Sometimes ordinary swing doors It’s impossible to install: there is very little space or they hit the walls or furniture. In this case, folding doors can help. They are also called folding or folding. The essence of this does not change: they are assembled on one or both sides of the doorway, occupying a small space.
Types of folding doors
Folding doors of any type are simple to construct. They consist of separate strips movably connected to each other. One of the stripes - the far right or left - is fixed motionless. All the others at the top (sometimes at the bottom too) have small rollers that are inserted into the guide. When force is applied, the rollers slide along the guide, causing the segments to fold. Depending on how and where the rollers are fixed, folding doors come in two types: “accordion” and “book”.
Types of folding doors: book and accordion - that's the difference
If the rollers are fixed in the middle of each door slat, the result is an accordion door. In this case, each fragment rotates around the axis on which the roller is fixed. The folds are small - approximately the width of the wall (a little more or less - depends on the model and parameters of the wall). The width of the lamella of a folding door of this type is 8-20 cm. The most common ones are 12-15 cm wide, the rest are less common. The standard height for a door is about 220-230 mm, the minimum width is 50 cm, the maximum is 600 cm. There are higher models for folding partitions.
Harmonic
The length of the canvas can be easily adjusted - by increasing or decreasing the number of segments, up to the creation of folding partitions. Just one point: long doors/partitions require two guides - at the top and at the bottom. Otherwise, the mechanism often jams during operation.
Plus a folding accordion door - low price. There are many offers for a standard doorway with a price of about 2-3 thousand rubles. There are, of course, more expensive ones. Service life is about 5 years. The most common failure is failure of the rollers. In the cheapest models they are made of soft plastic. As a result, the doors are “noisy” and wear out quickly. As usual, there is a choice: more expensive and possibly of better quality, or cheaper.
Book
Book doors are distinguished by larger fragments. There are no more than two parts for a standard doorway. In this case, the rollers are attached through one joint, and at the junction. In this case, it turns out that the door leaf folds, resembling the pages of a book. The part that does not have rollers extends into the room.
When folded, folding doors take up more space than accordion doors, but this type of device has its advantages. Fragments of an accordion door cannot be made from very thick material: the design itself will not allow it. That’s why they are most often made of plastic, MDF. When making it yourself, you can use plywood and other similar materials. Hence the scope of application - most often used as a door to utility rooms - such as storage rooms, they can be installed as doors in a homemade one. In this case, plastic is one of the the best materials: ensures tightness, is not afraid of high humidity, washes well, possibly with the use of detergents. Such doors are installed as interior doors or partitions when they only delimit space: there are practically “no” sound insulation characteristics.
Book doors can even be made from solid wood. Firstly, the rollers used are more solid, and secondly, the design does not impose restrictions on thickness. Therefore, book doors can be made of wood, glass, or metal-plastic. Moreover, when using special fittings, metal-plastic folding doors can be used as entrance doors: as they provide a sufficient degree of security. They are often placed in the house as an exit to the terrace or in courtyard. The disadvantage of such systems: a hefty price. A set of fittings for one folding door made of metal-plastic costs about $550-600. Ordinary ones are a little more expensive than standard canvas. There are options for 3-4 thousand rubles. They can be used as interior doors or placed in closets.
Technical parameters for book type folding doors:
- Length - up to 7 m when using wooden systems (with or without glass) and up to 6 m in metal-plastic systems.
- Wooden height - from 800 mm to 3000 mm; metal-plastic - from 640 mm to 2400 mm.
- The width of one wooden door is from 440 mm to 1200 mm; in metal-plastic - from 490 mm to 940 mm.
- The number of sashes is from 2 to 7.
Installation of folding doors
Since the systems are slightly different, there are some differences in the installation process, but there are also many common points:
- Doors are placed in an already finished doorway.
- There are strict requirements for the geometry of the door opening: strictly vertical and strictly horizontal, without deviations.
- During installation, it is necessary to strictly control the verticality of the installation. The slightest deviations lead to jamming of the system, as well as faster erasing of the rollers.
Installation of an accordion door: install it yourself
Folding accordion doors come standard with:
- two long side guides;
- one short - upper (maybe lower);
- the required number of slats (depending on the parameters of your doorway);
- fastening elements (screws, clips, etc.);
- stops;
- rollers;
Having studied all the contents, we begin installation. First, carefully measure the doorway. We cut the side guides to height. To ensure an even cut, it is better to use a miter box, and a saw with a fine tooth - a metal blade, for example.
Door assembly
The top rail should be slightly shorter than the width of the opening: the side rails will also be located there. Therefore, twice the width of the side guides is subtracted from the width of the doorway. Different manufacturers have them different section, but on average you need to subtract 3-4 cm. Everything is accurately measured and cut.
Door leaf plates often have longer length, than required. They can be cut off, usually cut off at the bottom. The height of the lamella is calculated as follows: 0.7-1 cm of the gap at the bottom is subtracted from the height of the doorway (so that the slats do not cling to the threshold), and the height of the roller mechanism and guide is also subtracted. It is different in each case and is usually indicated in the installation instructions that should be included with the door. If it is not there, you can fix the upper guide, roll the rollers into it, and measure the required height. Having marked it on the lamellas, the unnecessary part is sawed off. You can use regular hand saw, grinder or trimmer. Who has what in stock?
One important point: in some cases - if there is a bottom guide - fasteners can be installed at the bottom of the slats. Before you start sawing, they all need to be dismantled. They usually just come out. You just need to make an effort.
We cut the lamellas and connecting elements to the required length
We cut all flexible connectors to the same length. If the accordion doors are plastic, the parts are usually connected using flexible connectors into which the panels are simply inserted. Sometimes manufacturers make additional decorative overlays, which are glued to the bottom of the slats using double-sided tape (also included in the kit).
We install rotary rollers on each of the lamellas. They may be different shapes. This model contains small elements. They are inserted into the specified location and secured with one or two screws.
Now you can assemble the door leaf. In this model, the lamellas are connected using flexible inserts. The plates are inserted into the grooves of the inserts located at the edges.
Having folded all the required parts, we fasten the flexible inserts. They are attached at the top and bottom using screws (included). It is more convenient to tighten all the screws by hand first, and then tighten them with a screwdriver.
Having folded the door leaf, measure its folded width. This is necessary to install the stop.
We measure the width of the accordion when folded
We transfer this size to the upper guide bar. In this place, drill a hole in the middle for installing a stopper. It is put in place, secured with a screw.
The assembly of the accordion door is complete. Installation in the doorway begins.
Installation in a doorway
First, mark the installation location of the upper guide. Usually they are located in the middle of the opening, but there may be exceptions. When marking installation lines, make sure they are straight.
In this model, the guides are mounted on clips: small plastic latches. This system is easy to install. First, the clips are installed, then the guides are clamped into them.
Since the main load in such a system falls on the upper part, clips are often installed here. The outermost ones are at a distance of 1 cm, another one at a distance of 5 cm from them, and the rest in increments of 16-20 cm. On the side stops, the distance between the clips is 40 cm. Please note that the clips for installation on the side of the lock are smaller in size, and also painted in white. They are placed at a distance of 40 and 70 cm.
During installation, precision is maintained down to the millimeter. Even a slight deviation will cause the guide to “not sit down”. Therefore, it makes sense to mark not only the middle line where the clips are attached, but those along which the edges are aligned.
If necessary, dowels are placed under each clip. If there is a blockade in the doorway wooden block, you can attach them to wood screws with a length of at least 80 mm.
Before installation, the sliders (rollers) are lubricated with the supplied grease.
They go into the top guide. It is more convenient to do this in assembled condition. The lamellas are compressed and the rollers are inserted into the groove in the guide.
Doors hung on a guide are lifted into the opening. The guide is installed on the clips, simply tapping it with the palm of your hand in the places where the clips are mounted.
The side guides are installed in exactly the same way: they are brought to the clips and with a light blow of the palm they “sit” into place. Despite the ease of installation, they hold up very well. For the sake of experiment, you can tug: in order to pull it out of the fastening, you will have to lean with your whole body.
The handle is installed last. It is also better to lubricate it before installation. The handle consists of two parts: front and back. They are connected with screws. That's all for sure: folding accordion doors were installed with your own hands.
Not all folding doors are clip-on. Most of them, by the way, have conventional dowel-nail fasteners. In this case, there are installation features. They are described in video format.
Installing folding doors
Even if you bought a ready-made kit, you cannot do without some work. First of all, you will have to assemble the door frame. It usually comes with the door. It is distinguished by the presence of a U-shaped groove into which the slider is installed. Because old box, even if it is in good condition it will not be possible to use it. Perhaps you can install a profile of a suitable cross-section into it.
A box is assembled from this profile. The whole process is described in detail. You will also need to install the hinges. They are placed on the part that will open. The good news is that in ready set the recesses for them are already ready. All that remains is to mark, drill holes and tighten the screws.
The two canvases are connected to each other by hidden loops or butterfly loops.
If you choose from two types of loops, it is better to install hidden ones. When open, they leave almost no gaps between the sheets. In addition, they are more powerful and can withstand heavy loads. Their disadvantages: more difficult installation and high cost. But if the doors are made of MDF or solid wood, then they need to be installed. “Butterflies” are suitable for a light door leaf or where significant recesses are made for the body hidden hinge it won't work.
These are butterfly loops
After inserting the hinges (hidden ones are better, they hold more securely and look better), you need to install the slider. It is placed at the upper end of the canvas that will be folded.
Then all that remains is to hang the first half on installed box. Attach the second one to it, installing the second parts of the hidden loops. Only first, the second half is inserted into the groove with a leash and only then is it connected to the already hung half. After this, all that remains is to install the handles and finish the doorway with platbands.
Watch the video for the step-by-step process of installing a folding door.
If such work is not difficult for you, you can assemble the folding doors yourself. There are hinges, runners, rollers, sliders and guides in hardware stores. Put it all together and you get what you're looking for: book-shaped folding doors. An approximate set of accessories is in the video below.
But even if you have such a kit, you need to know how to assemble it. This build process is in next video. Look, maybe you can do it again. It turned out well.
Another version of the folding door mechanism is in the next video. In it, two canvases are connected by a movably articulated plate, which is installed at the upper and lower ends. The mechanism is supplemented with rollers that move along a guide fixed at the top of the box. How to assemble and install folding doors with such a mechanism is in the next video.
Photos of folding doors in the interior
Using folding doors for closets is a good idea.
Designate different zones- an excellent choice that takes up little space
You can make a partial partition into which you can install an openwork fabric. There will also be enough light in the second half
Book doors are also used as interior doors. True, in in this case they only mark the territory
Decorating the entrance to the courtyard of the house in this way is simply great
Strength of character lies not in the ability to break through walls, but in the ability to find doors. And even better, not only be able to find them, but also be able to create these doors. This article will talk about how to realize your power in everyday life and how to make a door with your own hands.
How to prepare
It would seem that the modern market is so wide that you can find a door of any shape, size and quality. But this is not always the case. Especially when it comes to something exclusive, a special type of wood, spectacular stained glass, or an extraordinary form. Buying a standard factory design is boring and mediocre. And making a door with your own hands is not a difficult task at all, especially if you have a suitable canvas, a pair skillful hands and some time.
However, in order to make a beautiful and high-quality door yourself, you need to first study the subtleties and nuances of the material, evaluate the complexity of the technology and calculations, and identify the pitfalls when installing it.
First you need to prepare all the materials and tools that you will need for the job. After all, the final result is influenced not only by the quality of the raw materials themselves, but also by the quality and reliability of the auxiliary tools and materials that were used during the assembly and installation of the door. And for this you will need:
- milling machine with manual mechanism. It is used to process a wooden product, give it a shape, and grind the groove elements;
- circular saw with manual mechanism;
- Bulgarian. In this case, it will be used to sand wood;
- screwdriver for door installation;
- building level and tape measure;
- hammer;
- pencil or marker.
Regardless of what type of product needs to be made, be it interior doors, entrance doors, or doors for a country shed, the same technology is used for all. Therefore, after studying this article, you can easily make homemade doors for any needs. In addition to the tools, you will also need the material itself. Typically, an array is selected from different breeds wood: oak, ash, birch, larch, pine.
Some prefer exotic breeds: mahogany, wenge, beech. The choice depends on personal preferences, the type of room and the overall concept of the interior.
When making a structure with your own hands, you need to take into account the fact that wooden canvas will require pre-treatment, this is especially true for hard wood. When choosing a wooden panel, you need to focus on ensuring that the wood is even and smooth. There should be no cracks or holes from knots. The selected board is first dried in a well-ventilated area at a temperature of about 25 ° C.
You can dry it outside, but only in dry weather, preferably in the summer. middle zone Russia. Depending on the type of wood and its initial condition, drying the canvas can take up to ten days.
Popular models
Before you start making doors, you need to think about what type they will be (hinged or sliding), decide on the shape and design. The most important characteristics of all doors is functionality and appearance, because they will become an integral element of the interior.
Let us characterize the main models:
- Very popular today sliding doors. A door of the “compartment” type can be either single-leaf or with two leaves. Sliding doors on rollers - an alternative usual options with swing doors, especially if the issue of saving space is acute. There are two types of sliding doors: with bottom tracks and with top tracks. So, using mechanical system with lower guides, the door “walks” on built-in rollers, reducing the load on the walls.
Such a fastening system sliding door It is advantageous to use for thin partitions in apartments.
- Among compartment doors designs with a hinged mechanism are especially popular. Hinged sliding doors are usually made of glass, due to its lighter weight compared to solid wooden counterparts. In addition to the fact that this type of door also takes up little space in the apartment, its advantage is that it glass surface perfectly transmits light into the room. This option is very appropriate if you plan major renovation“Khrushchev” in order to free the already small area of the apartment from unnecessary structures.
- Book door, like a sliding door, helps to preserve usable space in the apartment. Its folding design consists of two separate panels, interconnected so that when opened, one part fits onto another similar one, without cluttering the interior. They are often placed in dressing rooms and in bedroom bathrooms.
- Accordion door- another option for small apartments. Compared to swing doors, such doors can save up to two meters of space. This type of product can be used in any interior. The design of accordion doors is varied. There are even interesting options with intricate stained glass windows.
- Everyone knows paneled doors remain popular to this day due to their aesthetic characteristics. The design of a paneled door differs from a regular one in that the inside door frame additional thinner sheets are inserted. Thus, even the most boring door can be made very original using inserts with textured patterns or carvings. The area of use of these doors is not only office premises, but also residential buildings and apartments.
Manufacturing
Standard hinged door consists of several parts:
- door frame;
- door leaves;
- fasteners;
- castle;
- frames in the form of platbands.
If the fabric of the product is not a monolithic solid board, but has several components, it is necessary to clarify what they will be made of and what their functional purpose is. The frame of the structure is the frame. It determines the main dimensions of the product, gives it rigidity and shape. The outer visible part of the canvas is represented by the covering. In this capacity they can serve not only wood panels, but also plastic profiles or stained glass windows.
If the task is to make an entrance door, then you need to take care of the insulation, which is placed inside, under the casing.
This article will provide information on how to independently make a door of the simplest design with a hinged fastening mechanism, without insulation and complex cladding options such as glass decorative elements and carved panels.
Measurements
Measure seven times and cut once. This proverb will be more relevant than ever when making a door yourself. Indeed, the final result will depend on how correctly the measurements are taken. And there is no need to figure out which parts need to be measured. All the main parameters have long been known; you just need to write them down on a piece of paper and measure them using a regular construction tape.
It is imperative to measure:
- door width (distance from the left to the right edge of the door);
- door height (distance from the floor to the top point);
- width of the doorway;
- thickness of the doorway;
- opening slope (if there are distortions);
- evenness (identify elements whose size differs from the main one).
When determining the width of the product, it is recommended to measure the distance between the side parts of the opening near the floor, in the center of the opening and at the upper border of the opening and find the average value. If necessary, if these values differ, the opening can be trimmed.
For an interior door, the width is usually 80-90 cm, for an entrance door - 90-120 cm. The height of the door is determined by the height of the opening and is approximately 200-210 cm. Measurements are taken with the same tape measure from the floor to the top point of the doorway.
You should take into account the fact if the apartment does not yet have flooring, then the measured height will not be entirely accurate, so First, it is recommended to finish the floor work so that all parameters of the future door are taken into account correctly. When determining the height of the door, measurements are also taken at three points (far left, center and far right).
The thickness of the doorway is measured similar to the width of the door. You just need to take into account that the width of the frame will be slightly larger, since it is necessary to leave a distance between the door and the frame for the door to move freely. And yet, when forming the box, you should remember that its width should be several centimeters less than the measured width of the opening, since during installation it is necessary to leave technological voids.
The thickness of the doorway is measured at six points (thickness at the bottom, middle, top for the left edge and the same positions for the right edge). This parameter will depend on the thickness of the wall into which the door will be mounted. For the entrance it is usually larger than for the interior, but there are exceptions. Here you should also pay attention to the presence of non-standard dimensions of the opening thickness. In this case, it is necessary to provide extras that will compensate for this moment.
In order to simplify the installation of the structure, it is necessary to first determine the evenness of the opening. Using a building level, check the vertical of the opening (at three points) and the diagonal. Using a tape measure, measure the distance inside the opening diagonally, from the top corner to the bottom, for each side. Both values should be approximately equal. In case of strong deviations, not only the appearance of the structure will deteriorate, but the reliability of the fastening system will also be called into question.
After the basic parameters have been measured, they move on to correcting unevenness and distortions. To do this, these places are plastered or the excess is cut off using a grinder. An ideal option would be to level the opening using plasterboard sheets.
Eliminating deficiencies identified during the measurement of product dimensions will certainly have a positive impact on further work and will eliminate many unpleasant moments during installation.
Materials
Modern market oversaturated various options doors from a variety of different materials. However, wood remains traditional. Due to its high quality indicators, as well as the property of being perfectly combined with wooden furniture And parquet board, wooden doors have become more in demand, especially in the interiors of apartments and country houses.
In addition to its aesthetic characteristics, wooden products have a number of other advantages: strength of the material, ease of processing of the material, ability to retain heat, good sound insulation, as well as environmental friendliness.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that if the choice fell on a wooden door, then all other parts should also be made of wood (frame, trim, extensions).
The disadvantages of wood include easy flammability, the ability to absorb moisture and expand, and, of course, high cost.
The most popular, but not the easiest to manufacture, are paneled doors. It is better to use ready-made cutters as internal inserts, since cutting them yourself is labor-intensive work. On the construction market you can purchase a set of routers for a future door. To save on material, The door leaf can be made from boards, instead of a wide monolithic leaf.
If you need to make a door to a country shed or a bathhouse, you can use even cheaper materials. A good alternative to solid wood would be a plywood door. This is a fairly durable material; during its manufacture, sheets of peeled veneer are glued together so that the fibers of one sheet are perpendicular to the fibers of the other. The outer layers of plywood are covered with veneer made from aspen, pine or larch (these types of veneer have good strength and aesthetic appearance).
Products made from lining - also inexpensive option. The advantage of this material is that in order to make a door, it is not necessary to use factory lining; you can make separate profiles from scrap materials.
In addition to natural materials, synthetic polycarbonates are widely used. Choice of this material It is advantageous to make a door when it is expected that the structure will be affected by adverse weather conditions (humidity, temperature). But if previously polycarbonate was used to make greenhouses, now it is easily used for entrance doors, the main thing is to provide a reliable base and insulation.
If desired, you can build a structure from other polymers. Often they make an aluminum frame with plexiglass inserts. It looks quite stylish, but these materials are quite expensive.
How to make a door frame?
Before you start assembling the door frame, you need to study its structure. So, the door frame consists of four main parts: two pillars (its longest parts), a threshold and a top crossbar (short parts). First, measure the length of the racks. In the case of using a threshold, it is equal to the length of the door plus 2-3 centimeters for the gap on each side. If there is no threshold, then instead of a gap at the bottom, add 15-20 centimeters. This will ensure the door moves freely from the floor.
The measured values are drawn on the canvas and each stand is cut out with a special knife.
The crossbar and threshold are identical components. Their length consists of the width of the door, the same two gaps and the thickness of the frame. The measured dimensions are transferred to a wooden canvas and one or two elements are cut out, depending on the need for the threshold. Grooves are cut out in the top crossbar of the box, marking the lines where the posts intersect with the top crossbar, and these areas are carefully cut out with a jigsaw on each side.
Once all the grooves have been cut, the posts and crossbar are aligned on the floor to ensure they fit together. After this, the cut parts are thoroughly sanded with sandpaper, eliminating all irregularities and rough roughness. When all the elements of the box are ready, you can start assembling.
In order to assemble the structure, you will need a drill or screwdriver. A 2-3 millimeter drill is inserted into the screwdriver and holes are drilled in the aligned corners future box. These holes will keep the material intact when screwing screws into them. Use a Phillips drill to drive screws into each hole. The door frame is almost ready.
To make sure that the frame is made correctly, you need to place it on the floor and put the selected door leaf inside, assessing the presence of gaps between them. It is worth noting that if the task is to make a sliding structure yourself, then you need to take into account its distinctive mechanism. When opened, such a door will move to the side, like a pencil case (to drive into the wall or lie on it), therefore, when forming the box, you should provide a groove for the door in one of the racks.
How to make the door itself: step-by-step instructions
Now let's look at how to make the door itself. For outbuildings, the door will be a simple shield made of separate boards fastened together with wooden straps. Interior wooden doors should have more aesthetic appearance, simple strapping is not applicable here.
The work should be carried out on a carpentry stand or on a table that will allow the product to be completely placed on it.
To form the door leaf, tongue and groove boards with grooves are used (you can also cut the grooves yourself). The thickness of the boards should be from 2.5 to 4 centimeters, depending on whether it will be an interior door or an entrance door. The prepared boards are placed in a shield. If tongue and groove boards are taken, then the grooves on the outer boards are removed using a circular saw.
The boards are glued together with wood glue, and the pattern of the annual rings must be observed (they must lie in the same direction so that the finished product does not show an imbalance). The door blank is placed in a vice to align the elements more tightly, and the glue is allowed to dry. After that, the entire surface of the canvas is passed through a milling machine, paying special attention to joints and uneven fragments.
If the thickness of the boards is not sufficient to use the door as an entrance, then you can glue the boards in two layers. Such a door will be quite massive and heavy.
Next we move on to the design. finished shield. Using a stencil, transfer the design onto a wooden canvas, first with a pencil. Using a router with a manual mechanism, the design is carefully cut out, changing cutters. The finished drawing and the canvas itself should be treated with sandpaper, then blotted with a special antiseptic solution. If the door is an entrance door, then it must be treated with moisture-resistant agents and flame retardants. This way it will last much longer.
How to insert?
The places where the hinges will be located are marked on the door frame. Marks are also made on the door leaf in appropriate places. To do this, place it in a vertical position, with the top facing the side where the hinges are attached. On the reverse side, mark the location of the lock. First, the door is placed in the frame, the markings are checked, the location of the lock tongue on the frame is marked, then the hinges are inserted, then they are applied to the door and to the frame, and drilled with a drill. The tongue is carefully cut out with a jigsaw.
To correctly install a door lock, it is first applied to the installation site on the product, circled, and all the necessary technological holes are marked with dots. After the installation depth of the lock has been determined, it is placed in the marked place and screwed. Now that all the parts are ready, you need to install them correctly.
First we insert the door frame into the opening. We level it and secure it with wedges. You can adjust a box already mounted in the wall by hitting the wedges with a hammer. Then dowels and screws are inserted into the holes drilled in the wall and frame. And lastly, the most important thing is the assembly of the door and frame.
It is better to perform this operation together in order to avoid injuries, since the door leaf is a heavy structure. Holding the door suspended, we secure the hinges with self-tapping screws.
After the assembly of the main parts is completed, you can move on to the platbands. It’s easier to buy ready-made ones in the store or make them yourself using wooden blanks 1-1.5 cm thick and a simple jigsaw. Each edge of the casing is cut at an angle of 45 degrees and adjusted to length. Finished products are secured at the level of the box using wood glue or small nails.
In general, the work of installing a door, with a competent approach and high-quality materials, will take no more than two days. And the above recommendations can be used to make doors from other materials, changing only some tools.
Finishing
It will help to give the finished product a finished look finishing. You can also do it yourself; it’s more enjoyable and less difficult work than installation and assembly of the door itself. Door finishing can be done as follows:
- painting the door;
- varnish coating;
- wallpapering or decorative film;
- decoupage;
- insertion of mirrors and colored glass;
- fabric lining;
- application of techniques for aging wood.
The main task that today faces the owner of a country house or apartment when decorating a living space is to ensure maximum functionality. You have to measure every centimeter of living space in order to best arrange the furniture and make the room cozy. A huge help in this case is the book door.
Such folding structures are very popular. These models can be used for the most different rooms. Unlike traditional swing systems, structures of this type have many advantages.
The principle of operation of a book door.
Among the advantageous features that the door-book has are the following:
- Rational use of space. It is advisable to install such door systems in narrow corridors. When using folding structures, close to the wall framing doorway, you can install furniture or other interior items.
- A variety of models (white, black, brown, etc.), making it easy to choose a door system for a room decorated in any style.
- Possibility of using folding structures for both standard and non-standard doorways.
- Safety. Such a door system is an indispensable solution if small children or people with disabilities live in the house. disabilities or have pets. The design is protected from sudden slamming due to drafts. In addition, the doors move silently.
- Possibility of door system automation.
Moreover, a properly selected folding product can become stylish decoration premises: such designs look impressive.
Flaws
There is always a fly in the ointment that can spoil a whole barrel of honey. Unfortunately, folding door blocks also have such a “fly in the ointment”.
Regardless of what material is used to make the door system, the door leaf does not provide complete heat and sound insulation. There are gaps between the individual sections, and besides, there is a gap under the doors, which is why sounds and smells freely penetrate into the room.
Compared to swing systems, folding structures have a short service life.
Products with glass or glass are considered especially fragile. mirror inserts(when using them, you need to be extremely careful not to damage the door surface when aligning the leaves).
Design features
To make a folding door with your own hands, you need to carefully study it design features. The main nuance that you should pay attention to is that each leaf of such a door consists of several parts (when opened, the leaf folds like an accordion).
But unlike an accordion door, where there can be many such parts, each leaf of a book-shaped structure has only two or three parts.
To make the doors fold, a special mechanism is used - hinge fasteners. And to move the system to doorway individual elements of the standard sliding design(although they were slightly changed).
The canvas is fixed at the top. A slider is inserted into a special guide, one part of which is attached to the sash, and the second to the roller in the guide.
Self-production
The process of making a folding door with your own hands can be divided into the following stages:
- Choice of material.
- Production of canvases.
- Selection and installation of the connecting mechanism.
The fundamental factor when choosing a material is the type of room for which the folding door system is being manufactured. Usually they make their own structures from wood, plywood or MDF.
The most popular option is still MDF: externally such material is beautiful (can be covered with artificial veneer, laminate or PVC film), and besides, he is quite hardy.
Wood is much more expensive. And if this material is used to make a folding structure, then the wood must be processed antiseptic and coat the top with varnish.
If the folding mechanism will be installed in a room with high humidity air, it is better to use plastic or glass as a manufacturing material (the glass must first be tempered, reinforced and covered with a special protective film).
When making sashes, the first thing you need to do is carefully measure the doorway (its height and width). The assembled canvas, when unfolded, must fully correspond to the dimensions of the doorway. It is worth considering that the connecting mechanism also takes up several centimeters.
Necessary elements for successful installation.
After cutting a material, for example, an MDF board, its edges must be protected from dirt and moisture. For this you can use a special plastic tape, which is glued to the door surface and this area is treated with a stream of warm air.
It is very important to choose the right mechanism to ensure the movement of the valves. If the structure is made of thin plates, you can use a hinge mechanism designed for an accordion door. For thick fabrics the best option there will be special mechanisms.
To connect individual elements of the canvas, as a rule, mortise card canopies are used. Such hinges are installed from the end side (to do this, make a small recess, which should be equal to the thickness of the plate).
The canopies are fastened with self-tapping screws. The outermost panel will also be put on the awnings, so a hinge axle should be installed on the box.
DIY installation
Installing a folding door system with your own hands begins with installing the top guide: this structural element is attached to top bar boxes
The mechanism is then connected to pre-assembled doors. To insert the blades into the guide, press the runner wheel and squeeze it into the corresponding groove of the rail.
The last step is to insert the locking mechanism and install door handles. And finally they put in the platbands. The book door is installed: if everything is done correctly, this design will function properly.
Do-it-yourself interior door book ─ this is an opportunity to originally design the opening according to your own taste and design. For installation, basic skills in working with tools, materials and high-quality fittings. Of course, folding doors are easier to buy in a store, but a DIY design will be an indispensable element of the interior. Let's look at the stages self-made this product.
Folding doors have features both in the design itself and in the method of fastening in the opening:
- the door leaf is not single, it is made in parts;
- opening principle – folding the panels like an accordion;
- the design uses two or three canvases, no more;
- The sash is fastened at the top of the opening, using a roller runner, which is inserted into the guide and attached to the roller, and the other part to the sash.
The product has a hinged fastener. This is necessary for the correct addition of the structure. It is allowed to use card loops that connect the elements of the canvas to each other. To move the doors in the opening, the principle of a sliding door is used, which is modified for the “book” design.
Materials
Glass Wood MDF
It’s not difficult to make a “book” design with your own hands: you can use it for canvas various materials, and the accessories are sold in any hardware store. The sashes, according to experts, can be made without much difficulty if you have the skill to work with the tool.
The material is chosen taking into account the functionality of the product: in what room and under what conditions it will serve.
- The use of wood and thick plywood will give the product visual massiveness and ensure strength
- MDF sheets are able to satisfy aesthetic requests for appearance. Outdoor decorative finishing such material serves:
- laminate coating;
- finishing with PVC film;
- wood veneer finish.
In order for a homemade folding book door to serve for a long time, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the material. If it is made of wood, the material must be treated with an antiseptic material and varnished.
Folding ones look beautiful and original interior doors“book” structures are made of glass, but to make them safe, a material that has undergone special treatment is used as a canvas:
- hardening process;
- increase in strength by reinforcement;
- installation of a protective film on glass;
- other special preparatory processes.
You can buy ready-made glass in the store that has gone through all the processes.
How to make sashes
The main structural element is the sash. Let's consider the most optimal material used by many craftsmen for these purposes: MDF canvas. Let's take some measurements first:
- measuring the height of the opening, its width;
- the size of the opened canvas, consisting of two parts (it should cover the opening completely);
- it is necessary to take into account how many centimeters will be needed to connect the canvas and the supporting structure.
When the material is sawn according to measurements, its edges are processed, which protects the MDF sheet from the penetration of moisture and dirt. It is recommended to use plastic tape and warm air from a construction or household hair dryer for this purpose.
If glass is used as a canvas, the size of the canvas must be increased by 6 mm to further fix it in the grooves using a bead. This will create additional structural strength.
How will the doors move?
The mechanism for folding doors book is responsible for folding the panels. Hinges are used for these purposes. The folding door leaves are inserted into special grooves in the hinge mechanism guide (when thin sheets are used as leaves). For large material thicknesses, a loop connection is recommended. It is necessary to use three loops per connection if the folding element of the canvas has two doors. This design will require two sets. If a self-made version of the canvas consists of three sashes, you need to use three sets.
The fastening mechanism has the following features:
- under the card loops it is necessary to make a recess of material to the thickness of the loop;
- the hinges are fastened with flush screws;
- it is necessary to take into account that one side is for fastening the canopies, and the other is for fastening the rod.
When all the parts are installed, the sashes should have the same height. This is achieved by preliminary coupling them without rigid fastening (screws or other fasteners) and marking them.
Hinges will be used to fasten the outer sash, for this reason it is necessary to install a hinge axis in the opening. The movement mechanism includes:
- set of hinges;
- basic roller design;
- lower support;
- upper support;
- an axis having a rotation function;
- stopper to limit travel.
In the design, the sliding mechanism is considered the most important element, for this reason, its installation must be done with particular precision and accuracy. You can buy a complete movement mechanism ready-made.
Necessary tool
To work you will need your own set of tools:
- electric drill;
- screwdriver;
- hammer drill (a drill with a hammer drill function is sufficient);
- hacksaw;
- screwdriver set;
- pliers;
- measuring tape, at least three meters;
- construction level.
How to install a folding door
The installation instructions include a step-by-step plan for completing all installation work. Here is a step-by-step list of events:
- install and fix the upper guide in the opening;
- make sure that the gap between the cross member box and the canvas is no more than two mm;
- assemble folding doors, equip their upper part with runners;
- install a movement limiter (fastening the screw to the rail).
The assembled sashes are inserted into the guide by pressing the runner wheel and inserting it into the prepared (lubricated with grease) rail. It is recommended to perform these steps before final fastening (crimping) of all fastening elements in the box.
The installation of an interior door book ends with fixing the fastening elements, then the lock and handle are inserted, and the trim is installed.
Advantages and Disadvantages
DIY folding door book - great solution for the interior, if the shortage of living space does not allow the installation of a standard swing structure, and it is not possible to use sliding doors. The advantages of this type include:
- smaller opening area compared to swing structures;
- safety in operation;
- possibility of adjusting the passage width;
- this structure cannot move behind the opening, as can happen with a sliding door;
- not only the proposed materials, but also simple fabric stretched over a prepared frame can serve as sashes;
- The manufacturing process of the product is quite simple and can be done at home.
Experts attribute the main disadvantages of the “book” to a low level of sound insulation and poor thermal protection of the doorway.
In this article we will look at how to make and install an accordion door with your own hands. An accordion door is an interior sliding folding door (or a book door if it has two slats). Here you will see step by step instructions with detailed master classes, as well as clear drawings and layouts. We will pay special attention to the installation of a folding door, so that we can figure out how to correctly place all the elements in order to carry out installation.
Article menu:
So, in this publication I will tell you about one specific type of wooden interior door, namely a folding accordion door.
I’ll say straight away - this type of door, as they say, is not for everyone, and is not suitable for everyone and not for every room, it’s all about the complexity of installation and poor insulation. But, of course, the accordion folding door also has positive aspects, for example, it saves enough space and is easy to open. Many people believe that, in order to save money, it is better to buy such a door in a disassembled state and do the installation yourself, they say, “it’s cheaper” since you don’t have to pay for installation... this opinion is WRONG. I’ll explain why: the whole point is that by refusing to install a door, you really save, but very little, since you still have to overpay for a ready-made door, the design of which, by the way, is very simple and can be easily done with your own hands! This way you will not only save money, but also enjoy the creation process! “But how to make a folding accordion door, or as it is also called a “book door,” with your own hands,” you ask. Very simple! So that you can easily and quickly create your own folding door, I am writing this article now!
Accordion door and book door.
What's the difference???
Flip door mechanism
The diagram below shows the mechanics of an interior folding door with two slats. Also in this drawing you can see the required fittings and their location when creating the door.
Photo source: www.ekb.rusdver.net/findings/00000426-mehanizm_dver-knizhka.html
Folding door installation diagram
The drawing below shows schematically the installation principle of a folding book door and its parts. So to speak "what-where"!!!
Photo source: atlant66.ru/produkciya/dveri-spec/mehanizm_rezident_sdk-01_dlya_dverey_knizhka/
Simple Accordion Door Installation Plan
This collage consistently shows us the process of installing a folding door in an opening.
And so let’s look at the installation in more detail using an example:
How to install an accordion door with your own hands.
(photos, video master class)
It’s somehow too easy to create a door leaf for a folding accordion interior door, don’t you agree? There must be some kind of catch in this door. Let's think about this door:
- Convenient to use;
- Easy to create;
- Compact, you save a lot of free space;
Besides:
- Creating a door leaf does not take much time;
- Any materials can be used for this purpose;
- The design of such a door will suit almost any interior.
There are some advantages, except for low strength and poor heat and sound insulation, but this generally depends on what materials you choose and how you install this door, so everything can also be good. So what's the catch?
The catch, however, is to install this type of door with your own hands. If you have read the article “Do-it-yourself sliding door,” then you probably must understand how difficult it is to install interior sliding doors. So, installing an accordion door (or a book door, call it what you want, the meaning still remains the same) is even more difficult. Therefore, it is this stage of creating your own folding interior door with your own hands that deserves special attention. special attention. Let's take a closer look at all the stages and nuances of installing this type of door. Again, I’ll draw a parallel for those who read the article “Do-it-yourself sliding door”; in this article you will find enough overlaps in the installation stages, because these types of doors are, one might say, related and are based on a sliding mechanism. Okay, without further ado, let's move on to the installation itself.
Step-by-step photo master class on installation:
(to view the gallery, just click on any photo)
Photo source and link to video master class: https://youtu.be/XuQEeVSaIyk
Video author: bandq
Original title: How to fit an internal bi-fold door
Watch the video master class:
Photo source: http://www.dveripetli.ru/cistema-skladnyh-dverey
Accordion door leaf design
Hidden and butterfly hinge for accordion door
If you manage to find such hinges in a hardware store, your door will close with special grace.
Pros:
If you choose from two types of loops, it is better to install hidden ones. When open, they leave almost no gaps between the sheets. In addition, they are more powerful and can withstand heavy loads.
Cons:
Their disadvantages: installation is more difficult and more expensive. But if the doors are made of MDF or solid wood, then they need to be installed. “Butterflies” will fit a light door leaf or where it is not possible to make significant recesses for the body of a hidden hinge.
Name of accordion door design elements
DIY installation of folding interior doors.
If you buy an accordion folding interior door in a store, then you will probably be recommended to pay extra for the installation of these doors, saying “it will be of better quality, trust this to professionals,” don’t believe it, it will probably be faster, three times more expensive, but no better quality. Installing a folding door is quite possible for an ordinary mortal who knows nothing at all about the “correct” installation of folding doors. And if you are exactly the person I’m talking about, congratulations, you will be able to cope with this task, and this and the following fragments of the article will help you in just such a matter.
Although installing both folding and sliding doors does not require the creation of a door frame, you should still think about how to design the doorway. After all, there can’t be bare walls between rooms. For example, a doorway can be plastered and painted, or covered with wallpaper, but most often a decorative false frame is used for these purposes. This is a kind of imitation of a real door frame, which serves a purely decorative role and is not intended for anything else, that is, you CANNOT hang a door on such a frame. And it consists of a box of boards fastened together with screws, installed in the opening.
Photo source: stroyday.ru/ (photo of the false box assembly)
Accordingly, you need to start the installation by creating such a “door frame”, and before creating it, you need to carefully measure the parameters of the doorway itself (the thickness of the walls, the height and width of the opening). I will tell you about the next steps later in the article.
https://youtu.be/bVREAzQTNhg
Original title: How to Install Folding Doors and Bi Fold Doors
Video author: DIY Doctor
Watch the video master class:
Steps to install a folding book door with your own hands.
(photos, instructions, video master class)
So, let’s use the example of a specific model to analyze the stages of installing a folding interior door, and, of course, a video master class will help us with this! In the last fragment of the article, I told you that it is best to create a decorative false frame for a sliding or folding door, but I also mentioned other methods for decorating a doorway. In this case, the creator of this model did not use an imitation door frame, but simply painted the plastered doorway. Well, let’s say you have properly prepared the doorway for installation, and you can move on to the next stage. And the next stage is installing the guide. If you bought the door disassembled in a store, then the kit will include a guide, but in the same case, when you completely make the door yourself, you can do the following: buy separately an aluminum guide and a kit for installing a folding door, believe me, This way you can save much more money than buying a disassembled door.
To install the guide, you must first measure the width of the doorway. And then the first one appears distinguishing feature from installation sliding door. The guide for a folding door is installed not above the doorway, but inside it, therefore, if you have created a decorative box, you will have to take into account its dimensions so as not to make a mistake. Then, after you have made the guide of the required dimensions, drill several holes in it and fasten it in the opening with one screw, in the middle of the guide (this needs to be done so that you can then insert the door leaf into the guide), ready, the first part is done.
Step-by-step master class
Source of photo and video master class: https://youtu.be/RYONGEDsjRM
Original title: installation of an accordion door
Video author: Natalya Pukhovskaya
Watch the video master class:
We cannot confirm the authenticity of this drawing. Most likely it reflects a variation of only one type of folding door. And the list of door types is quite limited.
From different materials
Folding accordion doors, like book doors, can be made from different materials. Let's look at them in the photo galleries below.
Accordion door made of natural wood
Natural wood. Durable material subject to proper processing: the wood is impregnated with an antiseptic, covered with stain and varnish. Over time, the coating is updated. A door made of this material is not resistant to changes in humidity.
MDF accordion door
MDF. The most resistant material, not susceptible to the destructive effects of fungus and mold. Compared to chipboard, the material is more suitable for the manufacture of doors of complex design. Chipboard is quite durable, lightweight, environmentally friendly, moisture-resistant and fire-resistant.
Accordion door made of chipboard
Chipboard. Cheap, as it is a sheet of glued together sawdust. A door made of such material will be flimsy. Since it consists of sawdust compressed and glued together, the screws do not hold very tightly in it. The advantage of the material is good heat and sound insulation, but the design of the accordion door does not allow the material to fully demonstrate these qualities. Chipboard also has high moisture resistance and bio-stability, but still this is far from the best option for folding doors.
Accordion door made of plastic
Plastic. Cheap, wear-resistant and water-resistant material. Ideal for a shower stall. Easy to process, does not chip, scratch or crack, and does not dry out. For interior doors, plastic with a pattern is usually used: wood, the color of the walls, etc.
How to install the door leaf of a folding interior door on a track.
(photos, instructions, video master class)
So, let's assume that you have prepared the doorway, installed the guide and are ready to install the door leaf. Well, then let’s not delay, let’s start the installation right now!
First, check if everything matches the required size, if so, then great.
It is necessary to install rollers on the door leaf - main part moving mechanism, by the way, here is another difference between a folding accordion interior door and a sliding compartment door: its rollers are located not vertically, but horizontally, relative to the ground, so they move along the walls of the guide, in addition, accordingly, the rotating axis directed in the other direction, and, in addition, the rollers also have a rotating roller assembly, it is needed so that the door can be folded. 
Otherwise, the steps are the same as for installing a sliding door, that is, one roller is installed on its two parts at the upper end of the door leaf. After the rollers are installed, you need to install the lower axis on which one part of the door leaf will be attached. Now you can insert the rollers into the guide.
