Folding interior doors - a modern solution to save space, as well as temporary zoning of the territory. Such doors are excellent for both residential and office premises. An important feature are sizes that can exceed 6 meters in length. Reliable hardware will ensure safe use and durability of doors.
The functioning of the doors is based on the principle of blinds: they consist of small sections that are interconnected by hinges. Thanks to this design, it becomes possible to fold the canvas like an accordion.
Modern manufacturers offer a wide selection of doors - from the most primitive wooden structures to the most unusual, which are made of toughened glass.
An interesting solution is the pendulum mechanism for opening the door.
Interior doors: main types
There are many stores that make great offers for the purchase of folding interior doors. “Leroy Merlin”, “Castorama” and other budget stores provide a wide range and offer selection according to various criteria and characteristics.
Folding doors may consist of one or more wings. Moreover, the second model can be divided into any number of sections. Depending on the attachment to the opening, two types of doors are distinguished: those that are hinged to the box, and those that are mounted on a special design. The second type of door is mounted to the floor and the ceiling beam.
By the number of sections, all doors can be divided into two types:
- Folding interior door-books. They consist of several wide sections.
- Accordion door. In this design, an unlimited number of narrow sections are installed. This option is more presentable and reliable.
Among other types of interior structures, the following are distinguished:
- single and bilateral;
- symmetric and asymmetric.
A variety of materials can be used in production: plastic, metal, wood. Combined designs are quite common. For example, a tree with glass inserts.
Depending on what the doors are covered with, they are divided into:
- laminated;
- tinted;
- painted;
- veneered.
Important! For people with lung diseases, it is better to choose doors made from natural and safe materials.
Folding doors: materials and design
Modern manufacturers offer a wide variety of types and designs of folding structures. The most popular models include glass and wooden doors. A creative and relevant solution can also be a combined door made of glass and alloy material.
For spacious rooms and offices, deaf folding door-books (interior) are excellent. Leroy Merlin and other stores offer a wide selection of such designs.
Important! Ordinary doors can also be made sliding. To do this, remove them from the hinges and install on the guides.
Nuances in the selection
When creating folding interior doors, it is necessary to take into account many subtleties that are invisible at first glance to the consumer. When choosing a design, you should pay attention to the following nuances:
- The number of paintings. It must be a multiple of two. In this case, the length of the first web should always be greater than the rest.
- The structural clearances should be subtracted from the opening height: 10 mm above and 13 mm below.
- Various bulges and inserts on the canvas will interfere with the tight closing of the door.
When choosing a performance material, it should be borne in mind that:
- MDF - not afraid of moisture, so the design of it can be installed even in the bathroom.
- Plastic and aluminum are popular and budget materials, easy to operate.
- Fiberboard and particleboard - inexpensive moisture resistant material.
- Glass is an expensive material, the structures with its use are heavy and not best suited for installation in rooms where there are children and the elderly.
- Masonite structures are very light, because inside them there is a void. Among the negative characteristics - poor sound and heat insulation, in addition, they are easily damaged.
The package necessarily includes:
- several paintings (depending on the order);
- latch for a closed rack;
- box;
- fittings (e.g. handles, hinges, locks, etc.).
Folding door installation
Installation of folding interior doors is quite simple, and can be performed without the participation of masters. The main requirement is the correct selection of fittings and high quality materials.
The basic quality requirements are as follows:
- fasteners must support the weight of the web;
- guides that are made of steel are considered more reliable;
- the mechanism for opening and closing doors is better to choose rubberized.
The installation process is reduced to several stages:
- Before installing a new door, you must first dismantle the existing one, while the box must be left in place.
- Next, set the guides.
- After that, the extreme sections of the folding structure are fixed.
- In the end - the installation of the middle sections of the doors.
Advantages of folding interior doors
These doors have several advantages:
- Space saving. To open the door you need an area that is equal to the width of one section.
- Noiselessness. When opening and closing the door, absolutely no sounds are made.
- Security. Folding doors are much lighter than usual, so the risk of injury is significantly reduced.
- No need to mount a threshold.
- A wide range of designs.
- A large number of sizes: the length of one product can be up to 6 meters, and the height can be up to 3 meters.
Disadvantages of folding structures
Folding interior door-accordion is very convenient to use, but still has a number of disadvantages:
- Lack of density. As a result, you have a design with low thermal and noise insulation. The insulation is also affected by the presence of gaps between the sections. To improve the parameters, you can use seals.
- Low strength. The door is not intended for frequent opening, therefore it quickly fails.
- High price.
Important! The width of the opening should also be taken into account, because when folded, the door can select most of the space. The door book and accordion are not suitable for installation in the opening in the form of an arch.