Installing a bifold door for a study

[Zuzana]

Hello. I would like to install a bi-fold door for my open study. The open space is 2400mm x 960mm, without any door frame. Is a bi-fold door a good idea? What parts would you recommend from Bunnings? I have some construction experience. However, I have never done a door before .

 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Zuzana,

A warm welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community and thank you for your question.

It's certainly a good idea to maximise the space and it sounds like your construction experience will hold you in good stead. The main consideration you'll have to make is that you'll have to make some alterations to the frame to install it.

As bifold doors operate on a top-hung rail system, you will need to alter the framing to add a bulkhead and jamb that supports the door. 

As 2400x920 is a fairly large size for the opening, you will have to either order a custom door, such as the BF29 Humecraft Bi-Fold Door, or reduce the size of the opening considerably to accommodate an off-the-shelf size.

If you're looking for a low-cost, lightweight door, you can also check out the Pillar 82 x 203cm White Monaco PVC Concertina Door, but once again you will need to alter the framing to suit the size of the door.

If you advise the depth of the opening, which I have marked below, I can recommend materials for altering the opening.

 

Allow me to tag @Dave-1, @Nailbag and @JoeAzza for their thoughts and advice.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[Zuzana]

Thank you for the quick reply, Jacob. 

I would like to cover the whole space and don’t need to stay low-budget.

I am mostly interested in the top-hung rail, bulkhead and jamb from Bunnings - therefore my question which products you could recommend me. I found several (wardrobe) doors that have the perfect height and are bifold so I was thinking to use these.

[Dave-1]

Afternoon @Zuzana 

I havnt installed a bifold door but thinking through the steps and the change of framing (you will need to mount whatever door you choose to timber with no plaster between it and the new door) It is doable but you will end up with a smaller opening. I do like the idea of the height that you have. I think it would be a nice look to frame up the door sides and install those tall doors. 

I had a hand for the first few doors that I hung (well it was my carpenter mate really ) and I was nervous, I knew the steps but did not have the confidence. If you follow the steps that @JacobZ has outlined with the framing it should be an easy enough job. 

I thought to offer a barn door styled door instead, maybe on the inside as the fridge looks like it will be too close to allow a door to slide open.

Dave

[JacobZ]

Hi @Zuzana,

For the rail, you can use the Cowdroy Barracuda Bi Fold Door Track System.

The materials for your bulkhead will be relative to the depth of the door opening. You would need to build the bulkhead out of H2 Pine Framing in either 70 or 90mm depending on the depth of the opening.

For your jamb, you would use a material such as this 110 x 18mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed PR4, which is made for use with 90mm framing. 90mm for the framing with 10mm plasterboard on either side will make the 110mm timber sit flush with both sides of the opening. If the opening is 90mm, which is 70mm framing with 10mm plasterboard on each side, you would use 92 x 18mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed PR4 and plane 2mm off the width so it sits flush on each side.

From there, you would attach architraves of your choosing to the face of the wall to cover the connection between the jamb and the door opening. Architraves are usually the same profile as the skirting boards, but slightly smaller. The skirting boards look like they are just standard rectangular DAR, so you can likely use this 42 x 11mm 5.4m Moulding White Pine FJ Primed DAR for your architraves.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[Zuzana]

Hi Jacob, 

Thank you for all the material recommendations, I think I can follow the instructions and should be able to install the door!

There is just one detail, the opening is 960mm wide (not 920mm). The rail you recommended is would accommodate only the latter. Do you have wider tracks to fit the 960mm opening? 

[JacobZ]

Hi @Zuzana,

When installing the jamb, the opening will be reduced by 19mm on each side, reducing the width of the opening to 922mm, which is pretty much a perfect fit for the rail.

Let me know what you think.

Jacob

[Nailbag]

Hi @Zuzana 

Thats great you have the skillset to install the more solid door option, and being able to follow@JacobZ directions which is spot on. The PVC concertina type, though a convinient solution, my experience is that they are best suited to doorways not regularly used, such as reduced space wardrobe or tight storage access.

Look forward to the completed project being shared.

Nailbag