We only offer the products that we believe are the easiest to install. We still would not recommend a DIY installation, it should still be carried out by a competent trades person.
All our products come complete with a fitting instruction manual. These instructions ensure that installation by a skilled tradesman is possible, however, if they are unsure of the term ‘toe and heeled’ or have little to no experience with fitting doors and windows then we highly recommend using our sister Company Express Bi-folding Doors who over a full survey and fitting service.
No, all the products listed on this website are set sized only for online ordering.
If you want bespoke products visit www.expressbifolds.co.uk
The general rule of thumb is that the largest panels should be 1000mm wide. We always recommend the minimum number of panels possible within a run of bi-folding doors as this improves the overall aesthetic of the door due to maximising the glazed area. This is also a more cost-effective option as the additional components in each panel does have a heavy impact on the overall price.
All our products (sliding doors, or bi-folding doors) are bottom running meaning there is no weight in the head of the doors.
The doors being bottom hung is of great benefit because the doors themselves will not cause any additional deflection in the steel above, steel deflection can stop doors from operating correctly so a bottom hung system will vastly reduce the likelihood of this.
All our systems allow for a flush finish to internal floors, meaning no step up to get out to your garden / patio.
Our sliding systems can allow a completely flush finish between internal and external floors (providing adequate drainage is in place) to ensure bi-folding doors are weather tight, a small rebated upstand from the internal to the external is recommended to guarantee years of trouble free use.
All of our products are very thermally efficient; they meet and exceed all current and planned future building regulations.
All our products are thermally broken and benefit from high performance double glazing with a U Value of 1.1 as standard. The maximum overall U value of any of our products is 1.6 and 1.5 in our windows, with many of our door and window products boasting even lower U values.
Aluminium bi-folding doors are:
- Better looking
- Smoother to operate
- More reliable
- More durable
- Extremely secure
- Thermally broken, giving high performance European weather ratings
UPVC folding doors are less secure and much more prone to failures such as jamming, especially on larger door systems and they offer no comparable weather ratings.
Aluminium is much slimmer and stronger than UPVC, it also doesn’t expand and contract in the heat and cold like plastic products do.
Yes, our aluminium products are powder coated which is typically a commercial application guaranteed for 10 years. Installed at a location within five kilometres from the sea this will reduce to around five years but a specific guarantee can be given dependent on the specific site postcode.
In a marine environment, such as a home on the coast, the salt in the air can corrode the powder coating. To alleviate this, we ‘marine grade’ the powder coating which is a slightly different grade of coating and we also treat all corners, joints, and mitres during manufacture to prevent any corrosion, this coating and treatment guarantees the coating even in the harshest coastal environment.
The handles are standard on each door and window system, but they all have a range of colour options.
Our doors are available in a choice of white, black or grey.
Our hinges and gaskets used are always made in black, regardless of frame colour due to the quality of material of gasket.
Ideally your opening will need the steel/RSJ in place and your finished floor level will need to accurately calculated. This will allow you to accurately measure for the door. It is possible to order the door and then create the opening to suit, we can provide any technical information regarding the door tracks to ensure this process works.
Our lead times fluctuate throughout the year. Our company ethos is to manufacture and install/deliver all of our products as quickly as possible and we carry stocks of our most popular sizes. Because all manufacturing takes place in-house we control all aspects of your project so even in our busiest times we will always have your products delivered within a few short weeks.
No, all of our staff are employed by Express Bi-folding Doors; this is why we can always assure you of a job well done. It also means we take full responsibility for all aspects of our works and you won’t ever be stuck in the middle of an argument between a sub-contractor and the manufacturer as is the case with many of our competitors.
We service the whole of mainland UK. We are happy to deliver anywhere within mainland England, Scotland or Wales but there is a surcharge for the areas outside our usual logistical routes.
All of our products come complete with a comprehensive warranty. We offer a full five-year warranty on all integral blind products and a full ten year guarantee on glass without blinds and the structural integrity of our products.
Express Bifolds Direct guarantee the manufacture of the products, however cannot guarantee the quality of a third party’s installation work, meaning if anything hasn’t quite gone how you would like it we can come out to asses a third party’s work for a small charge – but if you’re having an issue your first point of contact should be the person who installed the doors/windows.
Nothing compares to the expertise, professionalism and quality of not only our products but everything in between. When shopping online it is easy to hide behind a glossy and nice looking website, we are so much more than that. All our products are made in our world class 180,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Leeds, we have also been manufacturing premium aluminium products since 2007. We offer our products Nationwide to a whole host of trade Companies who buy products from us & then add a mark up. Dealing directly with Express you are going straight to the market leaders, ordering directly & with the peace of mind that we'll support you with any queries after you have received your products.
Yes, all the products that listed on this site are available in set sizes for online ordering.
As part of our commitment to industry leading quality we offer high security, anti-snap, anti-drill, anti-pick and anti-bump lock cylinders as standard throughout our entire range of doors. These premium lock barrels are 3-star diamond rated BSI cylinders which reaches Secured by Design accreditation. We even supply these cylinders in doors with a half a barrel so internally the lock cylinder boasts all the same security benefits meaning that if an intruder does get into a property they will not be able to break-out through our doors.
Unlike other Secured by Design standard lock barrels, the keys for the barrels supplied by Express can be cut at any locksmith without the need for a specific lock card to have further keys cut. The lock barrels themselves are supplied by one of the worlds’ leading manufacturers of lock cylinders, which we think is the perfect complement to our industry leading range of products.
All our products (sliding doors, or bi-folding doors) are bottom running meaning there is no weight in the head of the doors.
The doors being bottom hung is of great benefit because the doors themselves will not cause any deflection in the steel above, nor will they snag at the slightest deflection in any steels as is the case with top hung systems.
All our products are very thermally efficient; they meet and exceed all current and planned future building regulations. All our products are thermally broken and benefit from high performance double glazing with a U Value of 1.1 as standard. The maximum overall U value of any of our products is 1.6 and 1.5 in our windows, with many of our door and window products boasting even lower U values.
Both are great products, and both come with the same comprehensive guarantee. All our products have their own key features and benefits so this is really down to personal preference.
Not internal blinds no. We can pass on the contact information of a company who offers horizontal zip blinds that work well under our lanterns.
No, the benefits of the integral blinds we offer are light control, shading and privacy but they don’t offer total black-out.
Yes, we can manufacture our products with marine grade powder quality and we pre-treat all joints and mitres prior to manufacturing the products. Typically, our powder coating guarantee is ten years but in coastal environments we will give a specific guarantee based on the site location and exposure, this specific guarantee will be for a minimum of five years if not more but will be subject to correct and regular maintenance.
We have a team who can assist and advise you when measuring for our products. You can phone our team on 0345 340 9316 or e-mail [email protected] for assistance.
Although this is not recommended, in some instances where you have a larger scale floor to cover it’s hard to avoid! We advise that with all smaller builds the flooring be put down after the installation of the doors for obvious reasons. Once the glazing is in your build will then be wind and water tight allowing you to continue with the finished details like internal plaster, insulation and electric works along with the flooring you have chosen to install. In circumstances where flooring is a large part of the project you can begin the process but will be advised that you leave an area around the opening for the doors unfinished to ensure perfect finishes and protection of your new flooring. Our installation teams are clean, efficient and courteous to what is around them and are aware of protecting areas of property when required – this can all be requested at point of survey or point of install and we will be happy to assist.
No, we always recommend installing our products first and then you can render/plaster up to the products once they’re in to achieve a proper quality finish. We have had projects before where clients have plastered internally but left the reveals where our products are going, this is fine but as the space isn’t watertight until our products are installed it is best practice to do all plastering once the products are in.
You need to arrange for adequate parking for our delivery driver it is not our responsibility to arrange for parking. We will either need a space left for our vehicle(s) or you will need to provide a permit for as long as we require on site.
Yes, we provide full maintenance and operation instructions with supporting photography.
If your installation is on-going you’ll have a designated contact who’ll be regularly in contact with you but once your installation is complete just e-mail [email protected] with your job number and a brief description of the problem and we’ll be in touch as soon as possible.
It is important that trades on site take care when working in and around our products. The bottom tracks need to be cleaned and kept clear of debris and protective tape should be placed over them if trades are working within their vicinity. Post installation you will receive a complete maintenance pack which advises on how to clean and maintain them.
Upon delivery of your product, your guarantee will be sent by e-mail to the e-mail address you have provided. As with all of our products, our products will perform extremely well providing that the installation has been completed to a high level. As such, your installer should always be your point of contact if any queries arise after the installation.
The installation is critical and your chosen installer should be competent and have experience of installation within the fenestration industry.
We issue a guarantee which covers the aluminium, glass and moving parts within your products. Please find a link here to our relevant guarantee.
If you need any assistance with your chosen product(s), then speak to a member of our team or e-mail [email protected]
Once you have chosen your suitable product, and you are considering your chosen installer, it is important to remember that if your new bi folding door or sliding door is replacing an existing window or door in situ, your new product will need to have the relevant building control authenticating that the door has been installed by a competent person(s). Building control approval can be sought on this, but one of the easiest and popular options is to have your door installed by an accredited Fensa or Certass installer. If this is your chosen method, then your installer will have the necessary accreditation and experience to install this door for you. A Fensa or Certass certificate will be required if you ever move property and sometimes might be required for mortgage applications.
Please note that the above is only relevant for the replacement of an existing window or door. Any new openings being created with a new lintel/steel support, extension or new build will require building control permission from your local building/planning office or independent building inspector.