While buying any new bi-fold doors or if you want to replace your old ones, often it is quite tricky to make the decision about the right size that you will need.
Therefore, in this post, we will discuss and try to understand how the sizing of bifold doors should be measured so that you can always go to market and buy with more confidence. This will be useful for both standard sizing as well as custom doors and taking their measurements.
How to take measurements for the bi-fold doors?
While buying any internal bi-fold doors, it is very important to take measurements properly for ensuring that you can get the proper size. The following are the ways to take your measurements:
- Before measuring you must remove the existing doors (if any).
- Start measuring horizontally at its top, middle, and then the bottom of its opening.
- Write down your smallest measurement
- Now measure vertically first at the left, then right, and then centre of its opening. You must measure from your subfloor to your lintel above its opening
- Again write down only the smallest measurement.
- You must cross-check all your measurements to ensure you have measured properly
- At present you have got the measurements for your door opening, however, you will need some more advice
- Now check the amount of clearance the door that you have chosen will need
- All tracks and hardware may need some space so you must seek advice if needed before buying.
What is the availability in the UK for standard bi-fold door sizes?
Like any kind of door, you will have to match your bi-folding door with the aperture where it is going to be housed. This can be made straightforward as the doors available in the UK generally follow a certain sizing convention.
Your vertical dimension can be easily accommodated. There can however be a certain amount of variance from one manufacturer to another. Bi-fold doors generally measure around 6’8” tall.
A slight variance can spell here the difference between your major headache and easy and straightforward installation. Therefore, it will be worth measuring properly before you place your order. By making the assumption you may end up regretting later.
The width of the door may vary by some metres in size, and this variance is going to depend on the panel number that your door may incorporate. Each panel is between 1 metre and 70 cm. wide, and thus you can choose between many larger panels and also many smaller ones.
Also, it is worth considering the panel thickness themselves as most of the UK’s internal doors, and bi-fold panels are 35mm thick. So, in case you have got 5 panels in the door, then you will have almost a 175mm stack as your door will remain folded up.
Lastly, it will be worth reinforcing the difference between your frame’s external dimensions and those of your door that will sit within. Obviously, the former is going to be a little larger as compared to the latter, and it will be very important that the two measurements should not be confused.