Bifold Doors Open In or Out? How to Choose

Should bifold doors open in or out? It is one of the first questions people ask when they plan a folding door, and the right answer depends on the space on each side of the opening, the weather the door faces and how you use the room. On every Coetz™ Vistafold and Vista Duo folding door you now choose whether the panels fold in or fold out, at the same price. This guide explains what each option means, where each one works best and how to decide.

Ready to price your opening? Our aluminium folding doors page lists every standard size with its price.

What it means when bifold doors open in or out

Coetz™ describes every door as viewed from inside the building. Folds in means the panels fold into the room when you open the door, and stack against the inside wall. Folds out means the panels fold outside, onto the patio, deck or walkway, and stack against the outside wall.

The frame, glass, colour and price are the same either way. What changes is where the panels sit when the door is open, which side of the frame the hinges and handles face, and how much clear space you need on each side. That is why the question of whether bifold doors open in or out is really a question about space, not about the door itself.

When bifold doors open out best

When people ask whether bifold doors open in or out on a patio, the usual answer is out. Folding out is the most common choice for patios and gardens, for three practical reasons:

• More room inside. Nothing swings into the room, so sofas, dining tables and rugs can sit close to the glass.
• No clash with curtains and blinds. Curtains, blinds and pelmets on the inside of the opening do not get in the way of the panels.
• Wind pushes the panels closed. On an exposed wall, wind pressure pushes outward-folding panels against the frame, which many installers prefer for weather.

The catch is that you need clear, level space outside. When the door is open, the stacked panels stand on the patio, so pot plants, braais, pool fencing or steps right outside the door can block them.

When bifold doors open in best

Whether bifold doors open in or out on a balcony is a different story. Folding in suits openings where the outside space is limited or awkward:

• a narrow balcony or a walkway along the house;
• a pool area, where panels should not stand over the coping;
• a door opening onto a step, a slope or a garden bed;
• a covered stoep where you want the open panels kept out of the weather.

The trade-off is inside space. The stacked panels need a clear area against the inside wall, and furniture, blinds and light switches near the opening must leave room for them. Before you choose fold in, measure the panel width and check that the stack can stand against the wall without hitting anything.

Bifold doors open in or out: side by side

	Folds in	Folds out
Panels when open	Stack inside the room	Stack on the patio
Space needed	Clear floor inside	Clear, level floor outside
Curtains and blinds	Must clear the panels	No clash
Exposed weather side	Panels protected when open	Wind pushes panels closed
Balcony or walkway	Usually the better choice	Often not possible
Price on Coetz™	Same	Same

Five questions to decide

When you are unsure whether your bifold doors open in or out best, work through these in order:

1. Is there clear, level space outside for the stacked panels? If not, fold in.
2. Is there clear space inside, away from furniture, blinds and switches? If not, fold out.
3. Does the door face the prevailing wind and rain? Folding out is often preferred on the weather side.
4. Will you leave the door open a lot? Folding in keeps the open panels under cover.
5. What does the threshold need to be? See bifold door thresholds for the low and high threshold options and where water is a risk.

If both sides have space, most homeowners choose fold out for patios and fold in for balconies. Either way, decide whether your bifold doors open in or out before you order, because it is built into the frame.

The layout matters too

Fold direction is one of three choices on a folding door. You also choose how many panels there are and which side they stack to. Coetz™ makes:

• Vistafold doors in 3 to 10 panels, from 1 800 to 7 200 mm wide and 2 100, 2 400 or 2 700 mm high.
• Vista Duo fold doors in 2 or 4 panels, including a 4-panel bi-parting layout that opens from the middle, from 1 200 to 3 600 mm wide.

Each range also comes with Y-Louvre inserts for ventilation. See bifold door configurations for how panel counts and stacking work, and folding door sizes for the full size list.

Choosing whether bifold doors open in or out on Coetz™

On every Vistafold and Vista Duo product, the Opening direction box asks you to choose folds in or folds out before you add the door to the cart. The price does not change, so whether your bifold doors open in or out is purely a practical choice. The product drawing is shown as viewed from inside, and the opening direction is confirmed against that drawing before manufacture.

You can also price a folding door to your own opening in the online estimator, which now shows fold in and fold out on the plan view. Prices start from R19 876 for a Vistafold and R16 041 for a Vista Duo, excluding VAT, in White, Bronze or Charcoal (October 2026). See folding door prices for more.

Coetz™ supplies the doors; your builder or installer fits them. Coetz Glazing is a member of the South African Glass and Glazing Association, and every door comes with 6.38 mm clear laminated safety glass as standard.

Frequently asked questions