Bathroom Bi-fold door?

Rosa_Damascena

Doozergirl said:

I'm so confused.  Rosa linked to a surface mounted door.  You don't have to have an expensive mechanism for that.  I didn't give an opinion on them other than decent one don't cost £400.  

It would be a bit overkill to install a pocket door at this point in time, before moving out, exactly because it involves building a new wall and the mechanisms are expensive.  

I despise bifold doors.  My only experience is of cheap finger traps, the doors look weird, the tracks catch and the doors are flimsy.  

I'd either reduce the door opening, buy a smaller toilet or just rehang the door out the other way and be done with it, even at the top of a stair.  No one is going to be sent flying and if you're not hard of hearing you'll hear people on the stairs first.  

Anything to avoid a bifold.  

Thanks for pre-empting my next question. I'm having pocket doors where there will be stud walls, but where there is not enough wall space for surface-mounted I think I'm going to have to go for French opening doors. They may be space saving but I don't like the rickety nature of a bi-fold.

EssexExile

Doozergirl said:

I'm so confused.  Rosa linked to a surface mounted door.  You don't have to have an expensive mechanism for that.  I didn't give an opinion on them other than decent one don't cost £400.  

It would be a bit overkill to install a pocket door at this point in time, before moving out, exactly because it involves building a new wall and the mechanisms are expensive.  

I despise bifold doors.  My only experience is of cheap finger traps, the doors look weird, the tracks catch and the doors are flimsy.  

I'd either reduce the door opening, buy a smaller toilet or just rehang the door out the other way and be done with it, even at the top of a stair.  No one is going to be sent flying and if you're not hard of hearing you'll hear people on the stairs first.  

Anything to avoid a bifold.  

My bi-fold doors just look like doors when they are shut. We've had them 20 years and nothing has broken yet and no fingers have been trapped.

twopenny

Forgive me for dipping into someone elses thread but bi fold or french doors could be the perfect answer for my ongoing bathroom dilemna but how do you lock them?

I live on my own so it's mostly for friends peace of mind.

Also, I didn't know you could get them standard door size or do you have to reduce the door frame?

koalakoala

My bifold doors are exactly the same oak doors as the rest of the house, certainly not flimsy

Doozergirl

They're not normal! 😅 

In 20 years, I've never had to specify a bifold in a 80cm odd gap.  It does take a bit of imagination and there's probably a benefit to assessing it as part of a wider renovation.  

Don't do it in showers either though.  I just don't think it helps improve the idea that there isn't enough room.  

warwick2001

Thanks for everyone's comments. I appreciate them all.

So specifically in regards cost, I just googled sliding doors, and the prices came back ranging from £350 up to well over £700, which I believe included the sliding mechanism and the door. The bi-fold which I've looked at previously was about £70ish from B&Q. So, I have no opinion on quality of each etc, but I would certainly hope that the 350 quid door would be of better quality.

In regards a pocket door, this, whilst a really great solution, isnt going happen. We are prepping the house to sell, so we wont be smashing into walls to install the guides etc for it.

And so, as per the internet, there are obviously very differing opinions on the bi-folds. I guess I need to see some in action, but as @Doozergirl has very clearly stated, there are various drawbacks. I guess itll be a compromise, whatever option I decide. 

And as was stated by a previous poster, I didnt notice the issue when I bought the house. As a typical FTB, I worried about what the survey brought up, it didnt even occur to me to check internal doors etc. A lesson learned for the next house. 

Just a quick question, is there any building regs in regards a door opening at the top of a flight of stairs? I dunno why, but I had it in my head that this was a no-no?

Doozergirl

There is for new houses or new extensions.  The idea in an existing house is that you don't
make anything worse than it already was.   In some cases, it's good for a toilet door to swing open because it makes it more accessible to a disabled person.  

In honesty, I think you should probably leave it.       Is the house otherwise perfect and this is the only anomaly?  Or is it possible that someone might even want to change the bathroom?  

If it's perfect, I'd let it swing out.   If it isn't and you think someone else might like to make their own mark, leave it.  

warwick2001

Doozergirl said:

There is for new houses or new extensions.  The idea in an existing house is that you don't
make anything worse than it already was.   In some cases, it's good for a toilet door to swing open because it makes it more accessible to a disabled person.  

In honesty, I think you should probably leave it.       Is the house otherwise perfect and this is the only anomaly?  Or is it possible that someone might even want to change the bathroom?  

If it's perfect, I'd let it swing out.   If it isn't and you think someone else might like to make their own mark, leave it.  

Thanks for this.

Whilst I wouldnt say the house is perfect, it will be in a state where you could move in and not need to change anything. We had new carpets a few years back, new kitchen a few years back etc etc, and I'll be giving it a quick paint before marketing it. In fact, the only room that we havent completely changed is the bathroom, as the previous owner had only recently put in a new one before I moved in 10 years ago. If only they had sorted the door!!

I think I'm just gonna put a rubber door stop next to the toilet to stop any banging, and have done. If it bothers the new owner, they can change the door set-up to however they want. They may even wanna put a new bathroom in to make the place their own.

Thanks all, good to hear various opinions.

Emmia

twopenny said:

Forgive me for dipping into someone elses thread but bi fold or french doors could be the perfect answer for my ongoing bathroom dilemna but how do you lock them?

I live on my own so it's mostly for friends peace of mind.

Also, I didn't know you could get them standard door size or do you have to reduce the door frame?

French doors can have a sliding bolt at the top (or bottom) of the door going into the door frame. (Or floor)

It's obviously not undoable from the outside though if that is a consideration?

twopenny

Thanks Emmia, all friends still standing upright at the moment and not shy Though there is only a small opening window at the top so a good point.

I've got a case of opening door inside or out is just a problem because of the small size of the bathroom and corridor so this is a brilliant soloution. I will have so much more room in the bathroom.

Been a real education this thread.