Don’t do many of them, as there isn’t much call for them around here……and I’m no huge fan myself……but recently ordered a 4′-0″ X 6′ 8″ bifold door set from my local lumber yard for an existing finished opening.
Typically I’ll order the doors hinged, but purchase the hardware (track and pins)seperately. This particular set however, came with all of the necessary hardware included. The hardware was nicer than the typical sets I’ve used. (Johnson 1700 series) And were surface mounted as opposed to drilled. I was very impressed with the doors…..Jeld-Wen six panel pine…..and initially, equally impressed with the hardware.
Problem arose when I went to hang the doors. This was a retrofit. I was replacing bypass with the bifolds. Finished opening was a bit out of square….floor out of level the biggest issue….but nothing that I haven’t run into and been able to compensate before. Johnsons 1700 Series unfortunately is not adjustable. Not for the doors height anyhow.
After reading the directions several times over, I was unable to figure out what “make horizontal adjustments using supplied wrench” meant. So I called the 800 number and asked to speak with someone who might help.
Joe Know-it-all told me that there was no way to adjust the doors heights with this particular series. To which, I rhetorically replied, “oh well….I guess I would have been better off with the lower grade series”. In about as snotty a tone as you can imagine, he told me “not if you want the doors to operate properly”.
I coulda gone of on him about how absolutely useless non-adjustable hardware is when retrofitting an opening, regardless of how long it will last, but I refrained and instead just thanked him for his time.
But what a putz. I hate “experts” who have no hands on experience.’
Oh well…..just a bit of a vent….and a warning for those who may run into a similar situation in the future. Again…..I don’t install a hell of a lot of them….but I have never seen bifold hardware that wasn’t adjustable. Perfect scenario, I’ll consider the 1700 Series……but for 25 bucks, the Stanley version got the job done.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements
Replies
iirc the only way to adjust the height on them is with the bracket ........ slot and two screw holes. Get the height correct with just the slot, then add the two screws. Pain in the ............ Nice hardware otherwise.
I got the EXACT same kind of response from some A-Hole in their cust. service dept. Their directions are terrible, and incomplete. Spoke to me like I was an idiot. Everything is easy in a laboratory. For the most part though the product is good.
Agreed.
J. D. Reynolds
Home Improvements