Bifold Fireplace Doors
This page illustrates how bifolding fireplace doors look and operate.
Updated: 3/16/2021
What's the difference between Cabinet and Bifold Fireplace doors? Which one should you choose?
Design Specialties provides 3 choices for how the doors operate: bifold, tracked bifold and twin (cabinet). Often referred to as "Full View Bifold" or "Swing Out Bifold", the basic bifold doors have 4 panes of glass and fold back on themselves flat against the door frame. This is the most common choice as it maximizes the view of the fire while taking up the least amount of space. Twin doors use the same outer hinges as bifold doors, but since there are only 2 panes of glass, they take up twice the space when they are opened. Tracked bifold doors are less popular because they only open to 90 degrees as they are restricted by a track.
Steel Bifold Doors
The door featured below is the Blacksmith Bifold Fireplace Door in a forged iron finish. This shows how the bifold doors work with the steel frames.
Fig #1 - Doors Closed
Fig #2 - Doors Partially Opened
Fig #3 - Doors Fully Opened
Fig #4 - Doors can be opened without folding them back. This is how a twin door would operate.
Fig #5 - Top View
Aluminum Bifold Doors
This is a photo sent by one of our customers showing the Savannah Bifold Door in Satin Nickel (brushed aluminum) with sliding mesh curtains behind the glass.
Fig #6: Here's a photo of the Savannah Bifold Door in Satin Nickel (brushed aluminum) with sliding mesh curtains. The left door is fully open and folds back on itself. The right door is shown half way open so you can see how the hinges work. All of our "trackless" bifold doors have this same flexibility.
Fig #7: Closed Position: The following photos are of the Brookfield Bifold Fireplace Door shown with the optional gate mesh doors behind the glass.
Fig #8: Partially Open
Fig #9: Half Way Open
Fig #10: Fully Open
Fig #11: Doors can be opened without folding them back. This is how a twin door would operate.
Fig #12: Both Doors Fully Open
Fig #13: Gate Mesh Doors Open
Mesh & Insulation Options
The Mesh options are behind the glass so you can burn the fire with the doors open and still have spark protection. Great for real wood or gas logs since most gas long manufacturers insist that you have a screen in front of the logs when they are burning. Mesh panel doors are the most popular and are best for when there are toddlers present because they will not open backwards whereas the mesh screens are easily pushed in. Insulation goes between the back of the frame and the fireplace facing, providing a better seal.
Black Mesh Curtains - These slide back and forth on a rod behind the glass
Gate Mesh Doors - These are separate doors behind the glass that have a flat wire mesh and a black frame.
Insulation: Provides a better seal between the fireplace face and the door frame.
This page was created as part of our Free Fireplace Door Design service. Anyone who has a fireplace and is considering glass doors can take advantage of this program. All you have to do is email us some pictures of your fireplace and we will create digital mock-ups showing you how various fireplace doors will look on your fireplace. This is hands down the best way to shop for fireplace doors. Click Here to Begin Your Own Project!