Architects and designers are setting new trends by specifying architectural bi-fold garage doors.  The attention getting bi-fold garage door designs in high-end architecture create an unprecedented visual impact while exuding charm and elegance.  Bi-fold garage doors are lighter in weight than swing-out doors so they can be larger and not opening out as far, leaves more useable space.

bi fold garage doors 16x8 garage door automatic garage door opener

Bi-fold Garage Doors 16 Foot Garage Door with Automatic Garage Door Opener

Large bi-fold carriage door panels fabricated by Sing Core, finished and installed at private residence in Portland, Oregon by Best Overhead Door.

Bi-folding garage doors open on themselves, featuring a pair of door slabs folding and stacking to the edges of the opening (like folding closet doors) for maximum access.  It also takes less time to open and/or close bi-fold garage doors than full out swing or overhead doors.  Bi-fold garage doors can be opened manually or automatically.  High precision perimeter seals are available to ensure separation from the elements when your bi-fold garage doors are in the closed position.

Residential bi-folding garage doors can run in garage door opening sizes of 7 ft. x 7 ft. to 24 ft. x 24 ft. and are custom built to accommodate any size garage door opening, regardless of door height or width, to ensure a perfect fit.  Commercial users of automatic bi-fold garage doors include fire stations, auto dealerships, and parking garages.

Wood Bi-fold Garage Doors

Wood bi-fold garage doors are by far the most popular, can represent any type of garage door style or appearance offering the design team the greatest amount of leeway to exercise their full range of creativity and ingenuity.

Using a natural material like wood for example, can pose problems due primarily to the nature of the wood grain’s tendency to move according to environmental changes in temperature and moisture, resulting in compromise of your bi-fold garage door’s premium door seal.

One of the advantages of having patented solid Sing Core inside your bi-fold garage door is to prevent the warping of natural wood for a long life and maintenance-free enjoyment of your upscale garage door investment dollars.

Industrial Bi-fold Garage Doors

In the case of industrial bi-fold garage doors, wood can be used for ornamental appeal, though industry seems to gravitate toward steel, aluminum and in some cases fiberglass reinforced plastic (FRP).  Industrial bi-fold garage doors are more likely very large in size and can run into openings 50 ft. x 20 ft. up to 100 ft. x 30 ft.

Horizontal Bi-fold Garage Door

Most residential bi-fold garage doors open horizontally, side to side.  The operation of the bi-fold garage door opening is part of the visual appeal of the horizontal bi-fold garage door.  Plus, it gives full overhead clearance, unlike a vertical operating garage door or overhead door when it is not in the fully opened opposition.

Vertical Bi-fold Garage Door

Bi-fold garage door are also available in vertical operation, where the folding doors articulate upward as leaves alternatively fold upon themselves.  Vertical bi-fold garage doors are more popular in commercial and industrial applications, and also serve as an awning when in the open position, as in the case of aircraft hangar doors.

Custom Bi-fold Garage Doors

While some door manufacturers do import and/or manufacture bi-folding garage doors as prebuilt stock items, the majority of bi-fold garage doors are designed and built by highly specialized craftspeople and custom door manufacturers and millworks.

Sing Core Bi-fold Garage Door

Door blanks can be pre-cut for visual lite openings and can come pre-fabricated with nearly any available exterior flat building material including, but not limited to; any natural wood species, aluminum, brass, cold rolled steel, concrete, copper, fiberglass (FRP), galvanized steel, glass, hot rolled steel, LVL, any metals, and even stainless steel.

Insulated Bi-fold Garage Door

When your bi-fold garage door is built with Sing Core inside, you get the added benefit of have your door slabs fully insulated.  Packed with insulation inside, you get the advantage of added climate control (R3 to R6.5 per in.) and sound deadening qualities without having the added expense of installing aftermarket garage door insulation panels for your garage door.

High Precision Bi-fold Garage Door

Bi-fold garage doors up to 7×7 have fewer maintenance concerns over time, but when they exceed these dimensions they are more prone to fail due to warping, bending, twisting and cupping which can be an issue in preserving separation from the elements and maintaining a complete door seal.

If your bi-folding garage doors have Sing Core inside, you can build a large bi folding precision garage door any size, up to 100 ft. or more without risk of compromise or failure.

Thanks to Sing Core’s high precision (+/- .006 in.) and resistance to warp, your bi fold garage doors can be guaranteed remain structurally sound and warp-free for 50 years.  No garage door company can offer a guarantee like this unless your garage door has Sing Core inside.


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16 foot garage door