Bifold Doors are doors that usually have four panels and fold at the middle. They run on rollers that roll along a caster track. Bifold doors are often used on extra-wide doorways, like closet doors, so the owner can view the entire contents of the closet at once. These doors are extremely easy to install and are not very expensive.
Uses
The most common uses for bifold doors are in closets; however, they are often also used in living rooms, dining rooms, laundry rooms and some pantries and bathrooms. The doors usually conceal the space behind larger-than-average doorways, which means unsightly washers and driers, dirty laundry and pet supplies will be hidden. The doors also offer a little privacy, so some homeowners use them as bathroom doorways; however, homeowners should beware when installing them in bathrooms that bifold doors do not always offer the best soundproofing option. For bathrooms, regular or pocket doors will offer more privacy and soundproofing. Bifold doors are often found in commercial spaces as most such spaces do not require much privacy or sound proofing.
Benefits
Though bifold doors became popular in the 1950s, they are still popular in homes today. They are extremely light, making the trip from the hardware store to the doorway extremely easy, according to This Old House. Their light weight also makes them very easy to install. Bifold doors can be installed by screwing one side to the door frame and installing a caster track to the top of the doorframe. These doors can be ordered in a variety of colors and styles. Some doors look just like regular doors and can be ordered to match the existing doors in your home. Many bifold doors have wooden frames fitted with wooden slats since most of these style of doors are used to conceal closets and do not need to be soundproofed.
Drawbacks
While bifold doors are relatively inexpensive and easy to install, they also have some drawbacks. The casters and rollers attached to these doors often fall off, especially when the door has been pulled too hard. Homeowners should be careful to open these doors gently and without too much force. The doors also do not offer any soundproofing or any barrier to sound at all, so they do not work well as bedroom doors and very rarely on bathroom doors. They also do not offer much privacy and do not block much light as they are often made of slats of wood affixed to a thin wooden frame.
Alternatives
An alternative to bifold doors are pocket doors. Pocket doors also allow the homeowner to view the entire contents of a room or closet; however, the biggest difference is that instead of swinging out at the seam, pocket doors are one solid mass that do not fold in the middle. Instead, they slide on a track into a slit in the wall. While these doors offer a solid alternative to bifold doors, they are much more difficult to install and can cost significantly more.
Related Resource: How To Install Patio Doors
Though they might not be a good fit for every room in every home, bifold doors are simple and classic. When looking for a door that will conceal the contents of a closet or an unsightly room, bifold doors will do the trick and are easy to install.
