How to Install External Bifold Doors

External bifold doors are an appealing option to elevate the modern home. Not only do they flood an interior with natural light. They also effortlessly connect internal and external areas whilst generating the illusion of additional space. Surprisingly, fitting bi-folds can be a simple task if you understand what to do. Therefore, we have put together a step-by-step guide on how to successfully install external bifold doors.

Before You Start 

Installing external bifold doors can take as little as one hour. Although effective planning is required to ensure everything goes smoothly. Before you begin, contact the local council to confirm you don’t need planning permission to fit bi-folds.

Next, check the aperture for wear and tear. You are able to install external bifold doors in an existing frame. However, most frames don’t include the necessary tracking mechanism. Therefore, it’s better to remove the entire structure unless you are replacing previous bi-folds.

Accuracy is critical during the first stages of installation. Measurements should be made in millimetres to ensure precision. Bifold doors fit inside an opening of 1800mm or larger, with a standard height of around 2095mm.

To acquire the size of your bi-folds, take multiple measurements of the aperture and subtract around 10mm from the smallest dimension. If your open area is non-standard, opt for a custom-made alternative. Keep in mind that the folding mechanism requires 45mm to the height of your door to allow for the track in which the door panels sit.

How to Install External Bifold Doors

Correcting mistakes later in the process can be difficult and time-consuming, so it’s important to get it right the first time. Although the process is not particularly difficult, accuracy is paramount, so keep your spirit level close by to avoid misalignments.

• Use silicon or gap sealer to assemble the sill. After, drill pilot holes of approximately 2.5 x 2.5mm in the three fixing holes at around 100mm, 250mm and 400m from each end.

• Using your spirit level as a guide, assemble the frame with the gaskets and woodscrews provided. If there are misalignments, tighten or loosen the screws to amend and apply silicone sealant to the joins to prevent draughts. Finally, screw the tie plates to the underside of the frame using the previously-made pilot holes.

• Once assembled, guide the frame to the aperture and match up the fixing holes in the head track and drill through them. You will need to remove the top of the frame to drill into the lintel as you need around 40mm of depth for the screws.
• Afterwards, use some packing to temporarily hold the frame in place, certifying that everything is correctly aligned using your spirit level. Now, drill through the prepared holes (approximately 8mm) in the jambs to insert the fixing bolts and tighten them until your door frame is attached.

• Using a masonry plug and drill, fix the sill and head. Gradually tighten the elements until the intel is about to reach the head of the frame.

• Finally, attach the hinges to the panels. This process will depend on the model of your door, so read the instructions carefully. Once attached, align the hinges to those on the frame and connect them using hinge pins. Now attach the pivots and carrier hinges to the tracks with enough room left to reach the adjustment screws once the doors are installed.

Summary

It’s important to note that guides on how to install external bifold doors will differ. The steps above are basic guidelines that should be supplemented with the door’s instruction manual. However, we hope our tips will make the installation of your aluminium bifold doors a stress-free process.