Bifold doors are a brilliant way to bring more light into your home and create a seamless connection between your house and garden. But during warmer months, all that glass can also mean one thing: a room that quickly becomes too hot when the sun is shining directly onto it.
This is where an awnings over bifold doors can make a real difference.
Awnings can be fitted above bifold doors to provide adjustable external shade, helping to reduce direct sunlight reaching the glass while also creating a comfortable shaded area over the patio outside.
For homes with large areas of glazing, they can be a particularly practical way to manage summer sun without permanently blocking natural light or views.
At Winchester Awnings, we regularly install bespoke awnings over bifold and patio doors across Winchester, Alresford and throughout Hampshire. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering one for your home.
Can You Put an Awning Above Bifold Doors?
Yes. Retractable awnings are particularly well suited to bifold doors and other large glazed openings.
The awning is installed onto the building above the doors rather than onto the bifold doors themselves. When extended, the fabric projects outwards from the property, creating shade in front of the glass and over the patio.
When the shade isn’t needed, the awning can simply be retracted again.
This means you can still enjoy the benefits that made you choose bifold doors in the first place — plenty of daylight, large uninterrupted views and easy access to the garden — while having shade available when the sun becomes uncomfortable.
The exact installation will depend on the construction of your property, the available fixing position and the size of the area that needs shading, which is why a site survey is important before choosing an awning.
Why Do Rooms With Bifold Doors Get So Hot?
Large areas of glazing allow a significant amount of sunlight into a room.
This can be wonderful during cooler parts of the year, but on a sunny spring or summer day a kitchen, dining room or open-plan living space can become surprisingly warm.
This can be particularly noticeable with bifold doors on south- and west-facing elevations, where the glass may be exposed to direct sunlight for long periods of the day.
Modern extensions can also combine bifold doors with roof lanterns, skylights or other large windows, increasing the amount of sunlight entering the space.
Opening the bifold doors can help with ventilation, but it doesn’t necessarily solve the problem of direct sun streaming into the room.
An awning approaches the problem differently.
External Shade Stops Direct Sunlight Before It Reaches the Glass
One of the biggest advantages of fitting an awning above bifold doors is that the shade is created outside the property.
Instead of waiting for strong sunlight to pass through the glass and then controlling it with an internal window covering, an extended awning can shade all or part of the glazed area before the direct sun reaches it.
This can make the area immediately inside the bifold doors feel much more comfortable during sunny weather.
It can be especially useful in:
- Open-plan kitchens and dining rooms
- Modern extensions
- Garden rooms
- South-facing properties
- West-facing rooms affected by afternoon and evening sun
- Homes with large patios directly outside bifold doors
It doesn’t mean you have to keep your home shaded all day either.
Because the awning is retractable, you decide when you want the shade.
On cooler or overcast days, retract it and allow the maximum amount of daylight into your home. When the sun comes out, extend it again.
Can You Still Open Your Bifold Doors With an Awning Above Them?
Yes — when correctly specified and installed, your bifold doors should continue to operate normally underneath the awning.
This is one of the reasons the installation position is so important.
During the initial survey, we assess the area above the doors and consider factors such as:
- The height available above the bifolds
- How the doors open
- The construction of the wall
- The required fixing position
- The size and projection of the awning
- The angle of the awning when extended
- Gutters, downpipes, soffits or other features around the installation area
Not every property is constructed in exactly the same way.
For example, some modern extensions have limited brickwork above the bifold doors, while others may have guttering or architectural features that need to be taken into account.
That doesn’t necessarily mean an awning cannot be fitted. Different brackets and installation solutions can often be considered depending on the property.
A professional survey allows the correct solution to be worked out before the awning is ordered.
How Wide Should an Awning Over Bifold Doors Be?
There is no single ideal size because every set of bifold doors — and every patio — is different.
However, an awning would usually be sized according to the area you actually want to shade rather than simply matching the exact width of the doors.
For example, you may want the awning to:
- Shade the complete width of the bifold doors
- Extend beyond the glazed area to provide greater coverage
- Shade an outdoor dining table
- Cover a seating area immediately outside the doors
- Create a larger transition between the house and garden
This is where choosing a made-to-measure awning becomes particularly useful.
The width and projection can be specified around the proportions of the property and the way you use the outside space.
What does awning projection mean?
The projection is how far the awning extends away from the building.
This is just as important as the width.
If your main priority is reducing direct sunlight across the bifold doors, the required projection may be different from a homeowner who also wants to shade a large dining table several metres into the patio.
The direction your property faces and the position of the sun also influence where the shade will fall at different times of the day.
This is why we look at the whole area rather than simply measuring the width of the doors.
An Awning Can Shade Your Patio at the Same Time
There is another major benefit to installing an awning over bifold doors: the same awning that helps shade your interior can transform the space immediately outside it.
Extend the awning and you effectively create a shaded area adjoining your home.
That could mean somewhere more comfortable for:
- Eating outside
- Sitting with a coffee
- Entertaining friends
- Children playing on the patio
- Working outside
- Relaxing without sitting in direct sunlight
With the bifold doors open, the shaded patio can also feel much more connected to the room inside.
Rather than treating the house and garden as two completely separate spaces, an awning can help create a transitional area between them.
Retractable or Permanent Shade?
One of the reasons we particularly like retractable awnings with bifold doors is flexibility.
Permanent structures provide permanent shade.
That might be exactly what you want in some situations, but if one of the reasons you installed bifold doors was to bring more light into your home, permanently shading the glazing may not always be desirable.
With a retractable awning, you aren’t making that compromise.
Shade when you want it. Sunlight when you don’t.
That flexibility is especially useful in the UK, where conditions can change considerably not only from season to season but from one day to the next.
Manual or Motorised Awning Over Bifold Doors?
Both manual and motorised awnings can work above bifold doors.
For many larger installations, however, customers choose motorisation because it makes adjusting the shade particularly easy.
Instead of winding a large awning in and out manually, a motorised system can be controlled at the touch of a button.
Depending on the chosen system, additional controls such as weather sensors and smart-home integration may also be available.
We have covered this subject in much more detail in our Manual vs Motorised Awnings guide, so rather than repeating all of the differences here, we’d recommend reading that article if you’re deciding which operation would suit your home best.
What Style of Awning Works With Modern Bifold Doors?
Because bifold doors are often incorporated into contemporary extensions and renovations, customers sometimes worry that an awning will look bulky or detract from the architecture.
It doesn’t have to.
Modern cassette awnings can be surprisingly streamlined when retracted, and there is a wide choice of frame and fabric colours available.
For a contemporary property, you might choose:
- A frame colour that coordinates with anthracite or black bifold frames
- A neutral fabric for a subtle appearance
- A contrasting fabric to introduce colour to the garden
- A full cassette design for a neat appearance when closed
The awning should feel like part of the property rather than something that has simply been added afterwards.
This is another reason we recommend choosing the awning around the individual house rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach.
What About Low Evening Sun?
One thing worth considering is where the sun is coming from at the time you most need shade.
An awning provides shade from above, but as the sun gets lower in the sky during the late afternoon and evening, sunlight can start to come underneath the front of the awning.
This can be particularly relevant to west-facing gardens.
If low sun and glare are a major issue, tell us during your survey. Depending on the awning and specification, there may be additional shading options worth considering.
The important point is to design the awning around how the space behaves throughout the day rather than simply choosing the largest possible awning.
Can an Awning Be Added After the Bifold Doors Have Been Installed?
Absolutely.
You don’t need to install an awning at the same time as your bifold doors.
In fact, many of the homeowners we speak to only realise they need additional shading after they have lived with their bifold doors through a summer.
A new extension may look fantastic, but once strong sunlight starts hitting several metres of glass, the reality of how warm the room becomes can be very different from how it felt during the winter or spring.
Provided the property has a suitable installation solution, an awning can be retrofitted above existing bifold doors.
For most homeowners also wondering about permissions, we’ve explained when planning permission may be required in our separate guide.
What Should You Consider Before Choosing an Awning?
If you’re thinking about installing an awning above your bifold doors, start with how you actually want the space to work.
Consider:
When does the sun affect the room?
Morning, midday or late afternoon?
What do you want to shade?
Just the bifold doors, or the patio as well?
How do you use the outside space?
Is there a dining table, seating area or children’s play space you want covered?
How much projection do you need?
The deepest awning isn’t automatically the right awning. The shade needs to fall where you need it.
How would you like to operate it?
Manual operation may be suitable for some installations, while motorisation provides greater convenience for others.
What should it look like?
Frame colour, fabric and cassette style can all be selected to complement the property.
A good survey should consider all of these things before a recommendation is made.
If you’re also considering budget, read our guide to what affects awning costs.
Awnings for Bifold Doors in Winchester and Hampshire
At Winchester Awnings, we supply and professionally install made-to-measure awnings for homes across Winchester, Alresford and throughout Hampshire.
With over 30 years’ industry experience, we can assess your property, discuss the problem you’re trying to solve and recommend an awning suited to both the bifold doors and the surrounding outdoor space.
We are an authorised Weinor dealer and offer a range of high-quality retractable awnings with options including motorisation, smart controls, weather sensors and integrated lighting.
Whether your priority is keeping an open-plan kitchen more comfortable, creating shade over a sunny patio or getting more enjoyment from the area outside your bifold doors, we’ll help you find the right solution for your property.
explore our range of retractable awnings – Weinor awnings & commercial awnings
Contact Winchester Awnings for a free, no-obligation consultation and quotation.
What About Blinds for Bifold Doors?
An external awning and an internal blind solve slightly different problems, and some homes benefit from having both. While an awning provides adjustable shade outside the property, bifold door blinds can provide additional control over light, glare and privacy inside the room, including when the awning is retracted or during the colder months.
Our sister company, Winchester Blinds & Shutters, supplies made-to-measure blinds specifically suited to bifold doors, including pleated, roller and motorised options. If you’re considering internal shading as well as an awning, you can explore our bifold door blind solutions here.
Motorised bifold door blinds in Hook, Hampshire
Choosing the right blinds for your bifold doors
Frequently Asked Questions About Awnings Over Bifold Doors
Can you fit an awning over bifold doors?
Yes. Retractable awnings can be installed above bifold doors, subject to a suitable fixing position on the property. The awning is attached to the building rather than the bifold doors and can provide shade across both the glazing and the patio outside.
Will an awning stop my bifold doors from opening?
A correctly specified and professionally installed awning should not prevent your bifold doors from opening normally. The available height, door configuration, awning angle and fixing position are assessed during the survey.
Can an awning help keep a room with bifold doors cooler?
An awning can help reduce the amount of direct sunlight reaching large areas of glazing by providing shade outside the property. This can make rooms with bifold doors more comfortable during sunny weather, particularly on elevations that receive prolonged direct sun.
How big should an awning be over bifold doors?
The best size depends on the width of the glazed area, the direction the property faces and how much of the patio you want to shade. A made-to-measure awning can be sized to provide coverage beyond the bifold doors where required.
Are motorised awnings good for bifold doors?
Yes. Motorised awnings are particularly convenient for larger installations because the shade can be extended or retracted at the touch of a button. Depending on the system, weather sensors and smart controls may also be available.
Can you retrofit an awning above existing bifold doors?
Yes. In many cases an awning can be installed above bifold doors that are already in place. A survey is required to assess the available fixing area and determine the most suitable installation method.