In this guide, we’ll cover what our experts need to know upfront to have the best chance of finding a solution for your damaged bi-fold door.
Bifold doors can be one of the most challenging closet systems when it comes to locating replacement hardware. Many of these closet doors are older or no longer being made. Most of the replacement hardware looks eerily similar to the untrained eye.
Luckily, our team of experts has years of experience working with these closet doors and knows the best way to keep your doors operating the way they’re supposed to.
Our goal is to help you hone in on your doors’ problem areas and to explain what information our experts will need to have the best chance of finding a solution for you.
Metal and wooden bifold doors are relatively common and use distinct hardware that is not interchangeable. Indicating whether you have wood or metal doors right off the bat will help immediately narrow down your replacement options.
From there, we’ll move on to the part itself.
There is plenty of variation when it comes to the style and dimensions of bi-fold hardware. Most bi-fold doors consist of top and bottom pivot pins and guide pins that keep the door in line with the track and gliding smoothly. Some of these parts will overlap between brands, while others will use unique sets of hardware.
A common part that will need to be replaced at some point is pivot pins and guides, which our experts will need to see removed from your door and in as close to its original condition as possible. Look over our video to learn how to remove your metal bi-fold door and its hardware without causing additional damage.
Once the part you need is removed from the door, take careful measurements to submit with your photos. This will give the experts a good foundation to research and recommend the best replacement parts for your repair.
If you’re hoping to find a replacement pivot pin, the most important dimensions to include are the diameter of the pin and the pin cap. The diameter of the pin tells us what will fit into the door itself and the diameter of the cap is used to determine what will fit inside the track’s pivot bracket.
Whether you’re working on a wood or metal door system, knowledge is key! Knowing the manufacturer can sometimes be the tipping point in determining if a suitable replacement part is available for your door
Brands that we often come across include Benchmark, Float-A-Way, Full-Vu, Leigh, Fenestra, National, Monarch and PeachTree to name a few. Check your doors for any stickers or original paperwork that you may have held onto over the years that may indicate the manufacturer.
Once you’ve gathered all the relevant information, send it off to the experts for review, and you’ll be on your way to having smoothly operating and functional closet doors!
