Since my closet post and guest room feature, I’ve had a lot of people ask for a tutorial on paneled bi-fold closet doors. In hindsight, I would’ve taken very specific images during construction to document the process. Unfortunately, during that stage of the renovation- I was totally over it. My mindset was only looking towards the finished project, rather than thinking of blog content. With that being said, I do have a few images. You’ll have to excuse the quality and the mess in each photo because as I mentioned, this was a real life construction zone. Luckily, it’s a pretty straightforward and simplistic DIY, so I’m going to do my best to pull together a little tutorial for you guys! Here it goes, the secret to dressing up plain bi-fold doors… I prefer the look of flat and simple, shaker style doors. It fits the aesthetic of my home and it’s probably the easiest trim to apply. I also prefer balance; I knew I wanted each inner square to be the exact same size.
Once you have decided on the overall design and direction, you’re ready to get started! 1: Gather your supplies. You’ll need a pair of unfinished hardwood interior bi-fold doors. As long as your closet door frame is a standard size, you can purchase doors like this from any big box retailer. You’ll also need a saw, poplar planks, wood glue, wood filler, a level, sand paper / sander, primer, paint, brushes / roller, and hardware. If you want heavy duty doors, you can use a finishing nail gun in addition to wood glue. 2: Measure and cut. Because I’m a visual person, I like to make a little sketch and calculate the size of each square or trim piece. After you’ve calculated the length of each wood plank, measure and mark each piece. Remember the old rule, “measure twice, cut once”… I’m always at fault for skipping this step and it comes back to bite me. Next, you’re ready to cut the wood. 3: Assemble and adhere. If your design is the same as mine, you should have 8 long planks and 24 short planks.
Begin by glueing the long vertical pieces first. Mount them 1/4 inch inside the edge on the sides and at the top and bottom. I repeat, you don’t want to mount them flush to the edge (this is the same rule that is followed when installing window or door trim)! After the long pieces are set and squared, begin glueing the short horizontal pieces. 4: Fill and sand. Allow your doors plenty of time to completely dry (I’d recommend at least one day). Next, you’ll want to fill any cracks, crevices, or joint lines with wood filler. Some of the joints may have slightly expanded or contracted, wood filler should do the trick to fill any tiny gaps. Once the wood filler is completely dry, sand the doors until they’re nice and smooth. 5: Prime and paint. In my opinion, this is the fun part because you can really see the transformation! You can either use a brush or a roller. I used a brush for the inner edges and corners, and rolled the flat panels. Like any other door or trim, I would recommend using a semi-gloss finish.
Here the doors are smooth and ready for painting (and obviously the walls needed it too, ha): 6: Install (if you haven’t already), add hardware. You might have already guessed to install your doors. I actually painted while my doors were installed. It probably made it more difficult, but I was anxious to see them in the space. Some doors come with hinges, while others do not include hardware. I selected brass hinges to match by door knobs (agate pulls). The last step is adding the exterior hardware, then you’re all finished! If you need a little hardware inspiration, check the hardware section in this Etsy roundup. Since my closet door update, I’ve been seeing beautified closet doors pop up more frequently in my feed. I loved this roundup by Jenny Komenda on Little Green Notebook. There are so many ways to dress up boring bifold doors. I hope you give my DIY a try; be sure to tag us, so we can share the results!Home / Customer Service / Shop Internationally
Planning a visit to the United States? Or have friends and family in the U.S.? Shop at Sears to get everything you want—including great gifts for yourself or others. You'll be happy to see how online shopping in the U.S. couldn't be easier. Simply use an international credit card. shop Sears U.S. now Free U.S. Store Pickup Order something online but need a little help picking it up? You (or someone you know) can pay and pick up online orders at a Sears store. find a Sears store | U.S. Shipping & Delivery Looking to keep it simple? Get your order shipped or delivered to any address in the United States—including hotels. Get a little help from friends and family to get what you want—simply have your order delivered right to them. Did you know Sears ships to over 100 countries? Take advantage of this major convenience and get whatever you wish, shipped to wherever you want. Shop in Puerto Rico Now it's easier than ever to shop at Sears in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean.
Whether you're living there or just visiting, you can pick up your order or have it shipped to you. shop Sears Puerto Rico If you are planning to visit the United States, or have friends and family here, shop at Sears to get everything you want—including gifts for yourself or others. Shopping online in the U.S. at Sears could not be easier. You can pay for your order in a store or even use an international credit card. Once you place an order, you (or someone you know) can pick it up at a Sears store, have it shipped to over 100 countries—whatever is most convenient for you. Mirrored Bifold Closet DoorsIkea Closet DoorsHall Closet Door IdeasGlass Door ClosetAccordian Closet DoorsPaneled ClosetDiy Mirrored Barn DoorBathroom Closet DoorMirror Doors ClosetForwardI REALLY like the idea of having closet doors that open accordion-style like these, but it would probably be impractical since the door to the spare bedroom opens against the closet doors. Tips on How to Size a Rough Door Opening for a Bifold Door
By Mark J. Donovan When installing a Bifold door into a wall it is important that the rough opening for the Bifold door be sized correctly. If the rough opening is not sized correctly the Bifold door will either not fit if it is too small, or have wide gaps if it is too large. Sizing a Bifold Door Rough Opening with a Door Jamb OpeningTypically the rough opening should be sized 2 inches wider and 2 inches higher than the door itself. For example a four-foot wide (48”) by six feet, eight inches high (80”) Bifold set of doors, would require a rough opening width of 50 inches and a height of 82 inches. This sized rough opening will allow for either a doorjamb kit to be installed or for ¾” thick select lumber to be used to create the finished doorjamb. Note that most bifold door assemblies do not come with a doorjamb kit so using ¾” thick select lumber to create the finished doorjamb is fairly common. The bifold door mechanical bracket assemblies actually screw into this finished doorjamb so it is important that the doorjamb be installed plumb and level.
To complete the interior trim work associated with the doorjamb, when using ¾” select lumber, case moulding is wrapped around the perimeter of it. For best results, mitered cuts are employed. Sizing a Bifold Door Rough Opening for a Sheetrocked Wrapped Opening If the Bifold door is to be installed into a sheetrocked wrapped opening the rough opening width should be sized to the actual width of the Bifold doors (48” in the case of this example). The rough opening height should be the height of the door plus 3/4″ (80 ¾” in the case of this example). Note that these guidelines are typical framing standards that are employed in the home construction business. You should always check with the manufacturer or product specifications to confirm the rough opening requirements for your particular bifold doors. ’s Home Addition Bid Sheets. Our Home Addition Bid Sheets provide you with the knowledge and information on how to plan a home building project, and what to look for when hiring contractors.