Bifold doors, also referred to as accordion or folding doors, can transform the look and feel of any space. Whether you’re installing custom folding patio doors in your home or using them as interior dividers in an office setting, bifold doors give you a wide-open feeling, even when they’re closed.
Bifold door installation is precise work and can be challenging depending on the doors’ size and location. While some people decide to purchase and install bifold doors themselves, there are several reasons why hiring a professional manufacturer and installer is a better choice, including:
- The right tools: As with any door installation process, bifold doors require an array of professional-grade tools. Even if you opted for a standard door instead of a custom door, you would need to rent or buy expensive tools to complete the installation, which can be quite expensive.
- The frame: A common bifold door installation problem is that the existing doorframe isn’t properly squared, resulting in poorly fitted doors — your doors could scrape against the floor or tracks as they move. Professional installers can properly create or fit the door frame for easy opening and closing.
- The hinges: To ensure the doors are parallel, you must precisely position the bifold door hinges. If done incorrectly, they will not fold together. And if the hinges aren’t properly recessed, the doors won’t fit into the opening correctly.
- The tracks: A bifold door’s upper track must be parallel to the floor and perpendicular to the opening’s sides. If you miscalculate, the doors will not operate properly. Plus, hardware materials like pivot plates must be positioned on the upper track and floor brackets.
Lastly, having your bifold doors installed by an experienced professional gives you the peace of mind that comes from knowing your new doors will operate effectively for years to come.
The Bifold Door Installation Process
The French Steel Company’s bifold doors use what are known as knock-down or “KD” frames that, due to their large size, are shipped in four pieces.
Our bifold doors are top-hung along a carriage track in the head jamb. The installation process consists of three steps:
Step 1: Assemble the frame
Step 2: Anchor the frame plumb, level, and square in the rough opening
Step 3: Attach the door panels one at a time in a tongue-and-groove assembly to the carriage track
When performed by a professional installer, the whole process takes no longer than a couple of hours.
How To Operate a Bifold Door
Once the doors are in place, we will demonstrate how easy it is to operate your bifold doors.
- Unlock the primary operating door at the handle, just like with standard doors.
- Unlock all foot and head bolts by flipping or sliding them.
- Open the primary operating door.
- Pull out on the bifold leaf’s pull handle to start the folding process.
- Push the doors outward to the desired position.
- Reverse the process to close the doors securely.
How To Prepare Your Home for Bifold Door Installation
Bifold doors are a great way to improve your home’s energy efficiency, functionality, and comfort.
Ensure the installation process goes as smoothly as possible by:
- Clearing a path by the wall where they will install your bifold doors
- Relocating any breakable or valuable items from the room, including lamps and electrical items
- Removing any potted plants, furniture, or other patio furnishings if the doors lead out to a porch or patio
Finally, ensure your installers can park as closely as possible to the house, which minimizes the amount of heavy lifting we need to do.
Choose The French Steel Company for Custom Steel Bifold Doors
As an industry leader in steel bifold door manufacturing, our doors create beautiful and functional access to internal and external home areas or office spaces.
Call (202) 609-9835 or contact The French Steel Company online today to transform your residential or commercial space with custom steel bifold doors!