How to measure
If you’re going to pay someone to install your bifold doors for you then we recommend that you use the same person to measure the opening. If they are happy to take responsibility for fitting the doors, then they should be confident of measuring the opening also. If you are planning to install them yourself then by all means you should measure them up yourself. The measuring of your doors is a key part of the process so take your time and make sure you are one hundred percent confident prior to ordering your doors.
To correctly measure for your new bifold doors you need to work out the size of the masons opening and the bottom track detail of the door that you will be ordering. We recommend our rebated (fully weather bottom track) option, which is sat on a 150mm external cill, this gives an overall track height of 75mm. Our low threshold option sat on a 150mm cill reduces the track height to 55mm. Once you know which bottom track you are going to pick you can measure your opening in the following steps:
- Firstly, check the opening is square and level. Take a large spirit level and measure the cross corners of the aperture, to make sure that the opening is perfectly square and true.
- Take three measurements for the width and three measurements for the height – one at each end, and one in the middle of the opening. Deduct at least 10mm from the smallest of those measurements to get the size of the door. The tolerance is up to you, this can be determined by how level the opening is and how confident you are with your measuring. Always deduct the tolerance from the smallest of the three measurements, this will ensure there are no sizing issues when you come to install the door.
- The width and height of your bi-folding door should be the size of your masons opening, minus a fitting tolerance of between 10 and 15mm. If your opening is already formed and you can’t see set sizes on our website that suit your opening, then you will need to order a bespoke set of bi-fold doors. We can offer this service through our parent company Express Bi-Folding Doors, you can visit their website by clicking here.
- Once you know the size of the doors that you are going to order you need to think about the threshold and the bottom tracks. The total height of the bottom track is 75mm so if you want a flush internal finish with your floor running level with the track then you need the sink the bottom track of the door by 70mm beneath your finished floor level. The low threshold option needs to be 50mm beneath your finished floor level.
- Check the layout of the room where the door is being fitted, and make sure there is room for the door to move. You will need to decide the door configuration you want e.g. 3+0, 3+1, 3+3, 5+1. Make sure there’s room for the door to fold outwards into the garden. Bi-fold doors generally take up less space than normal doors so it shouldn’t be an issue, but if space is a premium the doors swinging out to the garden is definitely something you should think about.
The doors are usually delivered fully assembled if they are three metres or less. The doors themselves are heavy so installation will be a two-person job. As long as the opening was measured properly and you’ve purchased the correct size, you should find installation to be a relatively stress-free process, the outer frame will need fixing into position level and square and then the panels need glazing and toe and heeling correctly to ensure the doors operate correctly.
For wider doors we will deliver them disassembled in a kit form. We recommend a skilled DIY enthusiast or tradesmen installs the doors. The outer frame needs assembling and installing level and plumb. The panels then need hanging and once complete need glazing and toe and heeling correctly. If you are not familiar with the phrase toe and heeling, its importance is highlighted and explained below.
Tips
Remember to measure your door frame at three different heights, and subtract 10mm from the smallest measurement, to ensure you get the right door size when purchasing.
Summary
Bi-folding doors are a fantastic product that will transform the way you use and enjoy spending time in your home. Floor to ceiling glazing ensures they keep rooms light, bright and airy but with the real wow factor of being opened to create a seamless transition from inside to out. They are perfect in living rooms, kitchens, dining areas, breakfast bars, extensions, new build homes and even in commercial settings such as restaurants and bars.
There are lots of size, colour and design options all of which will allow you to enhance your space with natural light, views outside and an open gateway out to the garden. Ordering from Express Bifolds Direct couldn’t be easier so measure up your home today and pick out the perfect sized bifold door that will be delivered direct to your home within a matter of days.