panel needs replacing, this is possible.
Cons:
Need painting every few years.
In the end, wood doors are the better option in the long run. As long as you paint them every few years, they will save you a lot of money and, with some basic maintenance, can last 25/50 years. In my opinion, builders shouldn't consider aluminium bifold doors in homes, or at the least, should provide a warranty of up to 15 years. This allows the owner to have parts readily available as they will inevitably be required after 3/5 years on average after installation. So, in closing, do yourself a favour and try stay clear of aluminium doors in the home. Admittedly, we get lots of calls to repair these doors, the chances of fixing the issues are 50/50, so it's a significant relief when successful. However, We've also developed some useful workarounds over the years, so we can let you know the chances of repairs if you're having issues once the inspection is complete.
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