Replies

1. 
   John_A | May 06, 1999 07:10am | #6

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   BB,
   Why don't you use Johnson's heavy duty hardware set, commonly used for solid core door's.
   It uses screws instead of holes and I've seen them at Home Depot.

2. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 1999 01:29am | #7

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   Good ideas, all.

   I'm thinkin' it's doable.

   Thanks, BB

1. 
   Guest_ | May 15, 1999 06:39am | #8

   *BB, it's absolutely doable. When I was a teenager my dad got a bunch of 4 panel doors for free off of a job. He brought them home, stripped the lead paint from them, sawed them in half vertically, and hung them as bifolds. They were great looking doors, and they only took up half of the floor space of a conventional swinging door. Of course prior to him scoring those doors we had no doors on our bedrooms. Ever.... I guess that's the life of a carpenter's kid though.Jon

1. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 08:37am | #9

   *syp - southern yellow pine - yb

1. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 08:42am | #11

   *bucksnort - still would like to see em be full 4/4" man, I had forgotton all about this thread. You know...I even have two sets of "tri-folds" I built because of the scale of the width of the openings, works great, and we've raised three hoopsters in this house! - yb

3. 
   Guest_ | May 16, 1999 08:42am | #10

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   Has anybody out there had any success building their own?

   I'm in the late planning stages of my own house, and have figured out that I need some space saving doors on four closets. Each closet needs two(o) 2-6 bifolds.

   The house is loosely patterned on a turn of the century Carolina farm house. I'm making the rest of the interior doors in the house out of 1 3/8" x 5" beaded tongue and groove southern yellow pine.
   I'd like to make the bifolds out of 3/4" beaded stuff.

   I'm thinking of epoxying sleeves of some sort into the end grain to receive the bifold hardware. Any thoughts on construction, or leads on nice (if that's possible) hardware would be appreciated.

   You gotta know when to fold 'em,
   BB

1. 
   Guest_ | Apr 30, 1999 08:16am | #1

   *I build bi folds occasionally. I try to stay with 4/4 material though due to the size of the holes required for hardware. If you decide on a frame and panel type, be carefull not to make the horizontal rails (stiles?) too narrow to get good strong joinery, there can be a lot of stress on those joints depending on size and material used. - yb

1. 
   Guest_ | May 06, 1999 04:39am | #2

   *yb, I'm thinking of using 3/4" x 3 1/4" T&G syp, no frame and panel, just glue in the grooves and 3 cleats across the backs. Too much weight for standard (Stanley) hardware? I wish I could afford bigger rooms. BB

1. 
   Guest_ | May 06, 1999 05:59am | #3

   *I think it would work if you build up the top and bottom of the door on the backside enough to insert the hardware. Ive done some solid wood louvered doors that were pretty heavy with the stanley hardware. It probably wont stand up to a lot of rough use, but no bifold doors that ive seen do. Ive also seen some bifold hardware from one of the cabinet hardware people, maybe mepla or blum, that was pretty heavy and would work but im sure it is expensive too.

1. 
   Guest_ | May 06, 1999 06:04am | #4

   *I like the bifold idea, but I don't like the hardware. When I get around to my house, I'm going to beef up the hinges, and do without the track system, use magnets to hold them closed. A buddy is going to do the same thing. How heavy are your doors going to be (don't know syp)? Anyway, just another way of looking at it. I have a whole house full of busted bifolds to fix, if i don't get around to the new ones first.

2. 
   Don_Papenburg | May 06, 1999 07:06am | #5

   *BB Why not put regular butt hinges at the battons and a chanel at the top to hold the door in place?