I. Measuring Dimensions
Door Opening Dimensions: Firstly, accurately measure the height, width and thickness of the door opening. Make sure that the size of the folding door perfectly matches that of the door opening. Generally, folding doors come in a variety of standard sizes and also support customization. If the size of the door opening is irregular, for example, if it is slanted or uneven, it needs to be dealt with before installation, or you can choose a folding door style that can adapt to such special circumstances. For instance, for a door opening with a large width, multi-panel folding doors would be a better choice. When measuring the size of the door opening, it is necessary to measure it precisely. If there is an error in the measurement, it will be difficult to install the doors and windows, and you will have to return them, wasting freight costs and time. Therefore, it is essential to confirm and check repeatedly before delivery in the early stage. The specifications of the produced doors and windows should meet the needs of customers before they can be shipped.
Opening Space: Consider the space required when the folding door is fully opened. Folding doors are folded and opened to one side or both sides. Make sure that there is enough space in the opening direction to avoid collisions between the door and furniture, walls or other obstacles when the door is opened. For example, when installing folding doors between the kitchen and the dining room, if there are large dining tables and chairs placed in the dining room, it is necessary to consider whether the normal use of the dining room will be affected after the door is opened. Sufficient opening space should be reserved for the installation of folding doors. Otherwise, it will be easy for the folding doors to be bumped during the opening and closing process and get damaged easily. Folding doors installed in any position should have enough space reserved. For example, some bathrooms and toilets are separated by folding doors. If the bathing area is relatively small, sufficient space should be reserved during the installation of the folding doors to avoid the situation that the opening and closing space is too small, resulting in the folding doors being bumped and damaged.
II. Material Selection
Aluminum Alloy Material
Advantages: Aluminum alloy folding doors have the characteristics of high strength and are not easy to deform, making them very suitable for places where frequent opening and closing are required, such as the entrances of shops, partitions between balconies and indoors. Moreover, the aluminum alloy material is corrosion-resistant and can maintain good performance in humid environments (such as residences near the seaside or bathrooms). Its surface can undergo various treatments, such as electrophoresis and spraying, and can present different colors and textures. For example, for modern minimalist style decoration, silver-gray or black electrophoretic aluminum alloy folding doors can be chosen, which are both beautiful and durable. Aluminum alloy is lightweight, has strong compressive and bending resistance, and is very suitable as a material for the frames of folding doors. Even if glass is attached to the frame, it can bear the weight well.
Disadvantages: The thermal insulation and sound insulation performance of the aluminum alloy material is relatively weak. However, now some high-end aluminum alloy folding doors have improved this situation by adding thermal insulation strips and sound insulation rubber strips and other measures.
PVC Material
Advantages: PVC folding doors are relatively inexpensive, lightweight and easy to install. This material has good waterproof, moisture-proof and corrosion-resistant properties and is easy to clean, making it a good choice for humid environments such as kitchens and bathrooms. It also has a certain degree of flexibility and is not easy to break.
Disadvantages: The texture of PVC folding doors may not be as good as that of aluminum alloy and wooden folding doors and may look a bit cheap. Moreover, its durability is relatively poor. After long-term use or direct sunlight, problems such as fading and aging may occur.
III. Functional Requirements
Sound Insulation Effect: If the position where the folding door is installed requires good sound insulation function, such as between the bedroom and the living room or in a room close to the street, then you can choose folding doors with sound insulation cotton, double-layer glass or multiple sealing rubber strips. For example, double-layer hollow glass folding doors can effectively block outside noise, and their sound insulation effect is much better than that of ordinary single-layer glass folding doors. Folding doors and glass windows both have good sound insulation functions. Since some office buildings or residential communities usually install such folding doors or glass windows, whether it is for living or working, the indoors are very quiet, creating a relatively quiet and comfortable space for you. If you live in a busy city, it is highly recommended that you install folding doors or glass windows to create a quiet home environment and improve your quality of life.
Thermal Insulation Performance: In the north or in some environments where indoor thermal insulation is required, thermal insulation performance is an important consideration factor. Folding doors with good thermal insulation performance usually adopt a broken bridge aluminum structure or thickened materials. The broken bridge structure in the middle of the broken bridge aluminum folding door can effectively prevent the conduction of heat and maintain the stability of the indoor temperature. In some areas where the winter weather is relatively cold, the indoor heating is usually turned on and thermal insulation is needed. If you install folding doors with glass as a barrier, the indoor temperature can be maintained relatively stable at a normal temperature. This is the advantage of folding doors, which have good thermal insulation performance. If the winter weather in your place is relatively cold, it is recommended that you install folding doors, which can provide good thermal insulation. Even if the weather is very hot or very cold, you don’t have to worry about sudden changes in the indoor temperature and feel uncomfortable.
Transparency: For folding doors installed in positions such as between the balcony and the living room or in sunrooms, transparency is very important. You can choose folding door styles with a larger glass area, such as all-glass folding doors or folding doors with a high proportion of glass. Meanwhile, the type of glass will also affect transparency. Transparent glass has the best transparency, while frosted glass or glass with patterns has slightly poorer transparency but can provide a certain degree of privacy protection. The transparency of folding doors is very good. If you want to install windows or doors in your study, you can consider installing folding doors or transparent glass windows. Since glass windows have high light transmittance, you generally don’t need to turn on incandescent lamps during the day and it can be relatively bright, which can save electricity for homeowners. If you have children at home, such high light transmittance can allow your children to study at home with peace of mind without worrying about myopia caused by dim light.
IV. Style Matching
Modern Minimalist Style: It is advisable to choose folding doors with simple lines and single colors (such as black, white, gray). Aluminum alloy materials or glass folding doors with metal frames are good choices. Such doors have a simple and elegant appearance and can complement the decoration of the modern minimalist style. For example, in a modern-style apartment, installing transparent glass folding doors with black metal frames between the living room and the balcony can make the space look more transparent and open. Nowadays, there are various home decoration styles, such as modern style, modern pastoral style, classical retro style, new Chinese style and so on. Folding doors or glass windows can be matched with any of the above decoration styles without any sense of disharmony.
Pastoral Style: Wooden folding doors are the first choice for the pastoral style. You can choose folding doors with wooden textures and lighter colors (such as light beige, light wood color), and there can be some simple carvings or decorative lines on the doors. For example, in a pastoral-style villa, installing wooden folding doors with flower pattern carvings between the kitchen and the dining room can create a warm and natural atmosphere.
Chinese Classical Style: Folding doors of this style usually adopt dark wooden materials, such as mahogany, sandalwood, etc., and will have exquisite traditional Chinese carvings, such as fret patterns, cloud patterns, etc. Chinese classical style folding doors are not only a partition but also a work of art, which can show a strong cultural heritage.
V. Quality of Hardware Accessories
Track Quality: The track of the folding door is a key hardware accessory. A high-quality track is smooth and wear-resistant and can ensure the smooth opening and closing of the folding door. The materials of the track generally include stainless steel and aluminum alloy. The stainless steel track has high strength and is corrosion-resistant and is more suitable for heavy-duty folding doors. Meanwhile, the design of the track is also important. Some tracks are equipped with anti-derailment devices, which can avoid the situation that the door derails during the opening and closing process.
Hinge and Handle Quality: Hinges should be sturdy and durable, able to bear the weight of the door and ensure that the folding action of the door is accurate. The handle should have a good feel and match the overall style of the door. For example, on Chinese-style folding doors, you can choose traditional-shaped handles in antique bronze color, while on modern-style folding doors, you can choose simple stainless steel handles.
