Call us: 01732 848088

Frequently Asked Questions about Frameless Bifolding Doors.

At FGC, we specialise in frameless bifolding doors, frameless porches, entrance doors, balustrades and other types of glazing.  The range of frameless products for both inside and outside the home is very broad and extends to more than just windows and doors. 

If you are thinking about improving your home with these cutting-edge products, using the very best in glass processing, coatings, technology and design, we give answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about frameless glazing, as well as frameless bifolding doors.

Frequently Asked Questions about our frameless folding doors

We are asked a lot of questions from our customers many of whom had never heard about our doors before.  Here are answers to our most commonly asked questions.

Where are your frameless bifolding doors made?

Our doors are British designed and made in Britain. We exclusively manufacture our frameless glass curtains at our factory in Kent. And we install nationwide.

FGC has designed and consistently upgraded our doors over the years to provide, what we consider is one of the best frameless bifolding doors on the market presently.

Can your doors be used inside as well as out?

We have extensively fitted our doors in many homes, offices and commercial buildings as either internal doors (or room dividers) as well as fully functional external doors.

We recommend our single glazed doors for internal applications that also feature an ultra-low threshold at only 5mm!

Whether you have our doors fitted internally or externally, there is no compromise on performance and security.

What colours are available with frameless bifolding doors?

The outer framework can be in any RAL colour of your choice.  Custom colours are also available subject to additional cost. 

How many panels are possible on frameless bifolding doors?

Our doors have been designed as both swing, pivoting and folding doors. This means you can have a single hinged glass door or a pair of hinged opening doors.

For our bifolding doors, we offer from three panels right up to special designs. One example of multiple doors is an installation with 18 panels at the Manchester United Training Centre.

What glass is provided on frameless bifolding doors?

The glass you see in our unique frameless glass doors is exclusive to us. This is what makes our doors so special.

We use top quality glass from the leading global glass processors manufactured from toughened safety glass. There is our special 20 mm glass spacer and not metal that you will find on other types of doors. The U Value of our glass can be as low as 1.0Wm2K. This exceeds the requirements of the current Building Regulations that state a U Value of 1.6Wm2 as a minimum.

Our glass features either 4mm or 6mm units using Saint-Gobain Planitherm 1 energy-efficient glass with argon gas between the panes.

For doors that have single glass, this is 10 mm toughened glass.

Why do your doors pivot and others fold? What is better?

The hinged bifolding door you will typically see is designed to be a slide and fold door. Whilst most quality doors use excellent running gear and hardware, they rely on the door hinges between the panels to enable them to fold.

The advantage of the pivoting and sliding action of our doors is that you benefit from no aluminium in between the doors and no visible hinges. Furthermore, our doors offer are far more convenient if you simply want ventilation without opening the doors compared to typical aluminium doors.

A further benefit is that our doors when folded fully back will take up far less space inside our outside your home than typical aluminium doors. On a four panel bifold, they will only take up 180mm of your space. This is substantially less than other quality aluminium bifolds.

What opening options are possible with frameless bifold doors?

Our doors can slide to the left or right, open in or out as well as having access leaves, double door leaves and other combinations. We are sure once you’ve seen our doors that you’ll find them more versatile than another quality bifolding door.

What hardware options are available.

We offer a wide range of handles to suit each individual door. These range from contemporary glass, polished or satin stainless steel and much more. Contact us for further information.

With all our handles, they are complemented by secure locking systems that provide exceptional security and tested meet British and European Standards.

We are confident that when you see our doors in action you will agree that they offer much more than a quality aluminium bifolding door. Contact us for further information about our range of frameless glass products.

Why are your doors more expensive than other systems?

We are the only company in the world manufacturing this door design, which is a very unique, patented product. We have no mullions (frame) between the glass doors as we use glass spacer bars where all other doors rely on aluminium. This system costs us more to manufacture than the standard bi-fold doors due to its hand-made production and unique engineering.  Our advice would always be for you to view our doors and different types of systems to compare the quality.

However, our belief is the nature of our doors is such that you're not comparing a like for like product with a conventional bifolding door.

Why are your doors so special?

Our Frameless slide and stack doors combine the best features of both sliders and bi-folds. A downside with sliding doors is you can't open the entire door set fully and a downside of bi-folds can be the bulky framework and the concertina folding method.

With our doors, you can open up the whole aperture. And because of the glass spacer bars we use, there are no visible mullions. The doors can be also partially opened to allow ventilation, making them incredibly versatile. None of these features come with sliding or bifolding doors.

Are your doors kite marked?

Yes. Our doors are kite marked, but due to the location of the stamp on the glass and the design of the doors some of the stamp is hidden behind a profile. Should you or your building inspector require evidence of this we can issue a certificate of conformity.

Can I have a flush threshold?

The bottom track can be sunk into the floor with just a 5mm threshold, so virtually no trip hazard and it's wheelchair friendly.

How do the doors seal?

Our unique doors work on a sophisticated compression system. When the locking handle is turned, a side column expands, compressing the doors together making them water and weather tight.

What are your maximum door sizes?

Our doors are designed to cover standard apertures and can also span entire walls or elevations. Each panel can be up to 1.3m wide and 3.0m high. Our sizes exceed many residential bifolding door systems and go taller than many sliding door products too.

How much room do open and stacked doors take up?

Each door is a super-slim 45mm wide compared with 90mm in most other systems. Therefore, they stack neater than other products on the market.

Where can your doors be installed?

Our incredibly versatile single and double glazed doors have been installed in a variety of buildings including private and commercial properties. As well as customer homes, our doors feature in restaurants, Manchester United’s training ground, Aston Martin and Audi car dealerships, schools, McDonalds, churches and even in cruise ships.

How can I see your doors?

Our substantial Kent Showroom is the best place to view our entire range of single and double glazed frameless doors, porch doors and a full aluminium range from some of the UK's best brands.

We also have a network of existing customers all over the UK who show our doors off on our behalf - we call them our “preferred customers”. Get in touch and we will find your nearest preferred customer and arrange for you to see the doors in situ. 

We offer this unique way for you to get to see what they really look like in a home. You'll also get a first-hand account of what we are like to deal with as a company.

Are your doors available with integral blinds?

Unfortunately, our doors are not compatible with integral blinds, also called internal or between-glass blinds.

How secure are the doors?

Our doors have passed an enhanced security test called PAS 24. They are extremely secure, robust and durable, they cannot be “bumped”.

What are your payment terms?

We require a 50% deposit on order, 40% 1 week before installation and the remaining 10% balance, 28 days after installation. We also offer our products on finance if you would like to spread the cost or take out a buy now pay later option.

General frameless glazing for inside and outside the home.

Is frameless glazing safe?

Yes. Frameless glazing uses toughened, laminated or multi-layered glass that is strong and safe. There is even glass that is strong enough to walk on.

Toughened glass is regular glass that is heat treated to alter its properties and give it exceptional strength. Toughened glass is a legal requirement in all doors and in windows below a certain height from the finished floor level. Toughened glass, should it break, is designed to shatter into thousands of harmless pieces that won’t cause injury. It is toughened glass that is used on the side and rear windows of cars.

Laminated glass is two or more pieces of glass sandwiched together with a plastic sheet. Should laminated glass break, it won’t fall into pieces or dangerous shards but will hold together. Laminated glass is used on car windscreens as an example. Laminated glass is frequently used in high security doors and windows or for those home improvement products certified to an enhanced security standard.

Is frameless glazing energy efficient?

Our double glazed doors give an overall ‘U’ value of 1.4 W/m2K and 1.1 W/m2K on triple glazed.

When comparing other models claiming to be frameless, many of these use single glass.  Single glass does not have the energy efficiency of double glazed products and in some areas of the house falls outside the scope of current Building Regulations.

Therefore frameless doors that are single glazed are not energy efficient and suitable for internal use.   For external doors we recommend a double glazed product.

How good are frameless glass products?

Like us at FGC, providers of specialist frameless products possess a lot of knowledge and expertise both in terms of glass know-how and the complex installation a frameless product requires.  

Frameless glazing is technically excellent, safe, strong and long-lasting  Correctly made, installed and maintained, it will give you years of reliability whether it is fitted inside or outside your home.

Frameless glazing does not provide a complete solution as the glass is limited in what it can do and how it can perform.  The good news is that, should you wish to incorporate frameless glass products in your home or your building project, your architect or builder doesn’t need to have expert knowledge.  This is where we come in.

What are the benefits of frameless products?

The key benefit of frameless products is their minimalist appearance thanks to the excellent views frameless products provide. Frameless products are ideal for bringing the outside into your home, enjoying all the light and glass brings while protecting you during the winter months.

Frameless windows and doors provide uninterrupted views that even a slimline aluminium or PVCu door cannot provide. Frameless products also provide a cleaner aesthetic, especially inside the house.

Is frameless glazing really frameless?

Unless the frameless glazing is ‘structural glazing’ then most frameless systems need some form of fixing method, structural support or patch fittings to make doors and windows open and close.  So while not entirely frameless it has the bare minimum of metal frame.

What is frameless glazing?

Frameless glazing includes a whole variety of products for the home, from windows and doors, to balustrades, glass splashbacks, porches, rooflights and even frameless conservatories and extensions.

Internally, frameless glazing includes doors, glass staircases, shower screens, worktops or balustrades.

Frameless products have been around for over 30 years in America and Europe but have recently enjoyed phenomenal interest with UK homeowners.

Ordering, Installation and Maintenance

Can I have a flush threshold?

The bottom track can be sunk into the floor with just a 5mm threshold, so virtually no trip hazard and it's wheelchair friendly.

What are your maximum door sizes?

Our doors are designed to cover standard apertures and can also span entire walls or elevations. Each panel can be up to 1.3m wide and 3.0m high. Our sizes exceed many residential bifolding door systems and go taller than many sliding door products too.

How much room do open and stacked doors take up?

Each door is a super-slim 45mm wide compared with 90mm in most other systems. Therefore, they stack neater than other products on the market.

Where can your doors be installed?

Our incredibly versatile single and double glazed doors have been installed in a variety of buildings including private and commercial properties. As well as customer homes, our doors feature in restaurants, Manchester United’s training ground, Aston Martin and Audi car dealerships, schools, McDonalds, churches and even in cruise ships.

What is the ordering process?

Get in touch for a quote by either using the online form, calling 01732 848088 or emailing [email protected].  In order to quote all we need to know are your approximate dimensions (or send in your plans) and your location (town is fine).

If you’re happy with your quote and wish to go ahead we arrange for our surveyor to attend.  Once you have signed off your drawings and contract and paid your deposit we commence manufacture and let you know your installation date.  Our lead time is subject to availability, with a minimum of 6 weeks.

What happens installation day?

Our team of fitters usually arrive on site around 8 am. Most installations (dependant on the size) are completed in one day. Our fitters will tidy up after themselves and show you how to operate and maintain your doors.

For doors going into new extensions, we ask that your builder removes any boarding. For town centre properties or with parking restrictions, we would ask you to arrange these for our installers.

Is any aftercare or maintenance needed?

Our team of fitters will leave you with a can of silicone spray. Twice a year we ask that you spray the bubble gaskets and track to keep your doors gliding smoothly.

What happens if something goes wrong?

FGC will do all we can to ensure your installation goes smoothly and we maintain regular contact with you in the run-up to your installation.  Should there be any problems with your doors post-installation just let us know and we will send a maintenance team out to make any necessary repairs (fees will apply for anything not covered by your guarantee.

Why should I trust FGC?

We are members of the Glass and Glazing Federation (GGF) and FENSA members. For your peace of mind, we provide deposit payment protection (T&C’s apply) and pride ourselves on our excellent aftercare and honouring our guarantee.

You can read our many testimonials and glowing reviews from our many delighted customers all over the UK.

We are on-hand to help and answer any other questions you may have about our products.  Please contact us if you have any specific requests or require any other information.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

FGC
Excellent
4.5
Based on 44 reviews
review us on
Our experience with FGC was excellent from start to finish, they were professional from our first contact right through to completion and we are delighted with the end product - it has added real kerb appeal and has exceeded our expectations.
Our small job was handled extremely professionally from start to finish and we are very pleased with the results.
Very happy with the service I have received, everything went smoothly no issues, I was kept up to date throughout the process and the fitting team were very professional, polite and friendly I would recommend fgc to anyone thank you
Great product with diligent, professional staff from start to finish. Highly recommended.
Firstly I have to say a huge thank you to Paul the owner of FGC for being willing to take on the job of sorting out the extremely shoddy and poor installation of the Origin doors and windows fitted on my new build home, when it was built. And replacing the damaged gaskets. I had your guys with me for two days this week. What a breath of fresh air comparted to the people of originally installed my doors and windows. Extremely professional and lovely chaps. They worked tirelessly to sort out the many issues we had. Would absolutely recommend 100% THANK YOU !
Response from the owner: Good Morning Paul, Thank you for taking the time to share your positive experience with us. We are absolutely delighted to receive it and are pleased we were able to resolve the issues for you. It’s been a pleasure working with you. If you have any further need in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Very helpful and good communication, great product. Thank you.
Very happy with doors. Look great. The installation was quick and straightforward.Will recommend
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!
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 Thanks
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).
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!!
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, thanks
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.
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!!
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.
Really great service from this family run company. We love the doors and the install was top notch. Thanks!
Great service and amazing finish! Would highly recommend!
Highly competent office and site staff, great product and at a fair price. Couldn't be happier with the entire experience and end result.
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.
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 Jahedi
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.
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!
Excellent in all aspects from initial viewing in showroom to actual installation.
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.
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.
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 with
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!!
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- Burnley
From start to finish everything was excellent.Fab u lasThank you
BRILLIANT SERVICE FROM START TO FINISHHighly recommended.
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.
I love my doors! It’s transformed my place. The people are great, no nonsense, organised and efficient. I’d recommend them to anyone
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.
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 owner: Hello Ian, thank you very much for leaving us a review and glad you're happy with your doors and our service.
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 enough
Really great doors. Really are something different. Expensive, but you really pay for what you get here.

What our customers say

A heartfelt thank you from us. We knew we wanted something a bit special to set off our extension, which has been absolutely essential in making our new home work for the family. We scoured the internet for something that would allow an uninterupted view of the planned garden but would also allow us to throw back the glass in the summer to bring the garden into the house. As soon as I visited the

We have been amazing our friends and family with our FGC since we had it installed a few weeks ago. Every ‘trade’ that is working on site has been fascinated and suitably impressed with the product and engineering. We are over the moon as it has really been the star of our home extension. Thanks too to the installers who were

Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson

We are delighted with the glass doors and so grateful that completion was before Christmas! We would be happy for anyone to come and see the installation and would recommend your company as polite, efficient and totally professional.

Very pleased with the glass curtain doors which you supplied on time and installed very quickly. Great product that really enhances the

Brian Berg
Brian Berg
Yes we are very pleased with the doors and would recommend them. Initial contact was done by our neighbour at Kingswood so cannot comment, however, the price we were initially quoted was incorrect and significantly lower than it turned out to be. Not sure why. We at Derwent only had a verbal quotation. The installation was carried out on time, very politely. Unfortunately as you know the handle broke and no spare. Reasonably clean. For

It’s nearly a year since you installed our glass curtains. They have been really great, exceeding our expectations, particularly during the winter months when they were absolutely draught free. When they are fully open you really feel that the lounge is part of the garden, it all becomes one space. Many thanks, they were one of our best decisions.

Thank you for supply and fitting the beautiful bi folding doors to one of our bespoke projects. Customer service has been second to none. Timescales have all been met as promised. Would definitely use this company again in the

L G Blower Specialist Bricklayer Ltd
L G Blower Specialist Bricklayer Ltd

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

 We were delighted with the service and standards from Frameless Glass Curtains – everyone at the Company responded really well and work was done on time with minimum of fuss. Workers were polite, did a great job and left everything clean afterwards – and the windows look amazing! We would certainly recommend Frameless Glass Curtains   Keith and Tina,  Sussex May 2016

The service I received from FGD was professional and prompt from the initial on site survey through to installation and completion. Added to this the finished product has exceeded my expectations. It has enhanced my home with style and individuality, and enabled me to make use of the space in a way that is ‘unique’.

What a great product and great company. Smooth process, professional services from surveyor to installation team, and everyone in betweeen. I could not recommend them high enough. Early days, but so far

Nigel Taylor
Nigel
Installation of four double-glazed doors, internal to a large bay window arrangement, top floor flat. Initial contact was by email and a quote came back within a couple of days. More than can be said for some of the other companies we contacted about similar products. We visited the factory for a demonstration and were also put in touch with a relatively local previous customer whom we went to see, to look at the product

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