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Have you been considering an upgrade for your shop or hangar? Or maybe you are building new and need to research the best options for your building.

No matter the project, there will be questions about which kind of door is best for your project. However, it can be hard to find information on different types of doors. To help, we’ve summarized the most common questions we hear about overhead bifold doors. We’ve provided clear answers so you know what to expect when you order a Diamond door for your next building project.

Use the links below to jump to a specific question or scroll through our entire list of answers to the most frequently asked questions about overhead bifold doors.

• How strong is a bifold door in high winds?
• Is a bifold door safe for busy farmyards and airports?
• Can I install the bifold door on my own?
• Can I install a bifold door on an existing building?
• How can I insulate my bifold door?
• How well does a bifold door seal against harsh weather?
• Why does Diamond Doors use cables instead of straps?
• Can I put a bifold door on a small building?
• How much maintenance does a bifold door need?
• What happens if there is a power failure while my door is open?
• What if I need to use my door when there is no power?
• How much overhead clearance will I lose with a bifold door?
• Does Diamond Doors sell trim and cladding with the door?
• What door sizes are available for bifold doors?
• What affects the pricing of a bifold door?
• What happens if a cable breaks while the bifold door is open?
• Why does every bifold door take so long to open?
• Do you offer installation for your bifold doors?
• Can I operate the door with a remote opener?
• What makes a Diamond door different than other bifold doors?

How strong is a bifold door in high winds?

We design each door specifically to meet the wind load ratings of your location, including doors for higher risk hurricane and tornado regions.

Strength starts with the basics. We build our bifold door frames from high strength tubular steel. This maximizes strength while maintaining a lightweight design. We use a variety of tube sizing depending on the dimensions of your bifold door, wind loads, and the weight of the exterior finishing.

When the door is in the closed and locked position, the hinges, locking system, and door rollers ensure the door holds securely to your building. Other features like the J-track (for wood buildings) and column followers (for steel buildings) offer added protection.

Check out our blog post on bifold doors in high wind for a closer look at how we build each door to last.

Is a bifold door safe for busy farmyards and airports?

Whether it’s a busy farming operation or a bustling airport, safety is important. Like any other type of large equipment, it pays to be cautious around a moving bifold door. However, we have implemented many different safety features to ensure that each bifold door operates safely for years to come.

• Cable guards prevent pinch hazards where the lift cables wrap around the driveline.
• The electric lift motor is fitted with an electric brake – that means when power is cut to the door, the brake is engaged and holds the door securely in place even while open. (We’ve also included a manual release and lowering option to safely operate the door during a power outage.)
• Motor safety shields prevent entrapment and entanglement around the motor and gearbox.
• We implement a 10x cable safety factor (compared to the 5x safety factor used by many competitors). The added cables better distribute the loads on the building and prevent the door from crashing down in the event a cable is damaged.
• Our hinges are cold roll formed, which means that each side of the hinge is one solid piece of metal. This increases the lifespan of the hinge significantly compared to hinges assembled from multiple components welded together.
• We include photo eye sensors on every door. Like a residential garage door, these sensors detect objects that are in the path of the door and prevent the door from closing.
• CWB certified welders manufacture the door, ensuring that the frame is prepared by qualified welders using fully approved welding techniques.

Can I install the bifold door on my own?

If you are comfortable handling large equipment and basic power tools, you can install a Diamond door on your own. We have designed our overhead bifold doors to be as easy to install as possible and include a thorough installation manual to guide you through the process.

Your door will arrive at your building site pre-assembled. The wiring and electrical components are installed in-factory, including a junction box at the top of the door for hassle-free connection to the building’s electrical system. We also install the driveline, locking system, electric motor, and gearbox before shipping the door.  You can learn more about how we’ve simplified the installation process by reading our Bifold Door Installation blog post.

If you have any questions during your installation, our service team is happy to help. You can call our office toll-free at (866) 325-7600 and they’ll guide you through the process.

*Depending on the door size and location, we may be required to ship your door as a split door in two pieces due to shipping restrictions.

Not sure about installing the door on your own? Diamond Doors has installation crews across North America. If you are looking to hire someone to install or service your doors, give our office a call and we would be happy to provide you with the names of trusted door installers.

Can I install a bifold door on an existing building?

Yes, you can easily install a Diamond overhead bifold door on an existing building, though it will require some building preparation to ensure that the building can adequately support the loads and weight of the door. If the building is not capable of supporting the door, you can add the required structural bracing and supports to your existing building. This is usually our preferred option but can be costly and time-consuming depending on the overall building condition. In some cases, it might be more cost effective to consider the Diamond Doors self-supporting header system.

We designed the self-supporting header system for buildings that do not have the strength to support the weight and loads of the door. (It can also be used to extend the clear opening up to the roof line, increasing the available overhead space.) Using the self-supporting header system is a good option for buildings that would require significant time and money to prepare for a bifold door by adding standard bracing and support.

How can I insulate my bifold door?

There are several different types of insulation available. Each option comes with its own advantages, depending on the project. However, when it comes to bifold doors, we’ve done our share of research to bring you the best option in terms of quality, simplicity, and effectiveness.

Diamond Doors offers a ridged board insulation option for all our bifold doors. Installed to the exterior of the door frame, it provides consistent insulation across the full width of the bifold door. Here are a few other benefits of our bifold door insulation.

• We offer insulation in R12 (2” thickness) and R16 (3” thickness) depending on your building needs.
• We line each insulation panel with a white aluminum liner to provide a clean finish on the inside of your door.
• For easy installation, we cut each panel to length before shipping, minimizing onsite labour.
• We include weather seals in each insulation package to eliminate airflow around the door frame.
• Already have a bifold door? It’s easy to retrofit your door with our insulation package. Just talk to our service department.

Ridged board insulation provides the best of everything that insulation has to offer, which is why Diamond Doors is proud to offer it with every door we sell. You can read more about the different types of insulation on our Bifold Door Insulation Options blog post.

How well does a bifold door seal against harsh weather?

A Diamond bifold door provides an excellent seal against harsh weather, especially compared to other door styles like overhead and sliding doors. We include several door components in our design that work together to provide a secure seal.

Our unique locking system pulls the door tightly against the door frame when in the closed position. The bottom rubber seal prevents gaps beneath the door, especially on uneven floors. And our optional J-Tracks and column followers provide extra protection in high wind situations.

Why does Diamond Doors use cables instead of straps?

Concerns about cable lift doors include cable safety and reliability. These issues are commonly caused by cable overlap and an overly complicated cable system with many moving parts. However, our innovative cable lift system eliminates all cable overlap and unnecessary moving parts, preventing cable failure due to regular wear and tear.

Our lift cable design also provides several other advantages. They have a more consistent opening speed, which means they are often faster than lift straps in similar settings, and they are easier to maintain as they don’t require frequent tensioning.

Finally, we manufacture our doors with multiple cables and a 10:1 safety factor on every door. If one or multiple cables fail while the bifold door is open, it will still remain safely in place. (We still recommend only operating the door with all cables securely installed.)

Can I put a bifold door on a small building?

Overhead bifold doors are a great option for small buildings that require larger clear openings than what is available with other common door styles. Because Diamond doors are installed to the face of the building, they can be mounted above the building frame (with our self supporting header option). This allows for an even larger clear opening than is possible with overhead doors.

Bifold doors are also a great option for improved energy efficiency and temperature control, convenient access to the building, and low maintenance operation, no matter the size of the building.

How much maintenance does a bifold door need?

We design each Diamond door to require minimal maintenance. We include features like greaseless hinge bushings, a locking system that doesn’t require frequent adjustments or tensioning, non-overlapping cables to prevent early cable failure and replacement, and more to make maintenance as simple as possible. Aside from periodic inspection of door components, there’s very little work to do. Check out our Bifold Door Maintenance Checklist blog post for a more detailed look at our low-maintenance door features.

What happens if there is a power failure while my door is open?

Nothing. If there is a power failure while the door is open, you can expect the door to remain securely in place. This is because each Diamond door is equipped with an electric brake motor, which is engaged when there is no power running to the motor.

This means that if the power fails while the door is open, the brake automatically engages, holding the door open and preventing injuries and damage to the property.

What if I need to use my door when there is no power?

We have included an emergency manual opener on each door motor to ensure the door can be open and closed when there is a power failure. Each motor is equipped with a hex shaft, which can be used with a socket wrench or cordless drill to manually turn the motor.

We do not recommend standing on the door to perform this operation. Do not use an impact driver to turn the motor as this can cause damage to the motor.

How much overhead clearance will I lose with a bifold door?

Loss of overhead clearance isn’t generally an issue with Diamond bifold doors, though it does vary depending on the building style. Because bifold doors are installed to the face of the building, they can be mounted higher above the clear opening, resulting in a clear opening that can often match the height of the ceiling.

If the face of the building is not tall enough to accommodate the bifold door without loss of overhead clearance, consider upgrading to the self-supporting header system, which provides support for the door above the roofline of the building and raises the clear opening past the roofline.

Learn more about the self-supporting header system by visiting our Features and Options page.

Does Diamond Doors sell trim and cladding with the door?

Diamond Doors offers a Tuff-Rib ¾” profile cladding as a standard finishing option for our bifold doors. Offered in either a 28 gauge or 26 gauge, this stepped rib design is known for its low-maintenance durability and lasts for years.

With mix and match options for a classic wainscotting look, contrasting trim and cladding, or whatever else you can think of, the options are virtually endless.

However, if you are installing the door on a new building, we recommend ordering your door and building cladding from the same supplier. This ensures a better colour match. We would be happy to provide an exact cut list and trim details for the door materials.

We have a detailed blog post about different door finishing options. Read more by visiting Cladding, Sheeting, and Finishing Options for Your Bifold Door.

What door sizes are available for bifold doors?

While common door sizes vary depending on industry, Diamond Doors manufactures overhead bifold doors of almost any size. We’ve built everything from general aviation hangar doors, quonset doors, farm shop doors, and a hangar door for the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada that measures over 100 feet wide.

We manufacture made-to-size doors for your building, and our sales team would be happy to discuss what works best for your application. Call us toll-free at (866) 325-7600 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm CST or send an email at any time to info@diamonddoors.com.

What affects the pricing of a bifold door?

There are a variety of factors that affect the pricing of a bifold door, including building type (different types of buildings require different hardware and design), door size, the selected features and options, and delivery location. We offer a complete breakdown of cost on our quote sheets so that you know exactly what you are paying for. If you have any questions about our pricing, please reach out to our sales team for more information.

What happens if a cable breaks while the bifold door is open?

Diamond Doors uses specialized cables with a fine weave and fiber core. With eighteen braids of seven strands per braid, they have improved flexibility and longevity compared to competitors’ cables. However, the extra fine weave is only one of the reasons for our cables’ extended lifespan and durability. The most common cause of cable failure is accidental damage to the cable from equipment.

However, Diamond Doors also designs each door with a 10:1 safety factor. This means that even if multiple cables break while the door is open, the door will remain securely in place.

For your continued safety, we recommend only operating the door will all cables installed. Be sure to inspect the cables regularly for wear or damage.

Why does every bifold door take so long to open?

Bifold doors naturally take longer to open than some other types of doors, like overhead doors, due to their size and weight. Think of it as a vehicle accelerating. A light passenger vehicle can accelerate much faster than a heavy semi with a loaded trailer. The same principle applies to bifold doors. The heavier the door, the harder the motor must work to raise the door.

At Diamond Doors, we offer a standard opening speed of eighteen feet per minute. This is the fastest standard opening speed in the bifold door industry. However, we also offer an additional speed increase package. This package can increase the opening speed for a bifold door up to 20-25% faster. You can order it installed from factory or added as an option* after your door has been installed.

*Please note that not every door can be safely retrofitted with a speed increase package depending on the current door specifications. Contact our service department to discuss your speed increase options.

Do you offer installation for your bifold doors?

Unfortunately, Diamond Doors does not offer installation for our bifold doors, as the logistics of installing and servicing doors across North America are very difficult. With a large sales area, we know that we can offer shorter lead times, better doors, and increased customer satisfaction by focusing on manufacturing doors.

However, we have established a strong dealer/installer/service network. If you are looking to hire someone to install or service your doors, give our office a call and we would be happy to provide you with the names of trusted door installers.

Can I operate the door with a remote opener?

Yes, Diamond Doors offers a remote opener package as an option for our bifold doors. When paired with the autolock system, the remote opener package allows you to operate your bifold door from the comfort of your seat – just like a standard overhead door. With push button operation and a reliable design, you can trust your Diamond door to open when you need it.

What makes a Diamond door different than other bifold doors?

The concept of a bifold door is not unique to Diamond Doors. There are many other door manufacturers, DIY overhead bifold doors, and other homebuilt variations that can fit under the umbrella of “bifold door”. However, just like any other product, not all bifold doors are created equal and quality varies between designs.

What makes a Diamond door different from other bifold doors? It’s our commitment to innovation and convenience. We set industry standards with a simplified door design and features like greaseless hinges, a reliable locking system, and a unique cable lift system that eliminates many of the common problems associated with cable doors. A door should be a piece of equipment that makes your workday easier and we do that with a low maintenance, easy operation bifold door design.

You can find our full list of innovative door features and options on our Features and Options page.