Call us: 01732 848088

Pivoting bi folding doors

The frameless bifolding doors you see on this website are known as “pivoting Bi Folding doors“, this means that each leaf slides, pivots and then folds.

The alternative type of doors is the hinged bifolding door.  Each type of opening action has its own unique features and it is up to you to decide whether a hinged or pivoting door will work best in your home.

More about pivoting bifolding doors

Our doors feature hardware that gives them their unique style of operation and of course enables them to be frameless as well.  Is there a best type of opening action? We believe ours are superior by nature of their design and overall appearance.

However, in order to help you make an informed decision we explain how each type works.

Hinged bifolding doors

internal view of glass bifolding doors


A typical full framed bifolding door will have doors connected to each other by hinges.  Each leaf is connected to the other and upon releasing the locking mechanism these will fold in or out and then slide in the required direction.

You can easily recognise a hinged and fold door by the zig zag pattern they all have. Once all the leaves are released or unlocked, the connected leaves all slide together.  Depending upon the number of leaves the doors possess, they will either all slide to one direction or with larger doors you may find half the leaves slide to the left and the other half to the right.

Sliding and Pivoting Doors

Doors such as those you see on this website are different.  The first thing you will notice about our slide and pivot doors is that there are no visible hinges.  Each door slides to its desired position and then folds either in or out.  Another major difference is that unlike the connected doors ours are all independent leaves all operating as stand alone doors yet all come together brilliantly when fully opened.

Advantages of pivoting bifolding doors

The obvious and visible advantage to pivoting doors is that they are much slimmer as there are no visible hinges.  Even the very best fully framed bifolding doors utilising the slimmest types of hinges will still have these visible.  By nature of the door leaves not requiring any aluminium to bear the hinges in place means you can have frameless glass bifolding doors where all the doors meet in the closed position.

Taking our doors as an example, notice how we only use frame at the top and bottom of each door leaf and on the outer frame of the product. This lack of aluminium profile where many other types of door rely on it for strength and integrity is that in the fully open and stacked position our doors will take up significantly less space as well.

Finally, because pivoting and sliding bifolding doors work as independent leaves you have far more flexibility as to how you use your doors.  For example, you can slide just one door leaf and then hinge it open to provide ventilation rather than having to open all your bifolding doors at the same time.

If you would like a demonstration of our outstanding frameless bifolding doors or a further explanation on the differences, please contact us.

We also offer a full range of aluminium windows, bifolding and sliding doors,
and front doors as FGC Bespoke Aluminium.

Visit the FGC Showroom

You can now visit our showroom in Strood, Kent.

The full range of Frameless products are on display in wide variety of configurations.

We request you contact us to make an appointment before visiting to avoid overcrowding.

Find out more about the FGC Kent showroom.

Reviews on Facebook and Google

Excellent4.6 Based on 37 reviews from review us onLisa S.Lisa S. ★★★★★ Very helpful and good communication, great product. Thank you.Dave S.Dave S. ★★★★★ Very happy with doors. Look great. The installation was quick and straightforward.Will recommendRH K.RH K. ★★★★★ FGC were brilliant. Great advice on the best windows to get. Extremely good installation. Always ready to solve any installation or manufacturing issues. We are extremely happy with the end result!Joy W.Joy W. ★★★★★ Frameless windows were brilliant, Liam Alfie and James were great, polite, courteous, and left the site clean and tidy. The windows look amazing, Great service from start to finish. Many ThanksRayRay ★★★★★ We love these doors and look forward to having them open a bit more once the patio has ben completed. They really have a "wow" factor and this becomes a double "wow" when people are shown how the corner can be completely opened up. It was about a year from my first enquiry to the doors being installed as there was a considerable amount of building work required to prepare the room. throughout this period I remained in touch with FGC and the service was exceptional. The installation team was on site for a day, starting early and working through to completion before driving back to Kent!! We have been really pleased with the standard of workmanship and even had compliments from other tradesmen working on the room (most of whom had never seen doors like this). These are expensive doors but the price difference from a normal set of bi-folds was well worth it for the uninterrupted view you get. The doors were installed in February but I have held off doing the review until the room was more finished so I could post a more representative picture. Once the patio is done the look will be even better than we originally envisaged. I have attached a few pictures of the room (the white table is only a temporary measure while we wait for the new coffee table).Sharon B.Sharon B. ★★★★★ From first contact to installation, my interactions with FGC have been easy, fast and professional. The end product is superb, we are so happy with our new doors - wish we had done this years ago. Well done FGC!!Jayne N.Jayne N. ★★★★★ This is the second time we have installed FGC and we are very happy with our second installation- very sleek and stylish and all staff very helpful, thanksD JD J ★★★★★ Frameless Glass Curtains have few competitors so they could take a lax approach to their work. However, that is not the case. We have had a porch installed in a space that was not square or aligned. The service from survey to finish has been above standard. Barry’s attention to detail and determination that the work would not be complete until his high standards were met was much appreciated. The communication from the admin side was clear and helpful. So all in all we will be using Frameless Glass again and have no hesitation in recommending them.Brian S.Brian S. ★★★★★ Brilliant product, what a difference, no frames to block our view of the Brecon Beacons. The service has been the best I think I have ever received and the fitting team were faultless - they travelled 5 hours to get to us in Wales, arriving 30 minutes early, working flat out without a break for 9 hours before driving 5 hours back, all without one complaint!!Catherine U.Catherine U. ★★★★★ Ordered Crittal-style French doors in aluminium. The doors look fantastic and are so much better than the ancient sliding doors I had before. The company were very friendly and easy to deal with. They were understanding of my delays due to a flood. The installers were professional and polite and poor things had to work on the hottest day of the year. Would definitely recommend FGC.Laura G.Laura G. ★★★★★ Really great service from this family run company. We love the doors and the install was top notch. Thanks!Info Oad S.Info Oad S. ★★★★★ Great service and amazing finish! Would highly recommend!paul R.paul R. ★★★★★ Highly competent office and site staff, great product and at a fair price. Couldn't be happier with the entire experience and end result.vanessa C.vanessa C. ★★★★★ From the beginning to the end, everyone at FGC have been amazing. I knew straight away that the glazing FGC would provide and install would be spectacular and how right that was! The FGC glazing allows our Edwardian stained glass door to still be a main feature and in fact it shows it off perfectly. We are so happy with the end result and can’t praise FGC highly enough, somehow 5 stars doesn’t seem to be high enough.ZorèZorè ★★★★★ Their windows are second to none. No other company in Germany, UK or anywhere else can produce such a fabulous product.Any issues that has come up, they always come & fix it. The staff are so nice and polite. For a small company they do really a great job over all. The main things are the frameless bifolds that you hardly have any frame in the line of vision and there is a 5 years guarantee. Mr & Mrs JahediFiona G.Fiona G. ★★★★★ Delighted with our new frameless glass doors. Had lots of lovely comments, even all the trades who have been working on our house have said they've not seen anything like them. Great having something a little unusual. The quality of the doors is of a very high standard. The service from FGC has been very good too, from ordering through to installation. All went very smoothly with no problems. Paid a bit more than regular bifolds, but worth every penny. Best decision, no regrets at all.Andrew H.Andrew H. ★★★★★ Great service and very welcoming for my father and I. Adrian in particular was very efficient, gave great pertinent advice and guidance on my future purchase!Des P.Des P. ★★★★★ Excellent in all aspects from initial viewing in showroom to actual installation.TonyTony ★★★★★ Excellent service and product from FGC.I have a glass-box conservatory, built with structural glass about 20 years ago. The 2 sliding doors needed replacing, along with 2 side panels, and I contacted dozens of companies selling conservatory doors and none of them were prepared to install their doors because of the perceived risks of working with structural glass.Then I found FGC who, with no fuss at all, carried out a survey, provided a very reasonable quote for the doors/panels and then installed the doors/panels on the agreed date.Communication with the FGC office was always quick and easy. The surveyor and installation team were efficient and courteous. The product works beautifully.We can now use our conservatory again. Thanks FGC.Arun S.Arun S. ★★★★★ Great company with excellent, friendly and responsive service, the guys were helpful and efficient with the installation and the slide and turn doors are a fantastic product.Matt G.Matt G. ★★★★★ Fantastic service from start to finish, from the surveying, contact with office to the workmen. I have experience through work of a number of companies providing similar products and these guys have been by far the best to deal withDavid W H.David W H. ★★★★★ FGC installed a two-panel frameless glass door at our property yesterday. Wow!! the installation is exactly as discussed, and was carried out by two of FGC's team members who were so professional and courteous. They were excellent, and we have no hesitation in recommending FGC and their team to anyone considering such an installation.We are delighted with the installation, and very pleased we chose FGC.Well done FGC!!Border S.Border S. ★★★★★ The quality of the windows / doors are second to none.The customer service was first class from placing the order to installation we were kept informed at every step.The installation team led by Richard left our house and patio cleaner than when they arrivedI would recommend FGC 100%Tony- BurnleyStephen H.Stephen H. ★★★★★ From start to finish everything was excellent.Fab u lasThank youStephen O.Stephen O. ★★★★★ BRILLIANT SERVICE FROM START TO FINISHHighly recommended.Nathan P.Nathan P. ★★★★★ We purchased a beautiful Origin sliding door and side window from FGC. FGC installed the sliding door and window on time, however the sliding door did not fit correctly. Issues can happen. FGC made the process of re-surveying and re-installation very simple. FGC is a very pleasant and professional company to deal with. We are very happy with their service and would strongly recommend them.Darius C.Darius C. ★★★★★ I love my doors! It’s transformed my place. The people are great, no nonsense, organised and efficient. I’d recommend them to anyoneAdrian W.Adrian W. ★★★★★ Excellent planning and product advice. All the staff were polite courteous and friendly.On the day of the installation, the team arrived bang on time -we live in Wales so a long drive from Kent! They had the job done by lunchtime (fitting a sliding patio door) and I have to say that on first impression of the unit, it looks and feels like solid quality.Ian J.Ian J. ★★★★★ We had a 5m stretch of these wonderful doors installed several years ago and have been very happy with the uninterrupted view of the garden that they allow from the living room. They are admired by every tradesman who sees them. A minor problem we experienced with water ingress last year was promptly and effectively resolved, and the doors were serviced for free at the same time.Response from the ownerHello Ian, thank you very much for leaving us a review and glad you're happy with your doors and our service. Elly BElly B ★★★★★ Great staff and great products! Have visited the showroom to view doors, really loved all of them! Have referred to a friend - Can't recommend enoughAdam F.Adam F. ★★★★★ Really great doors. Really are something different. Expensive, but you really pay for what you get here.js_loader

What our customers say

Somewhat belatedly may I thank your team for your no quibble, courtesy and efficiency in fixing the problem with my door. All down here are most impressed! Thank you for your input into all this. MBH,

MBH, Essex
After researching the market for a contemporary sliding minimal frame patio door, we were delighted to come across Frameless Glass Curtains. We were so pleased with the doors we ordered another set for the dining room and were not let down – the service we received was consistently good from staff both in and out of the office. From the start they have been knowledgeable, polite and happy to spend time helping us with our

We wanted to connect two room – a ‘sun room’ and living room -by replacing a large window with some glass doors. We contacted local suppliers and Googled ‘glass partitions’. Local suppliers weren’t much help, however the Google came up with just what we wanted – frameless glass doors. We contacted Gary for a price. He arranged to come and do a survey the following week – 600 mile round trip – arrived on time.

We have patio doors and a large matching picture window, these are well designed, manufactured and installed and are noticed and acknowledged by all visitors to our house. The customer service is also excellent so highly recommend these products and

Phillip Coutts
Phil

On first contact you talked and demonstrated the unit, the installers were very polite, clean and tidy. I am very pleased with the product and I would recommend FGD to other people.

The bottom line, I am happy with all your support to get me the financial support for this project.  Without your help the project would not have been

Bashir
Bashire in Cambridge
Delighted with final result and extremely pleased that I decided on these ‘frameless glass doors’ over conventional bifolds. The company had no end of patience with any pre-order questions that I raised and the factory visit and visit to view an existing installation were very informative and reassuring. The team that fitted were professional, attentive and extremely competent and the final result excellent and much admired. Thank you. I would not hesitate to recommend the

Linda Trodd
Mrs T
I had been looking for some time to replace my patio doors in our lounge as they had very wide plastic frames and wanted something that wouldn’t restrict the view up the garden I asked to see if it was possible to view some already installed close by. Luckily there was, we went and viewed and was very impressed. I’ve seen lots of companies do bi-fold and there is actually one that is on the

Paula Sanders
Paula
Just a note to let you know how delighted we are with the sliding folding glazed panels installed by your firm at the rear of our house. Friends come into our kitchen now and are just amazed at how the same space has been transformed and opened up, simply by the addition of your glazed panels, providing a panoramic view looking out onto the garden. During warm summer days it was (and still is) such

Our FGC sliding doors were installed in May 2018. Although we have had two relatively minor problems – neither of which stopped the doors from working – FGC have attended very promptly to carry out remedial action. Excellent customer service from head office and excellent service from install technicians. Many visitors comment most favourably on appearance and functionality. Overall rating 10 out of

Nick Medlam
Medlam
This is the first project I have completed with FGC and it will not be the last. From the original survey and quote, right through to final installation, the team at FGC have been tremendous. The communication and detail is outstanding, the quote was fair market competitive and the final result of the product in situ is absolutely outstanding. I have never seen a system like this before. The quality of the work is remarkable,

Claire Menzies
CMenzies
Dear Frameless Glass Curtains, I would thoroughly recommend anyone to use your company. Your product is excellent and the installers were delightful: on time, tidy, quick, cheerful. An initial problem was dealt with immediately. The doors have changed how I feel about living in my small house; they have made the sitting room feel double the size as the walled garden now looks like a second room. Everyone admires them. There you are, my official

Telephone calls are monitored for training and quality purposes in accordance with our privacy policy.

Published on September 30, 2015

Other articles you may like