The folding version of the door leaf is a unique development that differs from others in its interesting solutions. This door is designed specifically for small spaces. Its main purpose is to divide space and save it at the moment of opening/closing the door. Convenience and simplicity combined with quality and functionality will decorate the interior of any room. To figure out how to properly assemble an accordion door, it is important to inspect the structure and study all the details of the process.
Design Features
The accordion door does not take up much space. In small apartments it is often placed in the kitchen to separate it from the corridor. The product is not highly insulated, but creates the illusion of a closed room. If the bedroom is filled with furniture and a regular door cannot open normally, then this door design option will solve all the problems. To figure out how to assemble an accordion door and install it in the opening, it is important to study the full procedure and watch thematic videos that clearly reflect the process of performing the work. Main nuances:
- The design is universal for any type of premises. The “accordion” will look harmonious even in the utility room;
- The light weight of the product allows for self-installation. This process is carried out in two stages: first, individual elements are prepared, put together, and then attached vertically;
- Original design. The view of the structure moving away to the side looks attractive. Even a small child can open such a device without fear of hurting himself;
- Easy to maintain, unusual fittings, maintainability. The panels can be wiped with a damp cloth and any combination of detergents. The fittings break very rarely. More often than not, only the runners fail. They can then be purchased separately and easily changed;
- High-quality manufacturing material, various variations of surface shades. Modern materials are used to produce the fabric, which are lightweight, durable and strong.
The “accordion” can be attached to any opening, no matter what materials were used to decorate the walls. The guide arcs tightly cover the opening space.
Types of folding doors
Interior folding doors are classified according to two parameters:
materials used for manufacturing; decor.
For the manufacture of folding structures, wood, strengthened glass and plastic are used. Each option has its own characteristics and strengths.
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Wooden accordion door
The demand for wooden accordion doors is high, since the designs are reliable and durable. All wood elements are treated with impregnations and chemicals. The hinges included in the composition are made of alloys with a certain margin of safety. Do not provoke deformation of wood elements and temperature fluctuations.
Before installing folding wooden structures in the kitchen, you need to check the degree of their protection. If the main elements are treated with a poor-quality composition, then under the influence of moisture they will begin to deform.
Plastic accordion door
Constant load on plastic panels helps reduce the service life. With moderate use, the service life of plastic accordion doors reaches 10-12 months. The main advantage of this design is its low cost. Plastic folding doors can be used as partitions.
Glass accordion door
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Folding glass is rarely used to make the base for an accordion door, since its integrity is easily damaged. The cost of glass models is many times higher than the cost of analogues made of wood or plastic. To reduce cost, manufacturers combine glass with other materials, which also strengthens the structure. Glass doors are decorated using special films, varnishes or sandblasting equipment.
Advantages
An accordion door is a lightweight version of sliding door models. It will not provide the same level of sound insulation as a wooden or metal-plastic sheet, but will provide comfortable silence in the room. Main advantages:
- Due to the fact that the opening occurs horizontally, there is no risk of scratching the surface;
- The silent mechanism will not disturb the peace of other residents when closing or opening the product;
- Children will not be able to pinch a finger or hit the door jamb. This indicates high security;
- The materials are treated with a special substance that resists the door igniting;
- Reliable and long-term operation has been proven by time. According to customer reviews, there are very rare cases when the design breaks down or the mechanism fails during the period guaranteed by the manufacturer.
There is no risk that the canvas will sag or warp if the installation was carried out according to all the rules. The door is not susceptible to aggressive influences of the external environment and temperature changes. Moisture resistance and geometry are at the highest level. You can purchase products of any size or modify the purchased product to fit a specific opening.
The kit includes: guides, stoppers, fasteners, rollers, a quality certificate, and a product passport.
How to make such a door with your own hands
If, when choosing an interior door, you were unable to find an option that was suitable in design and construction, you can make it yourself. Prepare the material:
- small cross-section bars, they will be used in the construction of the frame for the sash;
- edge matching color;
- panel material MDF or HDF with perforation.
The panels are cut according to the dimensions of the opening, taking into account that a guide rail and roller mechanism will also be installed. A do-it-yourself accordion door is created using hinges. For comparison: a product from the manufacturer is often equipped with roller mechanisms that connect the component elements of the sash. When the panels are ready, an edge is fixed along the edge or a wooden frame made of bars is mounted.
The component elements are connected to each other by three sets of hinges. They are placed at an equal distance from each other. If you are deciding how to make an accordion door, you can consider different design options. A two-part sash can be made faster. In this case, it is easier to determine the exact dimensions of the product. If a door is installed from 3 or more components, take into account that the distance between them should be several millimeters, which will allow the installation of hinges.
At the last stage, a roller system is attached to the door leaf. This unit is fixed on the outermost component of the sash, in the upper part. Thanks to this, the blade becomes able to move along the guide rail. The MDF door option is simpler. You can decorate the sash using small pieces of lamellas - wooden strips installed in the frame opening at an angle. The result is fixed blinds. However, this is painstaking work, so if you need to get a perforated door, it is better to use HDF panels.
Accessories
Assembling an accordion-type door, like any other, will require taking measurements of the opening and choosing the color of the product before purchasing. If you need a small door (within 1 meter wide), then a guide will only be needed for the top leaf. Checking the completeness is a mandatory procedure. If some parts are missing, purchasing them separately is a costly and problematic undertaking. Most often it is necessary to purchase additional platbands. Complete set in details:
- One or two guides;
- Connecting loops;
- Two special videos;
- Four carriages;
- Decorative panels;
- Fasteners;
- Adjustment key;
- Magnetic latch.
Some manufacturers equip the kit with additional elements. Most often these are decorative details. Particular attention should be paid to panels and fasteners. Their number should be enough to completely close the opening.
Construction of the door leaf
Markings are applied to the sheets of material according to the drawing. The doors are cut out, all edges are carefully sanded with sandpaper, and wiped off dust with a dry cloth. Glue PVC edges onto the edges and leave the parts to dry for a day.
- On the sashes, places for mounting the carriage, rollers, fittings for the axle, lock, handle and hinges are marked. The minimum number of last fasteners is 3; if the accordion door consists of a large number of wide leaves, then this number is increased. The outer ends of the outermost elements are not touched. The canvases (in pairs at first) are laid horizontally, making sure that there is not the slightest displacement.
- Fix the hinges with self-tapping screws, having previously drilled holes of a slightly smaller diameter in the fastening areas. There are no particular difficulties with this operation, but there is a main requirement: the minimum gap remaining after fastening the parts must be 3 mm. This applies to an accordion that is completely closed.
- They are working on the leaf that will be attached to the door frame. Holes for axial pins are drilled in it from the bottom and top; their depth is less than the length of the pin. These parts are put on, then the rollers are fixed on top of the sashes. Grooves for the lock and handle are cut out on the last lamella.
The almost finished door is put aside and the next operation begins.
Tools and Assembly
No drills or hammers are required to assemble the canvas. It is enough to make sure that the kit contains an adjusting key and prepare a screwdriver or screwdriver. It is better to carry out the assembly process in a spacious room, on the floor.
Assembly algorithm:
- Expand the set. Check components;
- Secure the guides into the doorway;
- The accordion parts are assembled using special fasteners. It is immediately important to check their functionality in the assembled state.
The remaining elements will be required during installation work.
Fittings and its installation
It includes:
- top profile with guide;
- carriages with bearings;
- stoppers, latch with lock, handle;
- hinges or hinge profile;
- hardware.
After manufacturing the folding device, it is mounted in a permanent place, for which the upper guide is installed. If it exceeds the size of the opening, it is cut with a hacksaw.
They are fastened with screws in increments of no more than 25 cm. A latch is installed before fastening. It is attached to the side of the opening from which the lamella moves.
The panel axis is installed in the latch. The next step is to install the axial pins at the bend points of the lamellas. Together with the runner, the carriages are mounted in the guide. Only after these operations does the final fastening of the profile in the opening take place.
The installation ends with the installation of the receiving plate at the lower corner of the doorway. It is attached flush with the latch. After hanging the door, check the quality of its movement along the guide and the position of the lamellas.
Installation
Before installation, the opening is cleaned to avoid any roughness, chips, or contamination. Instructions for installation of the structure:
First, the trim and side strips are attached vertically on both sides. The levelness is checked using a building level. Rigid fixation of these fragments is required, because they will be responsible for the operation of the mechanism.
Guides are installed. They are made of aluminum or plastic, so you can adjust the length at home. There should be no more than 3 cm at the edges.
Assembly of the accordion door continues with the participation of fasteners. The step-by-step instructions involve screwing in the screws as the next step. It is better to make marks in advance that should correspond to the holes on the guides.
The panels are attached strictly horizontally. Sometimes grinding of corners is required if they are not smooth. You should periodically check the geometry of the space and the parallelism of the top and bottom. It is better to first “bait” the fasteners, and after you are convinced that everything is smooth, tighten them completely.
The runners are inserted into the grooves along which the door will move. After this, the second side of the panels is attached. You should be guided by pre-marked marks.
The final stage: fastening the rear decorative panel with the installed vertical strip. A magnetic latch is installed where the edge of the sash touches the wall. The final touch is to install the handle with which the accordion door will open. It is attached on both sides with ordinary hardware. This item is small in size but convenient. It is designed specifically for the human palm.
What are accordion doors made of?
For the manufacture of such doors, MDF and PVC are used. At first glance, the differences are so insignificant that they are simply ignored. The appearance is very attractive and harmonious in both types. Plastic is a very light material, it is not subject to rapid contamination and damage, so its service life is quite long. The lightness of the plastic can be both a plus and a minus of this product, because with prolonged use, there is a feeling that the door is loose. It is worth noting that in the modern production of PVC lamellas, stiffening ribs are used, so the door may seem flimsy only in appearance, whereas in reality it is not. Installing plastic accordion doors is much easier than those made from MDF. Its elements can be fastened together manually and can be easily adjusted to the required size of the doorway. They are also very easy to set up and eliminate minor errors that may occur during installation.
A door made of MDF is more massive, which creates some inconvenience in use. It requires careful strengthening to the base. A big advantage, in comparison with a plastic door, is excellent sound insulation, as well as stability. During installation, the weight of the door can cause difficulty, so all dimensions and levels must be strictly observed.
An accordion door is a fairly simple design that consists of panels of different widths connected to each other. The edge panel is attached to the door jamb, and on the other side a roller is attached that will move along the rail. The rails are fastened to the top of the jamb. The valves are fixed in the open and closed positions using stoppers. Bearings make it quiet and easy to use.
Adviсe
Assembling accordion doors will not cause serious difficulties, even if a person has never installed door panels. Experts for beginning craftsmen have developed a set of recommendations that will greatly facilitate the entire process:
- Special attention should be paid to assembly. If the panels are incorrectly fastened, the mechanism will not work correctly;
- It is better to lubricate the runners in advance with a silicone substance or technical petroleum jelly. This will improve gliding;
- Periodic prophylaxis is recommended in the future. The procedure for lubricating moving elements should be repeated a couple of times a year;
- It is better to purchase an “accordion” that is slightly wider than the opening itself. If, after closing, all the panels are not completely straightened, this will create an original appearance for the door;
- To easily understand how to assemble an accordion door and hang it on fasteners, you should first lay out all the parts on the floor. Installation will help pre-marked about fastening is risky.
There are many manufacturers of accordion doors, so the assembly technology may differ slightly. It is important to study the instructions before purchasing the product and refuse to purchase if there are no drawings.
