Q: Reverse Bifold doors: push in to open, pull out to close, where to get handles?

[Jason Harrison]

Hi,

After having pantry shelves installed, our existing hollow-core interior door for our pantry would no longer close (or open) so we would like to install a reverse bifold door to our pantry. A normal bifold door would stick out into our small kitchen and since the door would normally be open it would be in the way.

Questions:

1. should we use/install the typical no-mortise hinges or is their a better hinge to use for "reverse operation"?

1. what kind of handle/pull is available? If we simply install the typical knob on the inside fold of the door, it will hit the other folding surface and eventually this will lead to breaking the door. If we install a handle further from the fold it will be mounted on the hollow part of the door, so no strength. If we install a handle on the outside frame we will have to pull very hard to close the door.

Ideally the handle would be like a leather strap that is flat, flexible and strong that we pull to close the door.

Any other alternatives, experiences or suggestions would be appreciated.

[Oren]

Pocket door?

-- Oren

"The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!"

[dadiOH]

Take off the ones that come on it and move them to the outside. _______________

Same answer _______________

Now, instead of sticking out into the kitchen, the door(s) will stick into the pantry hindering(?) access to the new shelves. I'd use swinging doors...doors that mount on pivot hinges and swing 180 degrees either in or out.

[DT]

Well, you could use a recessed handle, either plain or with a flip-up pull ring. But when the door is open, the two door surfaces fit flat against each other, so you can't get at the handle no matter what it is to start closing. After you shut the door partway by grabbing the door panel itself, you could reach a recessed handle to pull it fully closed.

I think the suggestion of double swinging doors is much better. Or use accordian doors, they fold against one jam and only stick out a couple of inches when open.

[Jason Harrison]

The original pantry swung to the left and stayed against the wall. The pantry is like a hallway that opens to the right. So the shelves start about mid doorway line and continue to the right. Unfortunately due to alarm box, telecom box, water shut offs, etc, the shelves ended up too far to the left for the original door to open.

Swinging doors will create an obstacle to entering the pantry and turning right immediately. That is why we want the bifold door: to open to the left like the original door, and to avoid blocking movement to the right inside the pantry.

Thanks for everyone's help -- now I just need to find a recessed handle.

-Jason