A Bi-Fold Door

How To Maintain & Care For Your Bi-Fold Doors

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Bi-fold doors are a popular feature in many homes, offering a stylish way to merge indoor and outdoor spaces. However, they require regular maintenance to function smoothly and look their best. Without proper care, dirt, misalignment or wear can impact their performance. Whether you’ve recently installed bi-fold doors or want to ensure your existing ones stay in top condition, following a few simple maintenance steps can help prolong their lifespan. In this blog, we’ll share easy, practical tips to help you care for your doors.

Regular Cleaning to Prevent Build-Up

One of the simplest and most effective ways to maintain your bi-fold doors is by cleaning them regularly. Use a vacuum or soft brush to remove any dirt or debris from the door tracks. For stubborn grime, use a damp cloth and mild detergent. Be sure to avoid harsh chemicals that could damage the track’s surface.

Aluminium frames are low-maintenance, but they can still accumulate dust. Use a soft cloth with warm, soapy water to wipe down the frames and keep them looking polished. Regular cleaning prevents debris from getting stuck in the tracks and ensures the doors glide effortlessly each time you open or close them.

Lubricate Moving Parts for Smooth Operation

Bi-fold doors have several moving parts that need to be kept in good condition to ensure smooth operation. Lubricating these components regularly can help reduce friction and wear, extending the lifespan of your doors.

Apply a lubricant to the hinges and rollers every few months. Avoid oil-based lubricants, as they can attract dirt and dust. Additionally, ensure locks and handles are well-lubricated to prevent them from becoming stiff over time.

Check the Door Alignment

Over time, your bi-fold doors may become misaligned due to regular use or settling of the house. Misaligned doors can cause them to stick, drag or fail to close properly, which can lead to further damage if not addressed.

When the doors are closed, check for uneven gaps between the doors or between the doors and the frame. If the gaps are inconsistent, it may indicate that the doors are misaligned.

Avoid Slamming or Forcing the Doors

Bi-fold doors are designed to open and close smoothly, so there should be no need to apply excessive force. Slamming or forcing the doors can damage the frame, rollers and locking mechanisms, reducing their lifespan. Always use a light touch when opening and closing your bi-fold doors. The doors should glide smoothly without requiring much effort.

If you have children or guests, ensure they know how to properly operate the doors without slamming or pulling them roughly. This can help you avoid unnecessary damage and ensure they remain in top condition for years to come.

Need Professional Help?

If you’re looking for professional assistance or advice on maintaining your aluminium windows and doors, our team at Southern Cross Windows is here to help. Our aluminium bi-fold doors on the Gold Coast are easy to clean and maintain. With features like smooth sliding action and 4-point locking systems, they’re designed for aesthetics and functionality. If you’re thinking about upgrading to aluminium windows and doors, contact us today!

Bi-Fold Windows

4 Unbelievable Benefits of Bifold Doors

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If you don’t already love bifold doors, now is the time to do just that. Here at Southern Cross Glass Windows and Doors, we are experts in all kinds of windows and doors and are here to help you find just what you need for your house. Bifold doors are a great option for many spaces and if you don’t know much about them, finding about this option can really help you make the decision. Keep reading for everything you need to know. 

Lots of Natural Light

Bifold doors are ideal if you want to invite in large amounts of natural light into your home. At the same time, if you want to let in only a little bit of light or you want to close things up all the way, bifold doors can do that too. That way you can customise the amount of light you’re letting in, making it comfortable and bright inside your house. 

Space Saving

Another perk of bifold doors is that they don’t take up a lot of space. Even when open, the doors won’t interfere with the flow in your house, allowing you to combine indoor and outdoor spaces for a larger living space. When they’re closed, they don’t take up any space, as they align with the wall and close off the opening completely. This is great for small homes, as well as large ones and allows you to move from space to space with ease. 

Higher Security

If security in your home is important, bifold doors are what you’re looking for. They feature high quality locking mechanisms and durable glass that helps deter would be intruders. This extra level of security offers additional peace of mind when you’re at home so that you know your family is safe and protected. 

Visual Appeal

You won’t have to worry about doors you don’t love looking at when you choose bifold doors. They are visually appealing and easy to blend with your home’s decor. No matter where you put them, they add a modern and sophisticated touch to any room in your house. At the same time, they are flexible and functional so they serve their purpose and look good doing it. 

Bifold doors are the answer you’ve been looking for to improve your home. If you’re ready to get started on the installation process, call Southern Cross Glass Windows and Doors today for a free quote. 

Tips to Keep Your Bi Fold Doors Functioning Like New!

Tips to Keep Your Bi Fold Doors Functioning Like New!

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Like with any kind of household appliance or design feature, the only way that you are going to be able to get the best out of bifold doors is if you make the commitment to take care of them and maintain them in the ways that they are supposed to be maintained. You might not think that something like a door needs much maintenance, but here at Southern Cross Windows we can tell you that putting the work in can make a huge difference in the quality of the doors and in the life span that they get to enjoy. Without further ado here are some tips for keeping your bifold doors functioning like new!

Clean Regularly

  • The obvious place to start is a reminder that you need to clean your bifold doors regularly. This means not just the parts that you can easily see and that are easily reachable. You can’t allow debris and dust to build up in the tracks of the doors, because that will start to affect their operational efficiency over time. This is more important in the summer when the doors are likely to be open and shut more often, enabling more opportunity for matter to build up in the tracks.

How To Clean

  • When it comes to cleaning the glazed sections of the doors, the best thing to use is simply warm water and a soft cloth. Many of the cleaning products on supermarket shelves are a little bit too aggressive, so just stick to something gentle like soap and water to get the job done. Use a squeegee to get a streak-free finish.

Cleaning the tracks

  • To clean the tracks of the bifold doors, the best thing to use is a small brush that can loosen the debris that might be compacted into small spaces. Then use an attachment on your vacuum cleaner that can get up close and personal to remove everything in a quick and easy way. If you go too long without doing this, the debris will become really difficult to dislodge.

If you are interested in a new set of bifold doors for your own home, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. A member of the trained and experienced team will always be on hand to be able to answer any questions that you might have. We will have you set up with the best recommendations for bifold doors for your own property in no time at all. We look forward to hearing from you!

 

Reasons Why You Should Choose Aluminium Windows and Doors

Bifold Screen Double Door

How to Choose The Right Bi-Fold Door For Your Home Design

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When undertaking a medium to large scale home renovation project, it’s fair to say that there are plenty of different design elements to consider, many more than you might initially think before setting out on the task. One such element is deciding which doors to incorporate.

 

Here at Southern Cross Windows, we happen to think that bi-fold doors are the best way to go, but the decision making doesn’t stop there! Folding doors and bi-fold windows on the Gold Coast are arguably the most popular choice for all modern homes, with the final choice that has to be made being which type is best for you. Here are some tips for choosing the right bi-fold door for your home design.

 

  • It is important to view the actual door that you intend to buy. You can’t always get the perfect impression and view of a design until you have seen it in person, so we always recommend making the effort to visit and check out the door in 3D before purchasing.

 

  • You might like the look of a certain design, but make sure to enquire and research the weather guarantees that each design has. This has a lot to do with things like the size of rebated thresholds on external doors. You don’t want the wind whistling in if you live in an area that is susceptible to those conditions.

 

  • It is always best to get advice from the professionals on a matter like this. If you need clarification on anything related to bi-fold doors, you should always speak up and ask questions. That is the only way to make sure that you get given the proper recommendations.

 

  • Something to consider is the status of the light in the room that you are hoping to install bi-fold doors in. You want to make sure that as much natural light is allowed to filter into the room as possible, and bi-fold doors are perfect for that.

 

So, if you are interested in bi-fold doors or bi-fold windows on the Gold Coast, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. A member of the team will always be on hand to thoroughly answer any questions that you might have regarding bi-fold doors. We will be able to recommend what might be best for you, and start the ball rolling on a great property changing project that will add value to your home.

Coloured Glass Bi-Fold Doors

Enhancing Spaces with Bi Fold Doors

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For many homeowners, one of the biggest concerns that constantly arises in both design and decor is trying to the most you can with the space that you have.

Unless you build extension upon extension, you are only going to have so much room to work with, but here at Southern Cross Windows we think that we might have a trick that will be helpful to many people out there experiencing this problem.

The answer is bi fold doors! Bi fold doors on the Gold Coast are becoming more and more popular with each new set of home trends, and there are plenty of great reasons why that is the case.

If you are still on the fence about whether to fully commit, here are just a few of the ways that your living space can be enhanced with bi fold doors.

  • More Light

Any room that gets to have floor to ceiling glass door panels in it is automatically going to benefit from enhanced light. When a room is lighter, it can feel much larger, so not only are you getting a great view of the outdoors, you are also getting an optical illusion that makes your living space much larger and much lighter.

  • More Style

There is no doubting that bi fold doors are the way to go if you have style and aesthetic in mind. Nothing looks better than a sleek set of floor to ceiling doors that can be adapted in any way you wish. There is a reason why they are the doors of choice for all luxury properties across the world!

  • More Flexibility

Traditional door and windows are stuck in one place with only one type of job, either open or shut. With bi fold doors, though, there are many more options that you can enjoy in how you position your doors to let the light and climate in at any given time. On hot days you can have a completely open and airy area, and on cool evenings you can shut up or leave open as much as you like. You have much more control with bi fold doors.

So, if those reasons have finally made up your mind, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to arrange an appointment. We will be more than happy to discuss all of the different options that are available to you, answering all and any questions as we go through the process.

View our previous blog For creative ways to use Bi Fold Doors in the home!

bifold doors in lounge room

Creative Ways to Use Bi Fold Doors In The Home

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Unless you have been through the process of renovating a house before, you probably haven’t put much thought into the windows and doors that you currently have.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that doors and windows are just a standard, boring part of home interior, because here at Southern Cross Windows we firmly believe that they can be the difference between an uninspiring home and a really cool, on-trend home.

More specifically, we’re talking about the benefits and advantages that bi-fold doors can have on your property. You might be familiar with bi-fold windows on the Gold Coast, but it’s time to get involved with bi-fold doors too. Here are just a few of the stylish and creative ways to use bi-fold doors in the home.

  • Conservatory Update

If you have a conservatory leading out to a garden, you can update it in a beautiful way by switching out your normal glass panels for sets of bi-fold doors that can open up to make the room completely open and at one with the rest of the garden.

Having the ability to be able to open the conservatory at any point you want rather than being restricted to a single doorway can be a real game changer.

 

  • Lighten Rooms

If there is a room in your home that suffers from being particularly dark, you can swap an entire external wall out with bi-fold doors for a stylish and effective way to bring more light to the space.

 

  • Minimalist

Bi-fold doors are a great option if you are looking to go more minimalistic in your design approach. Having a set of bi-folds in place rather than a normal wall and door combination leading to an outdoor space can look really simple and sleek, and makes the room feel much bigger.

 

  • Balcony

They are also a great choice for leading out onto a balcony or terrace on upper floors, having the effect of making the area feel bigger and less cramped, more in sync with the rest of the room.

 

So, if you think that bi-fold doors might be able to add something to your home, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to explore your options further. We are happy to answer any questions that you might have and look forward to opening your eyes to the beauty and practicality of bi-fold doors.

For more information on how to transform your home, view our previous blog post here.

 

 

Open bi-fold doors opening into large living room with dining area

Beautiful Beachside Bi Fold Doors

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If you are one of many people along any of our coasts who get to live right by the beach, then there is no arguing that you should be designing and improving your home to maximise the beautiful scenery and landscape that is right on your doorstep!

When you live so close to the ocean, you want to be getting as much of that natural wonder in your home as possible, and we at Southern Cross Windows firmly believe that we have the right solution for this.

We’re talking, of course, about bi fold doors!

Let’s take a look at why they are so perfect for beachside homes.

Bi fold doors have the ability to maximise all of that natural light that surrounds your home.

Properties by the sea get to experience some of the best sunny days and bi fold doors can help to bring that sunlight right inside.

The nature of bi fold doors means that they are easily slid away to create a seamless transition from the indoors to the outdoors and vice versa.

When you have the natural beauty of the beach to enjoy from the comfort of your own backyard, you might as well maximize that effect as much as possible.

There is a great deal of easy access to be gained from bi fold doors, which is perfect for when you are entertaining outdoors and want to create an open pathway between, say, the kitchen and the garden area.

This can be beneficial if you are barbecuing and want to go back forth a lot.

Even with all of these great benefits, something that clinches it for many people is that bi fold doors are really easy to care for and maintain.

They don’t require much elbow grease to stay in shape, and the cleaning side of things is reminiscent of any window in your home.

So, if you live near the ocean and those benefits sound like something that you want to incorporate in to your own home, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to explore what kind of bi fold doors we can install for you.

If you’re living with an ocean view but have yet to feel the benefit of bi fold doors, then you simply aren’t getting the full value experience out of your home!

Bi-Fold Doors

Have You Considered Bifold Doors?

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When you get to experience such glorious weather as we routinely do here on the Gold Coast, then something that deserves much more consideration than you might first think is the quality and style of your home’s windows and doors.

You want your living environment to compliment the climate as much as possible, and here at Southern Cross Windows, we happen to think that bifold doors are the perfect solution.

If you don’t know what bifold doors are, then simply put, there are doors that are comprised of a number of panels that are hinged together, allowing for full retraction and stacking to the sides. This type of door brings with it lots of different advantages and benefits, here are some of the best.

 

  • Bifold doors give you the chance to receive as much natural light from the outdoors in to your home as possible.
  • The versatile nature of the folding doors makes it really simple to combine two rooms into one larger room for functions and special parties.
  • The doors are incredibly easy to manoeuvre and stack away to one or both sides, making for a smooth and problem free operation whenever you want to change the dynamic of the room.
  • The doors have an outward track system, which means that they are very easy to maintain and clean any grit, sand, or other debris away from.
  • The access panels have a four-point locking system which ensures that you experience as much security and safety when they are locked as freedom and spaciousness when they are open.
  • The doors come in a wide variety of colours to fit any kind of interior home décor.
  • They are powder coated to ensure much better strength and durability, an incredibly important feature when you are talking about windows and doors.
  • With a maximum height of 3.1 metres and a maximum width of 8 metres, we can pretty much guarantee that our doors can be manufactured to fit any kind of space that you need to be filled in your home.

So, if those reasons appeal to you, and you think that bifold doors might be a great addition to your own home, then please don’t hesitate to give us a call, one of our dedicated team members will be more than happy to discuss options, quotes and details with you.

Transform your home with the help of our quality doors today!

window and door replacement

How to Update Your Home with Modern Windows

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Although they often go unnoticed, windows and doors are vital parts of all buildings.

Whether the family home or the office block, they are quite complicated interfaces between the inside and outside worlds.

Just because they have been in place for decades doesn’t mean they should be taken for granted.

Whether you are staying put or thinking of selling, you should take a good look at window and door replacement.

With the right help, these can both have huge benefits.

Old To New

It is quite often very easy to replace old with new. Window frames are fitted into standard sizes and shapes.

If you’ve had a leaking hinge for years but didn’t want to alter the look of your property, fear not.

Especially here on the Gold Coast, wooden window and door frames suffer over time.

There are materials and designs available today which give you the option of making changes without it being obvious.

If you want to keep the look of your home or business, you can. But you can also make it cheaper to run and nicer to live and or work in.

On the other hand, you might decide to go with a brand new look. You might want to open up a whole wall area to let more light in.

Or you might have an idea that your property would be worth more if it had bigger windows.

These kinds of decisions are made every day.

There is no shame in wanting to move forwards, but it doesn’t have to mean ruining a good looking property.

Fitting Options

As experienced window and door replacement specialists on the Gold Coast, we know just how good your options are.

Depending on your budget, you can have a huge effect on your home with minimal disruption and expense.

Retrofitting is a very popular way of updating homes with modern windows.

It is not always possible, but is the easiest and most cost effective way of fitting new windows and doors.

With this method of replacement, your new windows are fitted into their existing casings.

Brick to brick replacement means taking your entire window casing out and replacing it.

This is more time consuming than retrofitting and causes more disruption during the job. It is also more expensive.

While retrofitting is cheaper in the short term, in the long term you may lose money through higher energy bills.

Ageing casings are inefficient and let warmth out. Brick to brick replacement is the most energy and cost efficient option in the long term.

Find Out More

If you’re thinking about window and door replacement, get in touch.

There are probably many options out there.

Why not start by visiting our website to contact us or give us a call on 07 5534 3300.

You may also find our previous post of interest to you:

Do You Need To Replace Your Windows Or Doors?

 

window and door replacements

Do You Need To Replace Your Windows Or Doors?

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Window and door replacements should not be overlooked to revamp the look of your property.

As property owners, you can spend a lot of time and money redecorating and buying new furnishings in an effort to update the look of your home.

Then, there’s the money you spend on heating and air conditioning units to ensure your property is comfortable all year round.

Outdated, poorly fitted or damaged windows and doors could sabotage any cost savings you may make from energy efficient units, with drafts that bring in the cold in winter and gaps to let in the heat in summer.

Not only that, if you have a stylish interior the look could be negated by old and worn windows and doors fitted in the facade.

Damaged or warped frames and fittings

If you find you have issues either opening or closing your windows and doors it be the results of warped frames.

Over time, especially with newer homes, properties are susceptible to movement, this isn’t a major concern as it’s part of the building process.

However, movement combined with the hot Australian weather can soften and eventually warp the window and door frames.

Wood Framed Windows and Doors

Due to changeable seasons and harsh weather conditions, timber-framed windows and doors require annual maintenance and treatment, without it they can quickly become rotten and in some cases quite dangerous.

If you have wood-framed units, consider window and door replacements made from PVC or aluminium for greater flexibility and efficiency.

Poorly sealed or broken windows

You spend time and money heating and cooling your property, but for greatest efficiency your property should be sealed to avoid heating and cooling loss.

If a window or door has suffered a seal break or deterioration, or if a window unit is broken, your heating or air conditioning unit will have to work harder.

This can result in increased utility bills of about 25% each quarter.

Historic buildings and aesthetic makeovers.

Making an investment in new windows and doors could pay off if you are considering selling your property.

An aesthetic makeover along with the cost-saving green efficiency of new units have been proven as key selling points for new homebuyers.

If you have an historic building and require new windows and doors, you can look at modern units in classic and traditional designs.

Modern manufacturing techniques can provide you with windows and doors that are sympathetic to the style of your building yet come with the full benefits that modern units provide.

Speak To Us Today

For all of your window and door replacements, Southern Cross Windows in Currumbin Waters will provide you with a solution that is right for you and your home.

Call our office today on 07 5534 3300 and speak to a knowledgeable member of our team, we offer no obligation, free quotations and come with a wealth of advice and experience.

You may also find our previous post of interest to you:

Different Window Options For Your Home