Internal Bi-fold door fitting

[scottpetrie]

Hi
I recently bought a set of wooden bifold doors I would like to use to separate my lounge from the dining area. I will be building a stud wall, but have noticed that the ceiling beams are running parallel with where the doors will be hung. Ive not actually checked in the loft yet to see if Im lucky and right on a beam, but if not, how am I best to fix the lintel to the ceiling for the doors to be hung from?

 

[RandomGrinch]

Noggins between the joists, and screw up into them.
I have recently made a similar wall, to hang the doors of a built in wardrobe.
With suitably sized studs, the wall was strong enough to be self-supporting; requiring only a couple of screws into the noggins (also bearing in mind that the loft joist may not be very big at all!).

 

[^woody^]

Span double timbers across as a beam below the ceiling.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Span double timbers across as a beam below the ceiling.

Yes, I did that!

 

[scottpetrie]

How do you mean below the ceiling?

 

[^woody^]

How do you mean below the ceiling?

Like, below it, not above it.

Unless your doors are ceiling height.

 

[scottpetrie]

But then you would see the beams would you not?

 

[^woody^]

Have a look above every other door frame in your house. Like that.

 

[RandomGrinch]

Something like this (just the first pic I could find - I'm not suggesting it's best practice!)

The distance between the beams decreases depending on the height of the doors.

 

[scottpetrie]

Ah I see what you mean now. Yeh thats how I did the last door way I done but it was running along a beam in the loft also. I forgot about noggins too haha. Oh well Ill be fine

 

[scottpetrie]

For my last wall/doorway I used 3 x 2 (75mm x 63mm). Will this be suitable for this one as the doors are quite a bit heavier?

 

[Mr Chibs]

When I fitted mine I doubled up 47x175 coach screwed together as the header.

I’ve a 5 sash door and was surprised how heavy they are.

 

[scottpetrie]

Not looked in the loft yet but ive poked a thin screwdriver through the ceiling along the line every 3” or so where the doors will be hung but I cant find a noggin.

 

[RandomGrinch]

but I cant find a noggin.

You almost certainly won't find one!
The point is you put the noggins in where you need them, between the joists!

 

[scottpetrie]

Panic over. I went into the loft and checked. My “investigation” holes had missed the noggins by about a cm each one!!! All good now