1500mm wide opening - can I make a door pair using bifolds?

[Simplez]

What I want is a set of 2 doors that once folded - lay flat against the wall rather than stick out into the room.

I am having a 1500mm wide opening made in a wall.

How do I work out what size casing and frame I need?

Do I just get a casing to fit the opening and then find doors to fit the opening or should I work backwards from the doors and then find the casing for the doors and adjust the opening width.

I looked online and found that bifold doors come in standard sizes so

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Wob...ernal-Bi-Fold-Door---1981mm-x-686mm/p/208126#

is 682mm wide or 2ft 3 - to fit in a door space 686 - doubling that gives me 1372 plus the width of a door maker 10mm so 1382mm.

Now what is the thickness of a door lining / case? is it 20mm so thats another 40mm.

1372 + 40mm = 1412mm - so I have a gap of possible 9cm to make up?

 

[mrrusty]

I presume you mean 2 x bifold doors - one pair each side, because a single bifold door of 1500mm won't just hang on hinges one side - it would need a track system, and then would unlikely fold flat against the wall.

For ease, I would start with the standard sizes and work backwards. You will probably need to make up the frame/casing especially for the doors because if you want them to fold flat against the wall, the first thing you need to think about is how to hinge them, because the knuckle of the hinge needs to be in front of any architrave or they won't open all the way back. You also need to think about what sort of handle you are going to use and how that also folds flat.

Something to perhaps consider is to buy two sets of different size bifolds and mix and match the sizes so each side is a smaller leaf and a larger leaf. When folded back the larger leaf will overhang giving some space for a handle to nest in when folded.

Interesting little project - think it through very carefully and it will be fine, but easy to overlook a detail...

 

[Simplez]

I presume you mean 2 x bifold doors - one pair each side, because a single bifold door of 1500mm won't just hang on hinges one side - it would need a track system, and then would unlikely fold flat against the wall.

For ease, I would start with the standard sizes and work backwards. You will probably need to make up the frame/casing especially for the doors because if you want them to fold flat against the wall, the first thing you need to think about is how to hinge them, because the knuckle of the hinge needs to be in front of any architrave or they won't open all the way back. You also need to think about what sort of handle you are going to use and how that also folds flat.

Something to perhaps consider is to buy two sets of different size bifolds and mix and match the sizes so each side is a smaller leaf and a larger leaf. When folded back the larger leaf will overhang giving some space for a handle to nest in when folded.

Interesting little project - think it through very carefully and it will be fine, but easy to overlook a detail...

Please excuse me for my poor explanation.

I mean to say 2 bifold doors to span a length of 1500mm. So only 2 doors and not 4. Both doors being bifolds.

I would need a 270 degrees hinge like you get on kitchen cabinet doors?

 

[mrrusty]

I mean to say 2 bifold doors to span a length of 1500mm. So only 2 doors and not 4. Both doors being bifolds.

Yes, that's what I thought you meant. Is this a room door - if so you wouldn't use cabinet hinges. To fold flat, one option is to make the door lining as wide as the architrave, and put the architrave behind the lining instead of on top, that way the hinge knuckle can be placed so that the door can fold right back on itself.

Perhaps a sketch of what you are trying to do?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Don't forget that you can get trifold

Older Victorian/Edwardian houses often had through lounges, one pair of timber doors folded together and a single on the other side, set up so that they folded flat against the wall at 180°

 

[Simplez]

Yes, that's what I thought you meant. Is this a room door - if so you wouldn't use cabinet hinges. To fold flat, one option is to make the door lining as wide as the architrave, and put the architrave behind the lining instead of on top, that way the hinge knuckle can be placed so that the door can fold right back on itself.

Perhaps a sketch of what you are trying to do?

 

[mrrusty]

The devils in the detail. This is how I would do it.

 

[Tigercubrider]

I bought these of ebay about a year ago. One pair is hinged together

 

[Simplez]

I bought these of ebay about a year ago. One pair is hinged together

Did you use a door maker and does the hinged / bifold door lay flat against the wall?

 

[Simplez]

The devils in the detail. This is how I would do it.
View attachment 201299

Is that using a 270 degrees hinge flush on the door casing?

I suppose its best I use a light a door as possible?

 

[Tigercubrider]

Did you use a door maker and does the hinged / bifold door lay flat against the wall?

Those are original Victorian/Edwardian.
I paid £100 but that was bloody cheap, even if I had to do a 60 mile round trip to collect them

Yes they fold flat

 

[Simplez]

Those are original Victorian/Edwardian.
I paid £100 but that was bloody cheap, even if I had to do a 60 mile round trip to collect them

Yes they fold flat

So how did you hinge them?

 

[Simplez]

The devils in the detail. This is how I would do it.
View attachment 201299

I just had a look at some bifolds from B&Q and it seems they come with a rail which the door slides in - so I wouldn't be able to use them to lie flat against the wall.