Folding doors are arguably one of the hottest design trends used in modern architecture and home design. They’re frequently seen in modern and contemporary homes, and are even installed in older homes as part of home improvement projects.

Installing a folding door system is a great way to completely revamp and modernize your home. Installed properly, they’ll allow you to open up your entire living space to fresh air, more sunlight, and allow you to feel more connected with the beautiful natural landscape outside of your home (or maybe just your own backyard).

Folding doors are typically categorized by the material used to make the doorframe. The most common materials are aluminum, vinyl/PVC, and wood. Each has its own specific benefits and drawbacks, but today, we’re going to be talking about the pros and cons of natural wood folding doors.

Pros And Cons Of Hardwood Folding Doors

Throughout history, wood has been the material of choice for building doors. Even the metal-clad doors of the middle ages still utilized a wood core to create a solid, sturdy, and relatively sound-proof door. Add in the fact that wood is a great insulation material, and you’ve got a door that not only looks great but helps you maintain a steady temperature inside.

For all of its pros, though, wood also has some cons. For one, it’s a natural material that’s subject to decay (something that you’ll constantly be fighting). Sourcing high-quality natural hardwoods can also be expensive, which makes custom wood doors a bit more pricey than other doorframe materials.

Below, we’ll break all of these pros and cons down in further detail so you can make the most informed decision about what type of folding doors are best for your home improvement project.

Why Wood Bi-Fold Doors Are Great

If money and upkeep aren’t an issue, then wood doors can be an excellent choice for your home. So, before we get into some of the downsides of using wood as a doorframe, let’s start by discussing some of the pros.

1) Beautiful Appearance

Some people are just what you’d call “wood people.” There’s just something about the solid nature of wood combined with its beautiful natural appearance that really attracts the eye. When you open and close a wood door, there’s a satisfying thump that lets you know that this door isn’t going anywhere; it’s here to stay.

Poetic justice aside, though, natural hardwood truly is a beautiful material. No other synthetic material on the market can quite match the appearance of unique wood grain or the smooth feel of sanded wood under your fingertips. Once you add a matching stain to compliment the natural color of the wood, you’ve got a functional work of art.

2) Great Insulation

As we alluded to above, the reason why wood has been traditionally used to construct doors is that it’s an excellent natural insulator. This is especially true of hardwoods like Walnut, Cherry, Pine, and Brazillian Ipe.

Why is insulation important? Well, for one it keeps the interior temperature of your home from being affected by the outside air. It means that you don’t have to worry about a cold draft getting through the wood and dropping your home temperature by 20 degrees (or vice versa in the hot summers). This, in turn, also makes for a more eco-friendly doorframe.

3) Contribute To A More “Natural” Feel

While some people love that “modern” look that makes use of synthetic materials, open spaces, and exotic structures, others prefer a more natural and open feel. To some, vinyl or aluminum doors may feel cold and empty.
Wood bi-fold doors, on the other hand, have an all-natural, organic feel that makes you feel even more connected with the outdoors and nature.

Why Wood Folding Doors Aren’t So Great…

So, now that we’ve given you some reason why you should consider purchasing wood folding doors, let’s talk about some of the not-so-great features that you’ll have to deal with.

1) High-Maintenance

For one, wood doors are incredibly high-maintenance. If you’ve ever had a piece of wood patio furniture or built a hardwood deck, then you’re probably well aware of how much care goes into keeping natural wood looking new.

For one, you always have to keep an eye on the stain. The day that the stain starts to look faded or scratched is the day that your doors will start decaying due to elemental exposure. It’s not just rainwater that you have to worry about either.

In fact, the biggest contributor to rapid wood decay is the sun’s UV rays, and the only protection your wood doors have from them is a thick layer of wood stain.

2) Expensive

Another reason why some people are warry about going with wood folding doors is that they’re a bit expensive. Most of the companies on the market today take pride in using sustainably sourced hardwoods that have been cut from sustainably grown forests, where the trees are replaced after being cut.

As you can imagine, this means that natural hardwoods may be a good bit more expensive than a synthetic material like vinyl or natural aluminum (which is the earth’s most abundant metal).

3) Don’t Last As Long As Aluminum Or Vinyl

As beautiful and solid as wood folding doors are, they aren’t designed to stand the test of time. A good set of aluminum doors can easily last 15 to 20 years if they’re well cared for. Wood doors, on the other hand, may only last for around 10 years.
Of course, a lot of this depends on where they’re installed and how much sunlight and water they have to resist. As a general rule of thumb, though, wood doors won’t hold their value quite as long.

Final Thoughts

As beautiful and sturdy as wood folding doors are, they aren’t perfect. But the truth is, as long as you take proper care of your wood doors (or have somebody you trust who can), you’ll be able to get years of good use out of them.