Benefits and Basics of Bifold Closet Doors

Bifold closet doors are a certain kind of closet door that has panels that fold outward, almost like an accordion. They consist of two panels that are connected by hinges. The hinges cause the door to fold outward. They are a space saver and allow for easy access to both sides of a closet unlike a sliding door. Bifold closet doors can be custom tailored to the size of your closet, but it is important to remember that they must be purchased in pairs.

There are certain closet situations that make bifold closet doors worth the effort to install. As previously mentioned, a sliding door may not allow for easy access to both sides of the closet- a problem especially if the closet is exceptionally large. Another situation that would make using this type of wardrobe door worth it is that a traditional swinging style closet door is not a good choice if there is not a lot of space in front of the door for it to open.

However, despite the advantages to installing bifold closet doors, there are some things to consider. If your closet is small, you will need to utilize all the space available. In some cases, this means purchasing organizational tools that fit over the door. You can find shoe organizers, hooks, racks, etc that are specifically tailored to maximize space. However, you have bifold closet doors, you can’t utilize these items. The solution would be to find another way to organize those items.

Another disadvantage to having bifold closet doors is purely mechanical. These types of doors often see a lot of use. They are open and closed constantly and the various mechanical parts receive a lot of stress. Since the bifold closet doors roll on a track, this means that the track receives the brunt off the stress. It warps and becomes damaged with overuse. To prevent this you may want to try spraying a greasing product such as WD-40 to the track. You can always reinstall the track, too, if it is damaged beyond repair.

Even though bifold closet doors are generally a space saver, when opened the panels tend to bunch on the sides. This prevents aspect to the immediate areas around the bunched panels. The solution to this would be to design a closet in such a way that the panels will disappear into the wall. This will allow for total access to all corners of the closet. However, this is expensive.

If you don’t already have this type of door installed and would like to, you have two options. You can either install it yourself or get a contractor or designer to do it for you. If you are experienced with tools and making home improvements, installing your own bifold closet doors shouldn’t be a problem for you. In general, they tend to solve some closet problems and cause others. Weigh the pros and the cons before you commit to the entire project. This will save time and money in the long run.