I can hardly read your plans so not exactly sure which space you are talking about. Having had sliding doors of 2, 3 and 4 panels and bifold doors - all leading out on to the same deck, at different times over 20 years - I can say that the widest possible opening is usually well worth the additional cost. 3 panel stackers are good value IMO. Although a space without the obstruction of a corner upright is lovely, it comes at a premium price - we have been quoted $60k for a house we are about to build. Just not worth it for most situations... and so many other things that can be done with that sort of money. I like bifold but we don’t open them up fully as much as I’d thought we would. Hope this helps.

Looking at the plan, it would only allow for one set of doors to be retractable?. I have 2 x 3 panel stacker doors opening away from a small corner section into an internal courtyard, these were installed into our 80's house approx 10 yrs ago and work really

Yes that's lovely, the following photo is similar to yours

You could save some money by having a simple post that the stackers could pull back from. We did 3 panels as all other doors and windows had this configuration. Smaller panels can look busy and block the view as with bifold

Another thought SD, You kids, and no TV in the Family room, I wonder about having the IT station out of sight, could you reverse it so that it opens into the family room, or make it a two way station so that you could keep an eye on computer use.

And agree that you would be better off spending the money on a beam to allow for no support post as 2200 opening isn't very wide, that would also suggest that your island is only 600 deep and should be 900 if you want stools to sit up to the island?

i'm wondering if you could omit the alfresco and eliminate the need for stacker and/or bifolds with the corner post.. .i think the bigger alfresco is too small to be used for more than a very small gathering so why not omit that alfresco and spend the money on a bigger internal space and have a simple pergola across the back of the house and enlarge the other alfesco with a simple sliding door and reconsider the kitchen to allow more generous dining area ...all the opening corner photos shown are for much bigger spaces and in a smaller area it seems a very expensive way to have access to a cramped outside space that will usually have a step down from the house and expensive doors that are rarely opened ...a bigger internal space would be useful every day ...unable to see the plans clearly my suggestions are based on estimated sizes but should be a much more comfortable arrangement

With adding a pool are you also adding a Toilet and shower facility, would you consider the possibility of swapping bed 4 with the media room and laundry/WC, so that this could be accessed from the pool. This would open all living spaces to the extended deck and pool.

As Retro said, a local window and door consultant will provide you with the best possible option ans the dreaded cost. Bifold doors are lovely when they are either fully closed or open, but in some situations you need a single door added to them, as you would off the kitchen

I don't believe you'll get the full effect using a stacker with a corner post/column removed. Not enough room for bifold doors either. It'll look ok on paper but in reality its a no from me. The extra 'openness' is minor considering the costs involved to achieve it.

Having said that I would look at going for a cavity slider to open up the kitchen access to alfresco. At the moment it looks like a standard sliding door and the fixed glass panel lined up with the kitchen circulation space would annoy the hell out of me. Each time I was to walk to alfresco I'm doing a detour around that fixed panel.... Alternatively change it all to a window and run kitchen bench top along there....

Can I suggest that you make that alfresco room part of the family/kitchen/dining to make a bigger space, the kitchen @ 900 between island and wall at both ends is very tight, this would allow for better flow in the kitchen and be able to keep the 2700 Island.

By adding wide opening Bi fold, sliders or stacking doors you can now have an indoor out door space in one over looking the pool. (Measurements aren't exact as very hard to read)

Stacking, folding, post or not - it won't really change much - the alfresco is too small to be a proper alfresco either way you spin it. You'd be better of like siri suggested to utilise it as internal space and improve the compromised scaling of this area, and then develop a deck or partially covered overhang to the rear and put in some stackers or bifolds centred to or completely along the rear. Make a big move with far greater practical and multi-layered impacts/benefits.

sorry, just realised oklouise had also suggested similar.........;)

Thanks Paul, that's what stands out to me, as you say the alfresco is too small along with the space 900 at the each end of the island, it would need to be reduced in length to work, I don't think this is a small house so it needs that area to work better.

Hi, we found an interim solution. We put in bi-parting sliding doors. They are two sliding doors that open in the middle, instead of one sliding door that goes left to right. They open more widely but still have a price tag akin to normal sliding doors. We decided to go with these in the first instance, and then maybe consider bi-folding doors later down the track. Hopefully this gives you another alternative. I have attached a link to images of bi-parting doors.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=bi-parting+sliding+glass+doors&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiUxd_EnO7eAhUDcCsKHboeDwsQsAR6BAgEEAE&biw=1280&bih=690

Dr Retro's analogy with a convertible are so true.

We elected to wait 12months in our recent house purchase before embarking on major renovations. The magnificent view that we thought we needed to have stacker/bifold doors for turned out to be too breezy to have the doors open for more than a few days a year. So the extra wide mullions associated with this kind of door would be impacting the view for 99% of the time.

In the end we went for extra wide sliding doors (3 for a 4.6m width) with the narrowest mullions we could find.

As for your quandary re the corner post, how about a very small section solid stainless steel post?

Along the lines of Miles van der Roh's Barcelona Pavilion?

Hi, we have built with both stackers and bifolds. I would recommend 3 door stacker storing to the exterior with no column in the centre ( so beam in the ceiling for the weight ).

Reasons: The obstruction is the same regardless ( bifolds will stack at 90 degrees to the opening and stackers parallel to the opening ). Cost of fly/security screens for bifolds are also a major factor. Screens for our bifolds cost almost as much as the bifold itself and security screens are cumbersome.

Hope this helps

I'd like to emphasise Dr Retro's practical mention of flyscreens. I love bifold doors, but to put insect screens on them is really expensive, and I'd have to shut the doors from late afternoon if I couldn't screen them. When we built a house, we put in the sliding doors that Sam McD B mentioned, with 2 sliding doors that meet in the middle, complete with sliding screens. They allowed a very wide opening, but our space was much bigger than yours.

We chose sliding doors purely for the reasons to add Crimsafe security screens. Allows you to keep insects out and still get fresh breezes. Display homes never have these installed and it always looks attractive with the wide open doors. But really not practical when your house if full of flies and mozzies. Everything depends on your location, view, climate, environment and finance. Good luck!

I have just replaced sliders with stackers and oh what a difference being able to open up wider!