Hinging three doors together?
BESTwoodworkingtim
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I need to “daisy chain” three passage doors together (it’s an 8 foot opening)…hinge the first door to the jamb, hinge the second to the latch stile of the first, hinge the third to the latch stile of the second… kinda like a bifold. I’m thinking I’d use flush bolts instead of stops, but I’m really wondering if anybody has ever done this and defeated gravity’s pull on sagging hinges… if so, how?
Replies
You might want to talk to a commercial hardware vendor about your application. That's a lot of bending force on the hinges and while it can certainly be done it's not going to be a lumberyard hinge that does it. It might also be worth using a pivot hinge on the first door to avoid trying to swing the whole thing off of a jamb. Gary Katz (you can Google him up) might have something on his website about this, or might respond on the JLC forum if you post there in the Finish Carpentry area.
I have done it but to make the doors operate successfully I installed an overhead track across the opening and used a captured roller (Think barn door track and rollers) that was installed into the top of door 2 at the pivot point between doors 2 and 3.
I would imagine the same could be done using a bottom track and a bearing guide if that is easier .
Yes, I've done it, No, I
Yes, I've done it, No, I didn't defeat gravity. It looked terrible, didn't work well and sagged and that was right after I did it. The customer insisted and so it stayed that way. I've done it since using Johnson heavy duty bifold hardware and 36" solid core doors. Looks good and works well but you do have the top track.
Thanks... I was thinking it would be that way... I'll check out the johnson hardware.
I'd use a piano hinge. Super
I'd use a piano hinge. Super strong.
Maybe they aren't realy called piano hinges.
I'm talking about the hinges that go from top to bottom of the door.
They use them on storm doors.
You can buy those monster piano hinges from a couple of sources, one may be http://www.crown-industrial.com
Without some sort of a track above or below to support the weight it simply won't work. Plus the three doors will wiggle about uncontrollably.
You could probably get away with doors on both sides, and one side bifold, however.
I doubled up some french doors like that. I used three 4" butts which worked OK. I inset them at differing depths to somewhat counteract gravity BUT after a few years the doors racked. They couldn't handle the weight of the other doors suspended from them. I fixed this with inelegant metal brackets.
As you, no doubt, already know you have three challenges, frame, door and hinge strength/integrity.
I know it is not what you asked, but how about 4 doors set up as two bi-fold units?
Johnson sells hardware which will handle most probable door wieghts, i.e., the doors do not have to be anything cheesy - could be almost anything.
Just a thought.....
Jim