How to Fit a Bifold Door - 8 Easy Steps
Bifold Doors, also known as folding doors. They are stylish and cost-effective folding doors. They not only help to maximize space but are flexible enough for most rooms in the house. There are different types of Bifold Doors, such as Internal Single Bifold Doors, External Folding Sliding Doors, Single Bifold Doors, etc.
Internal bifold doors can prove to be beneficial when trying to fit them in small spaces. In small rooms, every inch of space counts, installing Bifold doors can help you make the most of your space. For various purposes, if we want to create a partition in our home, bifold doors are the best option available. They are easy to open & close and are ideal for closets, cupboards, bathrooms, or hallways and can bring a great deal of character to your home.
To avoid any inconvenience during the fitting process, let’s talk more about how can we fit a bifold door. The process for installing a bi-fold door will vary depending on the manufacturer and the size of the door.
Process of Fitting a Bifold Door
- Get a tape and measure the size of the door you need. Measure the size of the space as Bifold doors are manufactured to fit into a variety of openings, so make sure you’re buying the right size of a bifold door that fits best.
- Don’t forget to measure the top, middle, and bottom of the frame opening where the door will get fitted.
- Lastly, measure the height vertically within the frame opening at both the left and the right sides.
- Compare the measurements with the sizes of Bifold doors and select which suits you best.
Steps To Fit A Bifold Door
It is a fairly straightforward procedure, but you will need a good amount of DIY experience, as bifold doors are quite a bit trickier to install. Before considering to install a bifold door, you need to seek planning permission.
And if you are replacing old doors, make sure that the lintels are in good shape or else you will need to take some help from a civil engineer or an architect to help you increase or decrease the size of the opening. Here is the step-by-step guide for installing a bifold door at your home.
Required Tools and Materials
- Measuring Tape
- Pencil
- Drill Driver
- Wood Drill Bits of 2 & 5mm
- Screwdriver – Electric or Manual
- Rubber Mallet
- Step Tadder
- Bi-fold Door
- Doorknob
- Safety Goggles
- Door handles
- Fixings & Fittings
1. Install the Track
Start by assembling the track, by simply applying a bead of silicon to the rebate on the top part and push the two pieces together. Drill 2.5 x 25mm pilot holes through the three fixing holes and fix the jamb to the head assembly, and screw them together. Before you move on, check that the corners of the track are square, and everything looks stable.
Finally, secure the tie plates to the underside of the frame on the positions and pre-drill the lintel through the head used the prepared holes as a guide. The track should be secured into the structure by the packers now. Next, insert your track by fixing bolts through the jambs and into the walls and tighten them just enough so that they do not get distorted.
2. Mount the Hinges
To attach the hinges, the carrier hinges and pivots need to be fitted in the right order, into the top track, through the cut-outs. The top and bottom blocks of the pivot hinges should be positioned in a way so that the adjustment screws can be reached after the bifold door has been hung.
Make sure that you adjust the top and the bottom pivot hinges to ensure each previous door is vertical before attempting to hang the next one. Position the first aligner on the line and mark the two fixing holes. Drill a couple of pilot holes with a 2mm drill, But be careful not to drill through the door.
3. Attach the Track Hardware
The top track needs to be positioned 19mm back from the front edge of the doorframe. Measure and mark that position with a pencil on both the left and right sides of the frame. Before removing the track and drilling pilot holes with a 2mm wood drill bit, position the track behind the marked line and use the screw holes to mark their position onto the doorframe.
4. Position the Floor Bracket
Position the floor bracket and mark the screw positions onto the door frame with a pencil, drill pilot holes with a 2mm drill and secure the bracket to the frame by screwing it.
5. Attach the Floor Bracket
Slot the plastic pivot retainer into the bottom pivot bracket, and there’s no need to fix it to the floor as its a floating bracket. Fold the door at 90 degrees and slot the fixings loosely into the pre-drilled holes.
6. Hang the Door
Return to the door at the floor and, using a rubber mallet, carefully put the door in position while the pins and pivots are engaged. Offer back up to the door at the opening, into the pin pivot hole, and join the roller guide into the track.
7. Attach the Door Aligner
Screw an aligner bracket to each door and adjust as necessary. Slide the bottom pivot between the door and the frame. Ensure the door opens correctly by aligning the bottom pivot to create a uniformed gap.
8. Install the Door Pulls
Clip the spring closer between the doorframe and the pivot roller, so that it will soften the door closing operation. A doorknob can be fitted to the opening side, above 900mm & up. Even fix a door handle with a bolt from the other side.
Tips To Install Bifold Door
- Always proceed safely at the time of installation
- Wear safety goggles while using the drill driver
- Use a step ladder when working at heights
- Use a screwdriver to remove the top track, which is usually attached to the door with its packaging.
- Vertical adjustments can be made easily by lifting the door slightly out of the bottom bracket and screwing the bottom pivot up or down.
- One can raise the door by rotating the bottom pivot clockwise or lower the door by rotating it anti-clockwise.
Conclusion
Here is a video on installing a bifold door. These are some of the basic guidelines on how to fit a bifold door. It shows that it's certainly not an impossible task to install a bifold door on your own. So, if you’re considering buying a new door or replace your existing door, then do check out our wide range of bifold doors to choose & take inspiration from our online store.