Origin Bifold Doors Review: OB-36+, OB-49 and OB-72

Origin bifold doors are among the best-known aluminium bifolds in the UK, made by Origin in its own factory at Sands Industrial Estate, High Wycombe. The range is built around three bifold systems, the OB-36+, the OB-49 and the OB-72, plus the OF-36+ French and single door. This review explains how they differ, what Origin does well, where the limits are, and which system suits which kind of home.

We supply and install the full Origin range as an Origin Approved Partner, alongside the Cortizo bifolds we fabricate in our own Uxbridge workshop. You can see every Origin system, with a full specification comparison, on our Origin bifold doors page, and the wider range on the Origin hub.

The Origin Bifold Range at a Glance

The number in each Origin model name is the width of the door sash in millimetres. It is a useful shorthand, but it is not what you see when the doors are closed. What you see between two panes of glass at the hinge is the sightline, and that is wider:

• OB-36+: 36mm sash, 84mm glass-to-glass at the hinge. Origin's slimmest and most thermally efficient external door, offered in Soho, Gallery and Georgian styles.
• OB-49: 49mm sash, 110mm at the hinge. The established Origin bifold, with square or chamfered beads.
• OB-72: 72mm sash, 154mm at the hinge. A broader, more substantial frame, also offered in woodgrain finishes.
• OF-36+: the OB-36+ profile built as French, single and fixed doors rather than a fold.

If you are comparing quotes, ask which system is being offered. "An Origin bifold" can mean any of the three, and the look, the thermal performance and the sizes differ between them.

Origin OB-36+: The Flagship

The OB-36+ is the system most people mean when they talk about Origin today. Its 36mm sash and 84mm hinge sightline make it the slimmest external door Origin makes, and it is where Origin has put its design effort.

Styles. The OB-36+ comes in three styles. Soho adds a traditional lock block and integral glazing divides, so the slim aluminium frame reads like a steel-framed door. Gallery and Georgian are Origin's two alternative looks. For a period home or a loft-style extension, Soho is the reason many buyers choose Origin over other aluminium bifolds.

Configuration. It can be a bifold, a French door, a single door or a fixed panel, opening in or out. Large sets are possible, and we confirm the exact panel layout for your opening at survey.

Thermal performance. The OB-36+ is Origin's warmest external door. With double glazing it meets the Building Regulations standard for replacement doors, and triple glazing takes it well beyond. For an extension, your building control officer or architect will confirm the whole-building figure you need to hit.

Security. The OB-36+ is tested to PAS 24:2022, the current edition of the enhanced security standard for doors. Origin's certification applies with a P1A laminated glass unit and a 3-Star cylinder, which we specify whenever you need the certified configuration.

Origin OB-49: The Established Bifold

The OB-49 is the bifold that built Origin's reputation. Its 49mm sash gives a 110mm sightline at the hinge, which is still slim for an aluminium bifold, and it is a proven, robust system with a long track record.

The OB-49 is tested to PAS 24:2022 and carries Secured by Design on doors under 2,500mm tall. It also has strong weather ratings and a mobility threshold option, which matters for step-free access to the garden. Very wide openings can be covered with joining tracks. Choose the OB-49 when you want a well-proven bifold with Secured by Design, a low threshold and a slim but not ultra-slim frame.

Origin OB-72: The Broader Frame

The OB-72 uses a 72mm sash and a 154mm hinge sightline. That sounds like a step backwards until you see where it is used: on larger, heavier sets, on exposed elevations, and on homes where a broader frame suits the architecture. It shares the OB-49's sizes, weather ratings and mobility threshold, is also tested to PAS 24:2022 with Secured by Design under 2,500mm, and it is the Origin bifold offered in woodgrain finishes for a timber-look extension.

Origin Bifold Doors: Advantages

• Choice within one brand. Three bifold systems and a French door system let you match frame width, style and budget without changing supplier, and Origin windows, sliders and front doors complete the house.
• Styling. The OB-36+ Soho look is genuinely different from most aluminium bifolds: a steel-look door from a slim, thermally broken system.
• Security. Every current Origin bifold is tested to PAS 24:2022, and the OB-49 and OB-72 add Secured by Design on standard-height doors.
• Thermal performance. The OB-36+ with triple glazing gives a very warm bifold for extensions with demanding thermal targets.
• UK manufacture. Origin makes its doors in High Wycombe, which keeps lead times predictable and parts close to hand.
• Colour. Origin offers a wide choice of RAL colours, dual colour, and a marine-grade finish for coastal homes.

Origin Bifold Doors: Disadvantages

No product is perfect, and these are the points we raise with every client.

• Sightlines are wider than the names suggest. The 36, 49 and 72 refer to the sash, so the frame you see at the hinge is 84, 110 or 154mm. If the slimmest possible fold is the priority, compare the hinge figure, not the model name.
• The slimmest system is not the most robust. The OB-36+ is about looks and thermal performance; for the largest, most exposed openings the OB-49 or OB-72 may be the better engineering choice.
• Bifolds are not always the right door. On a very wide opening you look through several frames when the doors are closed. A sliding door gives bigger panes and fewer frames, which our bifold vs sliding vs French doors guide covers in detail.

Origin vs Cortizo Bifold Doors

The question we hear most is how Origin compares with the Cortizo bifolds we fabricate ourselves. Both are premium, thermally broken aluminium bifolds, and both can be specified for security. The difference is in character: Origin's strengths are the OB-36+ styling and the choice of three frame widths from one maker, while Cortizo's Bi-Fold and Bi-fold Plus Door give us full control of fabrication in our own workshop. Our Cortizo vs Origin bifold doors comparison goes through it point by point, and our guide to the best aluminium bifold door brands puts both against the wider market.

Which Origin Bifold Should You Choose?

• Choose the OB-36+ if you want the slimmest Origin frame, the best thermal performance or the Soho steel look, on a typical kitchen or living-room extension.
• Choose the OB-49 if you want a proven bifold with Secured by Design, a mobility threshold and a slim frame, or a very wide opening on joining tracks.
• Choose the OB-72 for large, heavy or exposed sets, or a woodgrain finish.
• Choose the OF-36+ if you like the OB-36+ look but want French or single doors rather than a fold. Our guide to Origin French and single doors covers it.

Whichever you choose, glazing, threshold and lock specification make as much difference as the system itself, which is why we confirm all three at survey rather than quoting from a brochure.

Not sure which Origin system suits your opening? Request a free quote or call 0800 861 1450 and we will recommend the right Origin bifold for your home, with a written quote and no obligation.

Buying Origin Through an Approved Partner

Origin sells through approved partners, who survey, order and install. Buying through an approved partner means the doors are specified correctly for the opening and installed to Origin's standards. Our guide to buying Origin doors through an approved partner explains how the process works. We cover the Home Counties and West London, including aluminium bifold doors in Berkshire.

Every installation we carry out is FENSA registered and backed by our 10-year CPA insurance-backed guarantee. If you are weighing up Origin for an extension or a replacement, request a free quote and we will bring the samples to your survey so you can see the OB-36+, OB-49 and OB-72 side by side.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Origin OB-36+, OB-49 and OB-72?

The number is the sash width in millimetres. At the hinge you see 84mm between panes on the OB-36+, 110mm on the OB-49 and 154mm on the OB-72. The OB-36+ is the slimmest and warmest, with Soho, Gallery and Georgian styles. The OB-49 and OB-72 are the longer-established bifolds, with Secured by Design on doors under 2,500mm tall and a mobility threshold option.

Are Origin bifold doors good?

They are among the best-regarded aluminium bifolds in the UK. Origin makes them in its own High Wycombe factory, every current bifold is tested to PAS 24:2022, and the range covers slim, standard and broad frames. As with any bifold, the result depends on correct specification and installation, which is why Origin sells through approved partners.

Are Origin bifold doors secure?

Every current Origin bifold is tested to PAS 24:2022. The certification applies with a P1A laminated glass unit and a 3-Star cylinder, and the OB-49 and OB-72 are also Secured by Design on doors under 2,500mm tall. We specify the certified configuration whenever security is a priority.

Where are Origin doors made?

Origin manufactures its doors and windows in its own factory at Sands Industrial Estate, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. We supply and install them as an Origin Approved Partner.

Can Origin bifold doors have a level threshold?

The OB-49 and OB-72 offer a mobility threshold for step-free access, and the OB-36+ offers a low threshold on its hinged, non-bifolding doors. Weathered thresholds are available for exposed openings. We advise on the right threshold for your opening at survey.