How to Install Bifold Doors in an Old House

Bifold doors are the perfect modern touch to open up or modernise spaces in homes of any age, increasing natural light and saving space. Despite this, some older buildings include structural features such as uneven walls or outdated frames that may make installation more difficult.

If you’re hesitant to upgrade your home because of these potential challenges, be assured that it isn’t as daunting as it seems. The purpose of this article is to guide you through how to install bifold doors in an old house, with a step-by-step guide, navigating any hurdles and offering helpful tips.

Let’s get started, shall we?

What Makes Installing Bifold Doors in Old Homes Tricky?

Whilst many older properties have a unique charm and character, they’re often lacking a capacity for modern upgrades, and consequently, retrofitting bifold doors comes with a long list of challenges:

• Uneven walls as a result of settling and age can lead to poor alignment of doors.
• Rotten timber frames are extremely common around exterior doors where there’s a lot of moisture. This will likely need replacing before installation is possible.
• Structural movement happens over many decades and causes slight tilts within older buildings, which can affect the squareness of openings and distort alignment.
• Non-standard opening sizes may not fit modern doors, meaning that extensive alteration may be necessary.

If your bifold doors aren’t fitted properly, your home could be at risk of a number of damages. For example, if doors aren’t sealed well,  you may be at risk of drafts, energy loss and moisture or pests getting inside. Uneven frames can also cause sticking, limiting how smoothly the doors open and shut, impacting long-term performance and efficiency. 

But, fear not! We’ve pulled together some top tips to act as a rough guide to installing your favourite bifolding doors in slightly older homes.

Step-by-Step Guide: Installing Bifold Doors into Old Houses

Regardless of the challenges presented and potential impacts of any mistakes made, you can still install your bifold doors into older properties. For slightly more complex installations, we always recommend seeking professional help, however, here’s a simple overview of the process involved.

Step 1: Measure the opening accurately 

Before anything, you need to take precise measurements of both the height and width of the door’s opening. Since uneven openings are common in older homes, ensure that you take a number of measurements at different points to check for variations and determine if a standard-sided door will fit.

Please note that you’ll also want to add a small amount of tolerance for fitting.

Step 2: Inspect for structural issues

Carefully check for signs of damage such as rotten timber, cracks or loose brickwork, since any of these problems must be repaired before installation to avoid long-term issues such as misalignment or drafts. We also recommend seeking professional help for this, as they will be able to spot issues that you might not know are there, as well as find the correct solution.

Step 3: Square and prepare the opening

Using a spirit level, ensure the opening is straight with 90º corners. If they’re not, we may need to create a level foundation, which is essential for the smooth operation of the bifold track system.

Step 4: Choose the right bifold doors

Based on the previous measurements and condition of the opening, choose suitable doors that not only fit structural and practical requirements but also your stylistic visions. This is something our experts are always happy to help you with.

Step 5: Install the frame and track system

Once you’ve determined your ideal bifolding door, our team will head to your property to install the frame and track. We recommend professional installation for this step to ensure the best quality. The process usually involves securing the door’s outer frame into a prepared opening. Our experts take care to ensure this is level and properly fixed in place. We then fit the top and bottom tracks of the bifold mechanism into this frame.

Step 6: Hang and align the doors

The next step is to carefully attach the individual door panels and adjust the hinges to the tracking system so that the doors are all evenly spaced, move smoothly and shut securely, making sure that time is taken to perfect the alignment.

Once this installation process is completed, you can clean the area and enjoy your upgraded space. Our installation team will give you a thorough demonstration of door operation and how to keep it running smoothly for years to come.

DIY or Hire a Professional?

Even though it’s possible for a seasoned DIY expert to follow these simple steps to enjoy the benefits of bifold doors in an older home, due to their nature and the issues that make the process more difficult, they often require expert hands.

By hiring a bifold door installation company, like our team here at Bifold Shop, to complete the bifold door installation on your behalf, not only will the likelihood of long-term issues be decreased significantly due to the specialist skills that we provide, but you will also be saved from the headache of the tedious process. 

As a result, for maximised safety and efficiency, we would recommend getting in touch with our friendly staff to discuss how we can help you to make your room transformation as smooth a process as possible.

Final Thoughts: Should You Install Bifold Doors in Your Home?

Bifold doors are the perfect addition to homes of any age, and, with the right planning and expertise, it’s easily achievable in older homes with unique design features and additional challenges. 

At Bifold Shop, we specialise in installation for all property types, whether it be new builds, period homes or tricky builds, and supply a number of amazing options for you to choose from, including the full range of Origin bifold doors. 

If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us for a survey or a quote, and our specialists can support you in elevating any room.