Cortizo Aluminium Bi-Folds

AluminiumBifoldDoorsinPoole&Bournemouth

A genuinely wide opening onto the garden, PAS24 security-tested and fitted properly, not just sold as secure.

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What a wide opening actually looks like

The doors fold back and the room opens onto the garden. Here's our own work, and the look at its widest.

A sage-green aluminium bi-fold door fully open on a timber-clad garden room, with decking and a blue sky — One of ours: a sage-green aluminium bi-fold on a garden room, fully open onto the decking.

Green aluminium bi-fold doors on a house exterior in bright sun, fitted by Wilshaw Glazing — One of ours: green bi-folds from the Holt job, in the sun.

Aluminium bi-fold doors fully folded open on a rooftop terrace beside a pool — Cortizo's own photograph, showing a wide run folded fully open.

A black aluminium bi-fold door with an integral blind sealed between the panes, photographed from inside a property mid-fit — One of ours: a black bi-fold with an integral blind built into the glass, mid-installation.

A white aluminium three-pane bi-fold door, closed, at a real Wilshaw installation opening onto a composite deck — One of ours: a white aluminium three-pane bi-fold we fitted, opening onto a new composite deck.

Three of these photographs are genuine Wilshaw installations, all of them aluminium bi-folds. The rooftop pool photograph is Cortizo's own product photography, kept for the widest opening shown on this page.

What actually goes wrong with a poorly-specified bi-fold

Not scare stories, just the three things that separate a properly-specified system from a cheap one.

Worn rollers and sticking

The most common bi-fold fault is mechanical: worn roller bearings, debris in the track or hinge wear over time, causing sticking, derailment or shaking when you open and close the doors.

No named weather rating

If a system has never been tested to a named air, water and wind class, water and draughts can find their way in at the base and where the panels meet. Ours is tested to Class 4 air, 9A water and A3 wind.

Why bi-folds get a bad name

A poorly-specified system is what gives bi-folds their "going out of fashion" reputation, not the doors themselves. Specify it properly and a bi-fold is still one of the best ways to open a house onto the garden.

What you're actually buying

Named test standards, not adjectives. Here's what the Cortizo system is rated to.

Thermal performance

As low as Uw 0.97 W/m²K (consult typology, dimensions and glass), comfortably inside Part L's 1.4 W/m²K ceiling for a heavily-glazed replacement door.

Security

PAS 24 security-tested. The datasheet records it plainly: 'Security test: Passed.'

Weather performance

Tested to Class 4 air, 9A water and A3 wind (EU-harmonised EN standards), on a 2.70 × 2.53m, 3-sash reference test.

Frame and sash depth

73mm frame and sash depth with a 1.8mm profile and 20mm/30mm polyamide thermal break in the frame and sash.

Glazing capacity

Takes glazing from 25mm up to 45mm, so your installer can specify the right glass for the opening.

The alloy

Manufactured in 6063 T-5 extrusion alloy, the aluminium grade used across the Cortizo range.

Will it suit my opening?

Real configuration flexibility, not one stock photo

From 1 to 14 sashes, opening inward or outward. On outward-opening configurations you can also specify a corner sash at 90° with no mullion in the way, so the whole corner folds open.

1 to 14 sashes, so the run can match almost any opening width
Opens inward or outward, whichever suits the room
A corner sash at 90° with no mullion, on outward-opening configurations only
Sashes up to 1,200mm × 3,000mm and 120kg, though Cortizo's own guidance is to consult maximum weight and dimensions according to typologies. We'll confirm your exact opening at survey rather than quote a bare maximum.

A technical diagram showing multiple bi-fold door opening configurations by sash count and stacking direction

Blinds built into the glass

Integral blinds, sealed inside the unit

On a wide run of glass, blinds are the part people think about last and live with every day. Integral blinds sit sealed inside the glazed unit, between the panes, so there's nothing hanging on the inside to dust, snag on the doors as they fold, or take down when you clean the glass. We've fitted them, and one of our Google reviews is from the customer who has them. Our integral blinds page has the full picture, including how they're operated and what the guarantee actually covers.

The blind sits fully sealed inside the unit, protected from dust and knocks
Nothing hanging in front of the doors to catch as they fold back
Raise, lower or tilt the slats with a wand or a switch, depending on the control you choose

A black aluminium bi-fold door with an integral blind sealed between the panes, one of our own installations

The finish, your way

These are indicative. Josh brings the physical Cortizo catalogue to survey so you can see and feel the exact shade.

Indicative colour
RAL Colour Range
Qualicoat >60 micron
Indicative colour
Mottled Texture
Indicative colour
Rough Texture
Indicative colour
Wood-Effect
Qualideco standard
Indicative colour
Anodised
Ewwa Euras Class 15 (20/25 optional)

Dual-colour is available too, a different colour inside to outside. Every finish here is a generated, indicative approximation. The physical Cortizo catalogue at survey is the accurate reference.

How it works, start to finish

No salesman, just Josh.

The survey

Josh surveys every job himself, measuring your exact opening and talking you through sash count, opening direction and finish.

The quote

You'll get a clear, written quote for your exact opening, with no pressure to decide there and then.

The fit

Fitting a bi-fold typically takes a few days on site, done properly rather than rushed.

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The bits people worry about

Will it actually be secure, not just look nice?
Every Cortizo bi-fold is PAS 24 security-tested, the same standard referenced in the Building Regulations for door security. That's tested, not just described as secure.
What if my opening isn't a standard size?
The system runs from 1 to 14 sashes, so most openings can be matched. We'll confirm your exact size at survey rather than guess from a brochure.
How long is my house open to the weather while it's fitted?
We work through the opening properly rather than rushing it, and it's made secure before we finish for the day, whatever stage the job's at.

What we typically charge around Poole and Bournemouth

What aluminium bi-fold doors typically cost

A dimensioned cross-section diagram of an aluminium bi-fold door frame

Aluminium bifold doors

Typically £3,000–£5,000 per door set, installed

Fully fitted, for a typical domestic opening. Wider runs scale roughly with the opening: published UK guide rates put aluminium bi-folds at £1,000 to £1,700 per linear metre (MyJobQuote, 2026), which is where the band above comes from on a 3-metre opening. Yours is confirmed at survey.

Aluminium bi-fold vs uPVC bi-fold vs sliding doors

If you're weighing up bi-fold against sliding for your extension, here's the honest comparison nobody else locally sets out.

	Aluminium Bi-Fold	uPVC Bi-Fold	Sliding Door
Threshold & base detail	Low-profile threshold options available, though frame still shows at floor level like any bi-fold	Similar threshold options, though uPVC frames are typically bulkier	Can be built with a very low or flush threshold, less frame to step over
Stacking space needed	Needs space to one side, inside or outside, for the folded panels	Same principle, also needs stacking space	None, the panels run in the same plane as the wall
Sightlines when closed	Slim aluminium sightlines, though every fold adds a frame joint	Chunkier uPVC profiles, more visible frame	The slimmest sightlines of the three, as narrow as 20-35mm, because there's no intermediate joint
Maximum sash size	Up to 1,200mm × 3,000mm and 120kg. Cortizo's own guidance is to consult maximum weight and dimensions according to typologies, so we'll confirm your exact opening at survey	Generally smaller maximum panel sizes than aluminium for the same strength	Usually fewer, larger panels for the same opening, since typically only one panel moves
Thermal performance	As low as Uw 0.97 W/m²K (consult typology, dimensions and glass), inside Part L's 1.4 W/m²K ceiling for a replacement door	Typically similar or slightly better U-values, uPVC is a naturally less conductive frame material	Comparable U-values available in aluminium sliding systems, depending on specification
Security	PAS 24 security-tested, the datasheet records it as 'Security test: Passed'	PAS 24 certification is available on some uPVC systems, always check the specific product	Depends on the system, ask for the PAS 24 test result rather than assuming

Swipe to see every column

Why people pick us for these

Josh surveys and manages every aluminium bi-fold job himself, and it's a line he's actively growing. Every installation is backed by our Assure insurance-backed workmanship guarantee.

Owner-led, one point of contact from quote to completion
The Cortizo aluminium bi-fold system specifically, not a general product range
Backed by our Assure insurance-backed workmanship guarantee

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What customers say

See the full picture on our Google profile.

5.025 reviews on Google

Natasha Evans

Josh and his team worked incredibly hard replacing all of the windows and doors in our house, including fitting a beautiful bifold door in place of our old French doors. We could not be happier with the results. The quality of the workmanship was excellent, and Josh was fantastic with communication throughout the whole process. He was reliable, professional, and kept us updated every step of the way. We would highly recommend him to anyone looking for high-quality work and great service.

Tevez Ishmael

Highly recommend Wilshaw Glazing Installed bifold with Blinds inside the glass for our new extension on our house really happy with the end result, couldn't recommend Josh enough

Move Your Feet MYF

Canford Cliffs

so happy with bifold installed, in canford cliffs recommend them has changed our kitchen

Do I need planning permission to fit bi-fold doors?

Usually not. Replacing a door opening with a bi-fold of a similar size is normally permitted development. Conservation areas, listed buildings, an entirely new opening and flats can all need permission, so it's always worth checking with your local planning authority first.

How much do aluminium bi-fold doors cost?

It depends on sash count, size and finish, so we don't publish a fixed price list. See the typical cost guide above for a steer, then book a survey for a written quote based on your own opening.

Will these actually be secure, or is that just marketing?

They're PAS 24 security-tested, a Building Regulations-referenced standard that checks resistance to manual attack, prying at the frame, and impact from a sand-filled bag and pendulum ram. That's tested, not a marketing label.

Are bi-fold doors going out of fashion?

Not a properly-specified one. It's a poorly-built system, worn rollers and no tested weather class, that gives bi-folds a bad name. See what we actually test the doors to, above.

What are the disadvantages of bi-fold doors?

The folded panels need stacking space to one side, inside or outside, which sliding doors don't. Like any mechanical door, rollers and hinges need occasional attention to keep them running smoothly.

What happens next if I want a quote?

Josh comes out to measure your opening and talk through your options, then you get a written quote. There's no pressure to decide on the spot.