Comar bifolding doors are part of the overall Comar 7Pi range of insulated and high-performance door sets. In the range are sliding, folding, hinged and commercial doors.
Architects and building designers have for years worked with Comar products in their residential and commercial building projects. Fabricators and installers benefit from an easy to fabricate and install bifolding door system that is flexible, functional and reliable. Comar is well known for the broad range of products and reliable service to the manufacturers and the construction sector.
Comar bifolding doors, key features.
Just like all the other Comar doors, the 7P.i bifolding door is ideal as a standalone product or integrated into curtain walling, ground floor framing or as part of a combination screen. Toplights and sidelights are also possible.
- Available from two to eight panels, opening in or out.
- A bottom hung system with no weight on the top rail of the product.
- Hidden roller mechanisms within the door stiles.
- Anti-finger trap facility.
- Compliant with Lifetime Homes Specifications.
- Up to 62mm glazing thickness possible.
Comar Bifolding door construction and assembly.
In line with other quality bifolding door systems, Comar bifolding doors feature a mechanical construction with a square cut frame and mitred door sashes. To the edge of the door sashes, a PVC clip-in profile is provided. This profile gives a tidy appearance to the door sash edge when the doors are stacked in the open position. At the same time, this PVCu profile provides intermediate weathering with a seal in three different areas.
The glazing of Comar bifolding doors is by the conventional dry-glazed method using quality EPDM glazing gaskets and internal glazing beads. Comar is amongst only a few bifolding door systems that can achieve glass thicknesses of up to 62mm. This makes Comar doors ideal for triple glazing, specialist acoustic or security glass, solar control glass and units with integral blinds.
Comar bifolding door key profiles.
The first noticeable feature about the Comar bifolding door is the broad range of sections that provide many different product applications and solutions.
Firstly is the adjustable frame jamb. Sections CS7004 and CS7005 are two part sections enabling adjust on site when needed. The opposite side of the bifolding doors has a thermally broken 35mm fixed frame jamb. The bifolding door sections at the cill comprise a rebated frame (also used at the head), a double-ramped cill and a single ramped section for use with subcells and to meet other site conditions. Also available is a flat section with no ramp detail to the edge of the profile.
For internal applications or where the thermal insulation is not a pre-requisite, Comar also provides a non-thermal cill and a single ramp cill track with the ramp reversed. Finally to meet the requirements of DDA, a very low ramped threshold with a large polyamide thermal break is also available. These seven different profiles for the base of the bifold enable most site conditions to be met in both commercial and residential settings.
Finally, for installers, a choice of 10 cill profiles are available ranging from 52mm stub cill right up to a 195mm thermally broken cill section.
The door sash profile is flat in appearance, with a 55mm sight line.
Comar bifolding door sizes and sight lines.
Comar is one of the slimmer bifolding doors available on the market thanks to the modern flat sections used and the extension choice of profiles. Profiles are 78mm front to back making them ideal for new build or refurbishment applications.
Head and cill.
At the top of the bifolds, a typical sight line of 108mm is achieved with the standard frame head and door panel top rail. This extends to 138mm when the optional CS947 frame head extension is used or 153mm with the deeper head extension.The same 108mm sight line carries through to the bottom of the bifolding doors when used with the rebated track section, C7003.
A deep bottom rail option.
A great feature found in Comar bifolding doors is the ‘kicker plate’ option. This is an additional 100mm section fixed to the sash profile, giving a deep bottom rail option. It is ideal for commercial applications or for where the client requires a thicker sight line at the bottom of the doors.
Jambs.
At the fixed door jamb, Comar bifolding doors feature a slim 100mm sight line. At the adjustable door jamb, the sight line is 106mm at the minimum tolerance and 110mm to 114mm at the maximum.
Both these dimensions position the Comar door as one of the thinner bifolding doors on the market. When a traffic door is used on the one side, sizes vary depending on whether the traffic door opens in or out and the overall configuration of the doors.
Comar offers both a fixed and floating corner post options.
Meeting Stiles.
When it comes to bifolding door sight lines at the meeting stiles, Comar is at the top of the well-known aluminium systems. Here is how the Comar door compares.
| Comar 7P.i | 120mm |
| Schuco ASS70FD | 120mm |
| Air 800 Bifolding Door | 122mm |
| Reynaers CF 77 SL | 122mm |
| Senior Architectural Alifold and PUReFold Doors | 123mm |
| Reynaers CF68 | 131mm |
| SAPA Crown Folding Door with new slim sash | 131mm |
| Smart Systems Visofold 1000 | 132mm |
| AluK BSF70 Folding Sliding Door | 141mm |
| Reynaers CF77 | 144mm |
| Origin Bifolding Door | 154mm |
| Warmcore Bifolding Doors | 156mm |
It is worth pointing out that the 120mm sight line on the Comar folding door will increase where two opening leaves meet.
Bifolding door midrail.
Comar bifolding doors are also available with several midrail options. The CS944 and CS945 midrail section. These offer a 150mm or 200mm midrail. Ideal for bifolding doors in bars, restaurants or other commercial applications as it can incorporate a letter plate.
There is a further option of the CS980 65mm, CS981 70mm, CS982 85mm and the CS983 105mm midrail for those projects wanting a standard midrail in bifolding doors.
Not everyone will desire a midrail in a folding door. However, Comar demonstrates their expertise in flexible bifolding doors with a choice of ancillary profiles that make their products adaptable in different projects and uses.
Comar bifolding door leaf sizes and weights.
For standard doors not exceeding 80kg, leaf sizes of 1100mm wide and 2400mm high are recommended. Should taller door leaves are required, these are possible subject to overall door sizes and other design considerations.
Comar bifolding doors weather performance and security.
Performance testing on Comar bifolding doors is carried out to BS6375 standards and provides excellent levels of weather resistance and security testing.
- Security testing to PAS 24: 2012
- Air permeability. BS EN 1026: 2000 BS EN 12207: 2000 600 Pascals Class 3
- Watertightness. BS EN 1027: 2000 BS EN 12208: 2000 600 Pascals Class 9A
- Wind Resistance. BS EN 12211:2000 BS EN 12210:2000 1200Pa Class A2
- Exposure Category. BS 6375: Part 1:2009 1200Pa
What we think of the Comar 7P.i bifolding door.
There are many good bifolding doors on the market. Given the maturity of this sector and how systems companies and independent manufacturers have adapted their bifolding doors, all systems offer great bifolding door products.
We have carried out this review of the Comar bifolding door with close examination of their section drawings, fabrication and installation manuals. We like the Comar door for several reasons.
- The excellent choice of sections and ancillary profiles.
- The slim sight lines for those that want an option to a Schuco door.
- The contemporary aesthetic.
- The broad range of midrails, cills and other sections.
- The suitability of the Comar bifold for both residential and commercial projects.
Many installers will assume that Comar is a commercial systems company. It is certainly true that Comar is hugely active in the specification sector with a substantial portfolio of projects.
What you may not know is that Comar products are widely installed in dwellings as well as commercial buildings. Many flats, new build properties and refurbished building feature aluminium bifolding doors, entrance doors and windows by Comar.
You will not find Comar in your average double glazing showroom, however, Comar service a network of some of the most expert aluminium fabricators in the UK. These manufacturers use Comar for the service, ease of fabrication, popularity of the system in construction and the specification.
From a residential perspective, the Comar folding door can be considered for their slim sight lines if installers and homeowners are looking for a slimline and British alternative to Schuco and other slimline folding doors.
Finally, the flexibility of the Comar bifolding door and the technical expertise of Comar as a systems company enables most design briefs to be met for both residential property and commercial buildings.
Contact us if you would like more information about the Comar 7P.i Folding Sliding Door.
