A very common and very easy closet door to install in your home is the bi-fold closet door. This consists of two equal sized panels (usually wood) that pull outward and fold to open and press together and flush to close. Most bi-fold doors are available as installation cuts already cut to size for standardized door frames and can be purchased affordably at places, such as Lowes or Home Depot. It may be wise to measure your closet door and compare the measurements to the bi-fold closet door you wish to purchase. Needing a little room for mobility you want the combined measurement of both doors to be about and inch shorter in width than the door frame and about 1 to 2 inches shorter in height to the door frame. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Lay out the two door panels and hardware. Separate the upper and lower rails. In most bi-fold doors, the bottom rail has a jagged, saw-tooth bottom to help it from sliding.
2. Take the upper rail and place it in the middle of the upper door frame. Place one end of the rail so it is touching the sidewall of the door frame where you want the door to seat when opened. Insert the screws into the pre-drilled holes in the rails using the drill and screwdriver bit. You can use a regular screwdriver if you do not have a cordless drill, but it will take a lot longer.
3. Install the bottom rail in the same manner, placing one end of the rail flush up against the same sidewall as the top rail and screw in the screws.
4. Insert the accompanying dowels into the pre-drilled holes in the tops of the bi-fold doors. For this step you'll need to locate or determine the panel that will be close to the sidewall and the panel farthest away. The dowels may be different and serve different functions and the location of them is important for the operation of the bi-fold door. There may be three or four dowels, but check with the installation instructions that came with the door for positioning. One may have an adjusting spring or screw assembly to adjust the height of the door and be placed near the sidewall on the bottom. One or two may be stationary dowels that would be placed in the top pre-drilled hole farthest away from the hinge and the other in the other bottom predrilled hole. The last dowel may have a spring assembly on it and would be inserted into the top hole closest to the sidewall.
5. Insert the doors into the rails and make adjustments to the bottom height adjuster to center the door appropriately with a Phillips head screwdriver. To make width adjustments, you would need to manipulate the plate assembly in the upper door rail.
6. Screw the door knob into the pre-drilled hole of the outer door. It should be such that it is centered for the height of the door, but close to the hinge of the two doors together.
7. Install the guide bracket (if supplied) near the bottom of the inside of each door so that they lock together when the doors are closed and keep it closed.
8. Test the opening and closing of the doors and make any necessary adjustments.
Tags: closet door, door frame, bi-fold doors, height door, into pre-drilled