A Comprehensive Buyer's Guide for the Best Folding Patio Doors

folding patio doors

What are the best folding patio door manufacturers on the market? Whether you’re planning a new build or renovating your patio, NanaWall folding patio doors offer seamless transitions, increased functionality, and performance-driven operation rooted in 40 years of leading innovation. This guide provides a clear breakdown of what folding patio doors are, what makes NanaWall different, and how to choose the right system for your home.

The Leading Patio Door Manufacturer: NanaWall Folding Patio Doors at a Glance

NanaWall folding patio doors

Best Patio Door Manufacturers: Why NanaWall?

For 40 years, NanaWall has been the leading innovator in the folding glass door category. Each system is engineered for long-lasting durability and ease of operation. In addition, systems are independently tested for air, water, structural, forced entry, and sound control with excellent results—ensuring each system is up to standard. 

NanaWall systems are capable of solving various design challenges with unique configurations like open corners, curved designs, window door combinations, inward/outward stacking combinations, and panels that fold all the way back and parallel to the opening. 

NanaWall Generation 4 folding patio doors

What is a Folding Glass Door?

Also known as bifold glass doors, folding patio doors are made up of connected glass panels that fold, like an accordion, and stack neatly to one or both sides of an opening. These systems open the full width of the opening, gliding along a single track, to create a wide, uninterrupted connection between indoors and out. 

Things to Consider When Selecting Folding Patio Doors

aluminum framed folding patio doors with open corner design

1. What is the Maximum Height and Width of a NanaWall Bifold Patio Door?

Depending on the model, NanaWall folding patio doors can measure up to 40 feet wide and 12 feet tall. Looking for a wider opening? Unique to Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls, FourFold and SixFold Panel Sets allow for unlimited widths by segmenting panels into panel sets that can stack to the left, right, or center of the opening for enhanced flexibility.

folding patio doors that FoldFlat

2. Which Door Frame Material is the Best?

It all comes down to aesthetics. While aluminum frames offer a more sleek modern look and natural wood frames reflect a timeless elegance, both materials complement any home style and deliver optimal thermal performance. To achieve the best of both worlds, consider aluminum clad systems that enjoy the low maintenance of aluminum on the outside and the warmth of wood on the inside. 

customized folding patio doors

3. Can I Customize My Bifold Patio Doors?

Personalize your NanaWall bifold patio doors with over 200 powder coating colors, 5 standard wood finishes, double or triple glazing, simulated divided lites, inward or outward stacking, and convenient swing doors. Screens by others are also available to create the ultimate versatile opening. 

folding patio door system

4. What Are the Floor Track Options for Bifold Doors?

Floor tracks, or rather sills, are an important companion to your folding patio doors, allowing for seamless transitions, contributing towards weather performance, and ensuring the smooth operation of folding patio door systems. Depending on your project’s needs and systems selected, NanaWall offers a variety of weather-performing, barefoot-friendly, and ADA-compliant sills

folding patio doors for terraces

5. Are NanaWall Bifold Doors Secure?

NanaWall bifold glass doors are designed with multipoint locking systems as well as extra-long, tamper-resistant, two-point locking rods between panels. This ensures that each system meets or exceeds all forced entry testing. As the leading patio door manufacturer, NanaWall Systems ensures each bifold door is independently tested for air, water, structural, operation, and forced entry with excellent results. 

steel effect folding patio doors

6. How Much Do NanaWall Systems Cost?

NanaWall is a custom product tailored specifically to your project needs. Numerous features and options make up the price, such as type of system, panel size, glass type, hardware, and other custom specifications. The best way to determine cost is to consult with your local area NanaWall architectural representative.

The NanaWall Difference: Why NanaWall Folding Patio Doors Are the Best Option

NanaWall folding patio door manufacturer

As the leading folding patio door manufacturer, NanaWall systems are engineered with performance and durability in mind. In return, these systems elevate indoor-outdoor lifestyles by opening interiors to the outdoors and can even increase property value and ROI. 

The latest innovations, NanaWall Generation 4 Folding Glass Walls, offer the slimmest frames and smoothest operation available. These systems are the only folding patio doors capable of unlimited widths with innovative FourFold and SixFold panel sets. These sets allow panels to stack to the left, right, or center of the opening, where most convenient. 

See below for all our aluminum framed, aluminum clad, and wood framed systems available. 

NanaWall Aluminum Framed Patio Doors

  • NW Aluminum 640: This thermally broken Generation 4 bifold door is the slimmest aluminum framed system available with sleek, minimal aesthetics. This floor supported system is capable of heights as tall as 10’2” (3100 mm) and panel widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm).
  • NW Aluminum 840: This Generation 4 bifold door thermally broken system offers superior thermal performance and taller heights while maintaining the slimmest aluminum frame. This floor supported system is capable of heights as tall as 11’ 6” (3500 mm) and panel widths as wide as 3’7” (1100 mm).
  • NW Reinforced 847/647: These Generation 4 thermally broken systems are engineered to meet higher windload requirements of taller buildings and harsh conditions. These floor supported systems are capable of heights up to 11’6” (3500 mm) for the NW Reinforced 847 and 10’6” (3100 mm) for the NW Reinforced 647. Plus achieve DP values of +/- 85 with CW55 rating.
  • SL60: A thermally broken, floor supported bifold door that offers NanaWall value for all budgets. This system is capable of heights as tall as 8’6” (2600 mm) and panel widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm).
  • SL45: This top-hung narrow framed bifold door is a non-thermally broken system with unique use cases. It accommodates segmented curves, open corners, window door combination, center pivot stacking, inward-outward combinations, and 180° stacking. This system is capable of heights as tall as 9’6” (2900 mm) and widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm).
  • SL70: A thermally broken, floor supported system structurally reinforced for taller panel heights and extreme weather performance with Florida product approval. This system is capable of heights as tall as 12’ (3650 mm) and panel widths as wide as 4’ (1200 mm).
  • SL73: Thermally broken, impact-rated, and Florida-approved system for High Velocity Hurricane Zones (HVHZ). This system is capable of heights as tall as 10’6” (3200 mm) and widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm). 
window door combination folding patio door system

NanaWall Aluminum Clad Patio Doors

  • NW Clad 740: The slimmest floor supported aluminum clad bifold door with a solid wood core and narrow clad frame that delivers exceptional energy efficiency. This system is capable of heights as tall as 9’10” (3000 mm) and widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm). 
wood framed folding patio doors

NanaWall Wood Framed Patio Doors

  • NW Wood 540: Slimmest quadruple laminated, cross-grained, narrow wood frame system that delivers exceptional energy efficiency. This system is capable of heights as tall as 9’10” (3000 mm) and widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm).
  • WD65: Top-hung wood framed bifold door designed with unique configuration options, including 180* stacking, open corners, and segmented curves. This system is capable of heights as tall as 10’ (3050 mm) and widths as wide as 3’3” (1000 mm).
NanaWall folding patio door system

Final Thoughts 

As the leading patio door manufacturer, NanaWall systems continue to innovate movable glass wall solutions that elevate homes with the indoor-outdoor experience. These weather-performing folding patio doors offer the ideal alternative to conventional patio doors, featuring slim frames for enhanced views, smooth operation for everyday use, and weather performance for optimal comfort in any climate. Plus, they can be customized to fit any project parameter and home aesthetic. So, which system will you choose?

Buyer's Guide for NanaWall Folding Patio Doors

View and Download Our Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide to NanaWall Folding Patio Doors

Discover how other homeowners are replacing their patio doors with flexible NanaWall folding patio doors in our project inspiration gallery