Shower Doors Options: The Advantages of Bi-Fold

When selecting wall art for a bathroom, whether you choose country french wall art or urban cityscape wall art decor is a matter of personal preference. When selecting a shower door, personal preference and well as practicality come into play. First, look for one that allows easy access to the shower. The door should also do a good job at keeping the water contained in the shower area, and it should be easy to maintain.

Depending on the size of the bathroom, a shower door that slides or swings open may be appropriate. In smaller areas sliding doors are generally a better choice, and they are available in many different materials, frames and sizes. One of the most popular selections for a small space is the bi-fold shower door that combines the convenience of a swinging shower door with the space saving attributes of a sliding door.

Shower Door Types

Sliding doors in the shower are called bypass doors, and depending on the size of the shower, the door has two or three sliding sections. The doors are framed, and they slide on rollers that are seated in the frame on the top and bottom edges of the door. While the door is very easy to keep clean, the tracks are a different story. They typically get a grimy dirt buildup and are very difficult to keep clean and clear. Swinging doors that pivot and are held closed with a magnetic clasp are very easy to clean. There are no tracks to worry about, but the bathroom does have to be large enough to allow room for the swinging door.

Bi-fold Shower Doors

Blending aspects of both the sliding and the swinging door is the bi-fold door. This type of shower door opens and closes like an accordion. Bi-fold doors generally sit in a track along the bottom edge of the doors, and this style of door works particularly well for smaller showers. Since the door can be pushed completely to the side, it leaves a very wide opening for getting in and out of the shower. Since the bi-fold door folds to the inside of the shower, any drips land in the shower or tub area. This door offers the large opening that a swinging door offers with the space saving advantages of a sliding door.

While the bi-fold door sounds wonderful, it does have a drawback, and like the sliding doors it slides in a bottom track, which can be difficult to keep clean. If the track has debris and gunk build-up, the operation of the door can be affected. So cleaning the track is not only necessary for looks, but it is operationally necessary too. If the track is clear and the door is still not working smoothly, replacing the rollers usually helps.

One of the great things about bi-fold doors is that they are usually quite affordable. Their budget pricing and compact design make the appropriate for just about any bathroom. There are many different sizes and styles of bi-fold doors on the market. Average sizes for the doors run in millimeters from 700 to 1000. Doors come styled in frosted glass, and are available in clear or tinted as well. Bi-fold doors are available in framless styles or framed styles, which come in chrome, silver or white.

When remodeling a bathroom, especially if it is a smaller space, consider installing a bi-fold door for a practical and economical solution for a shower door.