Bi-fold Hardwood French Doors

[Headdabaw]

Hi,

I have just had a conservatory built and I am putting french doors through from the house.

I am a total Novice in DIY and I need some advice. I was wanting to put

Bi-fold french doors but I dont want to have the ones that are on runners / slides. To me they look cheap and have a habit of sticking.

I am sure I have seen doors that bi-fold and hinge in the middle so they can fold back on themselves for storage when open.

I dont know if these type of doors exist or what these types of doors are called but I have been to a few hardware stores and I have tried to

explain but they just look at me like I am a looney (which is probably not far from the truth).

if anyone could point me in the right direction (not the looney bin) of

sites / manufactors / advice.

Thanks in advance

Chris

[Chris Bacon]

OK. They're called "french windows".

Why do you particularly want bi-fold windows?

Try a web search, or go in person to Jewson's and talk to them, not in the morning, or on Saturday. They will be able to help.

[Brian Sharrock]

'They' seem to call them "bifold doors"! A quick 'Google' using the term 'bifold doors' revealed hundreds of pages;

a fr'instance. Note I'm not advocated nor recommending this firm just asking you if that's what you want?

"French doors" AIUI are a normal sized door with smaller windows each side, while 'Patio windows/door' indicates panel of glass that slide across each other in multiple tracks.

My wife and I looked at exemplars of bifold doors at an exhibition; some pvc, some timber, some opening inwards to the room , some opening outwards to the room: - in all cases one requires a ****ing _big_ steel across the span as they're all top mounted, heavy, and something has got to support them- and whatever is above the aperture!

HTH

[dom]

You don't say how big the doors are, or whether they need to provide security.

But assuming we're talking about an opening about 2m wide and high, and no special security needs, bi-fold doors could be fabricated from any suitably sized wooden doors (most doors support a small amount of trimming to size without affecting the structure of them) - the bi-fold hinges can be set on the workbench along with the intermediate bolts (so the centre halves can be swung open whilst the outer halves remain static) - though a pair of nice bi-fold doors that open and close smoothly are probbaly not a novice diy project.

Have a look at

[Headdabaw]

Hi

Thanks for the prompt replies

The doors are internal only and dont need security. The doors are opening into the conservatory and are standard 2' 6" wide. I have limited space inside the conservatory and I need the doors to fold away.

The only Bi-fold doors I have seen are on runners which is what I am trying to avoid. I am probably not explaining myself properly I need the doors to open normally but then folder in the middle for storage a bit like the shutter windows on continental windows

[Guy King]

The message from "Headdabaw" contains these words:

I'm looking to make a set for myself in the summer for exactly the same reasons - I don't like sliding doors 'cos one half of 'em's always still there in the way and I'd like to be able to open the whole thing right out when the weather's right. In my case they'll have to be double glazed and draughtproofed, partly because that's what I want and partly because if they're not Building Control will get all uppity if they ever find out.

[John]

You will need a runner of some sort to guide the loose door. We put in doors as you describe some years ago. Simply hinge one door from the other and hav a top runner to guide the loose door.

John

[John]

We did this some years ago. Simply hinge one door on the other. You will need a runner of some sort to guide the loose door. We used a top runner suitably concealed.

John

[Brian Sharrock]

AIUI: "doors are opening into the conservatory " are not "internal only ".

The extension is permanently separated from the remainder of the property by means of a door

In other words - the door, into a conservatory, must be an exterior quality door meeting the requirements for thermal insulation, security etc

Consult your District's Building Control Officer before spending money ... after next year _you_ will have to include this information in any 'Household Information Pack' should you wish to sell the property.

[Chris Bacon]

I made some bi-fold doors which did not have a guide - they were either open, or retained in the closed position with lever action flush bolts. It wasn't a difficult job.

[Guy King]

The message from "John" contains these words:

I'd question "need", though it might be handy. There's no particular reason not to just bolt the outer leaves first then the inners.

[jim2000]

I'm a bit late joining this topic but presumably there's still some interest.

Regarding the "exterior grade" door issue for conservatories, I've been told by a builder that if the door (and frame) in to the conservatory is less than half glazed then it is exempt from building regs part L (thermal insulation) and the door replacement job does not need to be notified to the council. Has anyone else heard this?

Given the price of exterior grade french windows in timber, I was wondering if internal french doors could could be used with draught seals retrofitted to meet the only remaining building reg for exterior grade doors. This would save a lot of money, and would probably be more suited for the intended use (in that double glazed units are overkill for what would be treated by the occupants as an internal door). The ones with a solid lower panel could be used to reduce overall glazing to less than half.

Does anyone know if this is feasible, or maybe the building regs define "exterior standard" doors by more than just thermal performance and draught proofing?

Any comments appreciated.

Jim

[manatbandq]

By a set you like, throw away the runners and fit them with hinges. That's what I did.

MBQ

[John]

Ah, that's a thought. I'd been working on the concertina door idea for my conservatory. I'd not thought of opening one door and the the other like a door on a door. It could make my job easier. Thanks

John