The Ins and Outs of Folding Exterior Doors

If you're not familiar with folding exterior doors, you're not alone. Folding exterior doors have been popular in Australia and Europe for years, but have only recently caught on in the United States. Folding door systems have been making their appearance in luxury living for a few years now, but new technology is making them more affordable for homeowners looking for dramatic and functional exterior doors.

Folding exterior doors consist of a group of doors, anywhere from two to eight, configured to slide on an overhead track. The track is secured to a frame and the system has guides that keep the bottom portion of each door on track. What takes folding doors to another level are the hinges on each door that allow them to slide accordion style for the most unobstructed and unobtrusive door solution on the market.

Not only can folding exterior doors handle a multitude of customizable configurations, they're now offered in various materials to give homeowners more choices when it comes to choosing an exterior door for their particular climate. New manufacturing techniques have opened up options in folding doors in wood, steel, fiberglass and aluminum frames.

Along with the numerous materials, finishes and configurations, folding exterior doors can offer different opening options - from a single door for daily usage to the whole kit and caboodle for outdoor entertaining.

For homeowners looking for a customized, versatile door with a bold fashion statement, folding exterior doors are quickly becoming the most popular choice - particularly for patios, decks and sunrooms. Look for folding door systems to gain in popularity as homeowners see the opportunities in these doors unfolding before their eyes.