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Full access bi-fold doors - are they sturdy?

11 years ago

Hi all,

As trying to work out what style of door to put on our bedroom closets, I came across these intriguing looking bi-fold doors. Apparently, they fold like bi-folds, but then can swing for full access. Does anyone have them. Are they good quality. When we built our first house, over time many of the bi-fold doors came off their tracks. So, I want a sturdy door this time.

Carol

Full Access Bi-fold door

Featured Answer

Julie K

2 years ago

We have full folding bifold doors in our bathroom and love them!
Our contractor replaced the frosted glass inserts with new lami glass inserts, replaced the Baldwin chrome hinges/pulls with new Baldwin brushed nickel hinges/pulls, and installed new Richelieu piano hinges between the slab doors.
He then refinished and repainted the doors. We considered replacing our doors with new doors, but the quotes we got were crazy expensive!!
We're still under construction so haven't installed the doors yet. Meanwhile attached are photos of original doors before we started our remodel.

Comments (11)

millworkman
11 years ago
Johnson builds pretty dam good door hardware, just make certain your interior doors are of good quality from a good door hanging shop and you should be fine. As with most any door if it is not hung properly it will not function properly. Interior doors can be more temperamental as if the stile and rail blocking i can be small if using a flush type door and you will only get one shop at the hardware being applied correctly
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Millworkman,

Thanks for the reassurance about Johnson's hardware. I don't suppose you have used this style of closet door (full access bi-fold).

So when you say I should check out a good quality door hanging shop, I'm guessing I need to stay clear of HD? I am not entirely sure where to go looking for good qualify doors.

Carol
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Like the last poster said make sure the opening is the proper width to fit a pre hung unit. Like he said prehung units that big are a lot easier to move with the doors removed. Mdf Doors wiegh a ton and 2 of them in the frame would be impossible to move. A frame can be jockeyed around a tight stairwell. There is another route if the openings are a non standard size, bypass doors. All the closets in the bedrooms have them and I just ordered door blanks and installed them on new hardware. I recomend Johnson hardware for bypass doors. It's cheaper to order from the company than have a big box order it in. Here is a link that might be useful: johnson hardware
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Thanks so much... Kirkhall asked for pictures... Attached are three... the current door, the washing machine that limits closing and the narrow hallway to a bedroom. the machine cannot be moved right as it is up against our hot water heater. I know I could probably just shave the current door down 1/8 inch where it closes but we are looking to upgrade the entire door, if we can find a narrower bifold. We might even extend the track (if that is possible). Thanks.
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kudzu, there are no jambs. The pivot base is screwed right into the top and bottom of the door opening on the problem door; thus into the wood under the drywall at the top, and into the wood floor at the bottom. I just went and checked it. The base is secure top and bottom. It's the metal pivot going into the door that is wobbling. The door starts tilting at the top, where it starts hitting the side of the door opening at the top. When the people installing the doors installed them, I guess they didn't know that a solid door needed more. I ordered the doors custom made so I could stain them to match my kitchen, and they did say they'd never seen anything like them. Last time he replaced them, my husband just went to Menard's and bought them, so I don't know if they were labeled for load capacity. Said if these failed, we were out of options. That's got to be it. Thank you so much for telling me about this! These are just too flimsy for the load of the solid wood oak door we bought. The door is tilting again. What kind of load capacity should I be looking for? Should I just weigh the door when we take it off? Can you get a variety of ones with different loads at a common home improvement store, or is this something I will need to order?
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Hi, I don't think bifold doors is a great plan as you lose a lot of width in the doorway when they are folded against the wall. If you're coming in with groceries, you are going to have trouble getting through with your hands full into a 30" wide space that has at least 4-6 inches of bifold door folded. We have a similar issue at our basement stairs and we have two narrower "french doors" that latch in the middle. Here is an example. Depending on the hinges you use, you may be able to get them to fold back more than 90 degrees which would help with your traffic flow into the kitchen. Have a look at Richelieu Hardware for hinge options and other clever ideas.
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kirkhall
11 years ago
Maybe you can email this guy...
http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/repair/msg0823214417269.html

Also, johnson hardware is always the hardware of choice for any pocket door. Great reviews of their hardware. Hopefully, for you, it extends to their bifold hardware as well. (that url is from 2009)

Here is a link that might be useful: another GW post about it.
kirkhall
11 years ago
http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-1601218P-Access-Folding-Hardware/dp/B000BD8KH6/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1335848786&sr=8-16

Amazon has a review or 2.

Here is a link that might be useful: Amazon reviews
millworkman
11 years ago
Do you have a local lumberyard, a real lumberyard not a box store? Maybe even a millwork shop? Not sure what type of Interior Doors you intend to use or who your planning to have hang them but sometimes a quality older type carpenter is experienced in hanging doors as well.
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks Kirkhall and Millworkman!

I appreciate your suggestions, and links. I'm going to see where in Canada these closet doors can be bought.

If anyone else has an opinion on these closet doors, don't be shy.

Carol
millworkman
11 years ago
Nothing wrong with buying the hardware over the internet and the doors as slabs only and having a carpenter that is experienced in hanging doors do the work. You do not need to purchase them all together from the same supplier. Depending on the doors your using you can possibly even purchase the slabs only from a box store (blasphemy for me to even say that).
cadelot
11 years ago
Have you installed these yet? I'm going to get doors from Habitat for Humanity Restore. Hoping it all comes together.
ontariomom
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Gardensun,

No, we are progressing very slowly on our build as we are acting as our own GC's. However, we are now leaning towards doing double doors (or even two sets of double doors for the wider closets). I figured if the closets doors were only 18 inches wide, they would not swing far into the room. I still think the full access bi-folds would be good as well.

Good luck,

Carol
Tim Ward
2 years ago
For Millworkman: Can a third door be added to each side?

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