The short answer. A folding (bifold) door opens almost the full width, but it has more panels, hinges and rollers, so it usually costs more. A patio slider opens about half the width, or more with a stacking slider. It is simpler, it does not swing into the room and it is usually cheaper for the same opening.

How they open

Folding / bifold

  • Panels fold and stack to one or both sides
  • Opens nearly the full width
  • Needs space for the stacked panels
  • Top-hung or bottom-roller systems

Patio slider

  • Panels slide past each other on a track
  • A 2-panel slider opens about half the width
  • Nothing swings into the room or patio
  • Fewer moving parts to maintain
Five-panel aluminium bifold folding door installed in a Botswana home — Tshipiworks
A five-panel folding door opens almost the whole wall.

Common sizes

Doors are measured from the opening, width first, then height. Many suppliers make their doors about 10 mm smaller than the opening so they fit. We make to measure, so the sizes below are a guide, not a limit.

  • Patio sliders: often 1,800–3,000 mm wide × 2,100 mm high, with stacking 4-panel sliders around 3,600 mm.
  • Folding doors: often 3 panels from about 2,100–2,700 mm wide, up to 6–7 panels at 4,500–6,300 mm.

Glass specs

  • 6.38 mm laminated safety glass is the usual spec for patio doors. If it breaks, the plastic interlayer holds the pieces together.
  • Toughened (tempered) glass breaks into small blunt pieces. It is often used on larger or frameless-style panels.
  • Tinted, frosted or Low-E options cut glare and heat on sun-facing walls.

Glass in doors must be safety glass. In South Africa this is set by SANS 10400 Part N, and many Botswana builders follow the same practice. Ask for the glass type in writing on your quote.

What drives the cost

  1. Width and number of panels. Each folding panel adds hinges, rollers and labour.
  2. Aluminium profile series. Heavier profiles span wider openings and cost more.
  3. Glass type and thickness.
  4. Colour and finish: powder-coated or anodised, black, charcoal, bronze or white.
  5. Locks and hardware: multi-point locking costs more.
  6. Installation: the condition of the opening and the lintel, and any steel security gate (trellidor) behind the door.

We do not publish door prices, because every opening is different. Send us the opening width and height and we will quote both a folding door and a slider so you can compare them side by side.

Black aluminium sliding patio door with sidelights — Tshipiworks
A sliding door with fixed sidelights gives a wide glass wall at a lower cost.

Which should you choose?

  • Choose folding if you entertain outdoors and want the whole wall open, and you have room for the stacked panels.
  • Choose a slider if space is tight, the budget matters more, or the door will mostly stay closed.

See our aluminium bifold doors (supply and fit), aluminium doors, aluminium windows and windows & doors pages, or compare frame materials in aluminium vs steel windows.

Quote from your plan or a photo. Send the opening width and height, folding or sliding, colour and suburb. WhatsApp +267 75 388 737

Sources