
This will ensure that the doors are plumb when installed. Hang a plumb bob from the center of the track above the floor bracket to align the pin hole in the bracket front to back. Use the measurements supplied by the manufacturer to position the floor bracket next to the door jamb.

Step 5 Position the floor bracket Photo by Kolin Smith It will be easier to hang the doors later if the pieces are loose. Tip:Don't tighten the hardware onto the track. This will give you enough room to hide the track with trim without limiting the door action. Position the track 1 inch in from the front edge of the header. Slide the hanging hardware into the track-the small stops in the center, then around them the track hangers with wheels, and finally the pivot socket on the outside.Īttach the track to the door header with the screws provided. Use a hacksaw to cut the track to length to fit the closet opening.
Accordion closet door install#
Step 4 Install the track Photo by Kolin Smith Adhering to all the given dimensions ensures that no piece goes on backward. These will tell you, for example, not only how far a pivot plate should be from the door edges around it but also where its pin should be in relation to the door's edges. The pivot plates go on the tops and bottoms of the jamb–side doors, and the locking arm on the tops of the leading doors.Įach kit requires its hardware to be uniquely positioned, so check the diagrams that come with yours for exact measurements and placements. Step 3 Attach the track hardware Photo by Kolin Smithįasten the pivot plates (the pins that fit into the track and the floor bracket), and the locking arms (the hooks that slide along the track) to the top and bottom of each set of doors. Screw the hinge plates to the leading door. Align the doors evenly against a square, then put the hinges together. Place the leading (inner) door on edge, facing back-to-back with the first door. Attach the top and middle hinges, on their marks. Use a self?centering bit to drill pilot holes through the hinge holes. Take the lower half of a hinge and align its bottom with the bottom mark, its knuckles facing back and flush to the edge. Place the door on edge with the marks facing up. Take a jamb side door and mark its inner edge 11 inches from the bottom, 7 inches from the top, and centered between the two. Label the doors to show the order they'll be installed and which sides face out. Step 2 Mount the hinges Photo by Kolin Smithįinish or paint the doors before starting. The track, the pivots, the hinges all have to be assembled just so, and it's worth taking the time to double–check every measurement and position to be sure each piece is in the right place and facing the right way. The most difficult-and sometimes most frustrating-part of the installation is attaching and adjusting all the hardware. (Solid doors are also easier to trim if any part of your door opening is out of square.) Then, in order to handle the weight of these heavier doors, you'll need a track that includes a wheeled mechanism, which allows the doors to glide smoothly rather than shimmy along the track.

So it's best to look for solid–core or solid–wood doors, which will feel more substantial than hollow–core doors. The heft of the doors is what keeps them from shuddering when you open them.

What makes them look good and work well are a solid, heavy construction and sturdy and carefully adjusted hardware. Step 1 Bifold Doors Overview Illustration by Gregory Nemecīifold doors are much like any doors, only connected into pairs with hinges and hung on a track. Follow our step-by-step guide to DIY bifold doors and you'll be rewarded with a wide-angle view when it's time to pick out the day's duds. Replacing those hollow-core builder's specials with a pair of weighty solid folders isn't a huge deal the whole assembly and installation will take you a mere Saturday afternoon. And because bifolds come in a wide array of profiles, they bring character to a plain opening.
Accordion closet door full#
Heavy bifold doors with a sturdy track, on the other hand, move effortlessly away from the center of the closet to give you a full picture of the contents inside. Space-saving, sure, but not the best-looking-and certainly not very revealing when you're trying to see (or reach) the goods in the middle of the closet where the doors overlap each other. It seems every house built since the 1950s has closets with sliding doors.
