Bi FOlddoor RO

dcd22

I want to install two bifold door's on a 71 5/8 RO. I want to put two 36" door's there vs. building the RO out to accept smaller door's.

These will be the 6 panel bi folds that you get from the "box store's".

What is my best best to accomplish this?

KUIPORNG

you can custom made any size of bi-folding doors, expect to pay extra for the customerization... somthing like $50 more per door. so if you need to buy 3 doors say, you need to pay $150 more.... to me that is too much... I would have rather RO mine to fit the standard rather than pay extra... but if your RO is a lot different from the standard rather than a couple of inches, then you should custom made them....

Rehabber

Two 36" doors should fit this opening. check RO requirements with the doors available. If the doors are to wide, you can always trim off a little.

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Mthrboard

If you have a table saw (or a circular saw with a steady hand), you can easily modify the stock bifolds to suit your needs. First, you need to determine the finished opening. I'd recommend going with something thin for the jambs (either 1/4" veneer plywood if you want to stain, or 1/4" drywall for painting). Standard bifolds are designed for a 72" finished opening. Subtract your finished measurement from 72", divide this by 4, and trim this amount from the hinge side of each door. For example, 71 5/8" minus 1/2" jambs is 71 1/8", so you would need to trim 7/32" from each door. If you trim from the hinge side, you don't have to worry about the pivots lining up, and with such a small amount, nobody will really notice that the center stiles are a bit thinner. If you're using hollow core bifolds, be cautious of your measurements. Most of them have an inch or less of wood around the perimeter. As far as the cut goes, use a thin kerf blade with lots of teeth, and put masking tape on the cut line to help prevent tear-out.

renovation07

Is this a common dimention for drywall? Can it be screwed on in the same fasion as 1/2"?

Rehabber

1/4" drywall is a standard size, but I would not use drywall If you use a circ saw to trim your doors, clamp a straightedge to the doors to use as a guide to get a good straight cut

__________________
If you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're probably right.

ASE certified master auto tech, Retired.

renovation07

I have a similar issue as bi-folddoor, except that my opening is 70" finished and I want to install 2 36" bifolds. The exact measure of the doors is 35" each, but with the bottom pivot bracket I need 1/2" on each side, for a total of 71". The drywall on each side is 1/2". Should I remove the 1/2 and replace it with 1/4 so that I don't have to trim the doors as much. Custom made doors are too $$.

Mthrboard

It's available at all the local lumberyards and home improvement centers in my area, so I assume it's pretty common. I usually see it used where flexibility is needed, like in an archway or on a rounded wall. You can use normal drywall screws, or construction adhesive to attach it.

Mthrboard

You could replace the drywall, but if you're using solid wood doors, trimming a bit more would be easier.

renovation07

The doors are 1/2 louver on top. for a laundry closet. I woory about cutting too much off the sides and ruining them.

Mthrboard

In that case, you may have to trim both sides of each door rather than just the hinge side. If you only trim a small amount (say 1/4" or less), then you can usually get away with without re-drilling the pivots. If you have to drill too much though, you'll have to plug and re-drill the pivots in a little further. To do that, buy some pre-made dowel pins in the proper diameter, glue them in place, then re-drill after the glue sets.

sedwick

If it matters any, HD in my area sells special order doors practicly any size for the same price as in-stock doors. Bought some last spring, worked out great.

DIY4EVER

I am with Sedwick---
Most bi-fold doors come in an array of sizes like 24"-36 or 38". If you have a 70" opening just use 34" doors. You can adjust the doors both vertically and horizontally to get them centered just right, and any gap will hardly be noticeable. If it is, you can buy thin "strips" of trim that would be a snap to add to your finished opening to "hide" any gaps. You could also put up a 1x4 on the inside edge of you jams to make the opening smaller, paint or stain them to match your trim and you would never know they weren't part of the original finish.