Where Do You Put the Handle on Internal Bifold Doors?

How to install bifold door handles

Handle placement is very important when it comes to the longevity of your internal bifold doors. When fitting the handles, it’s important to think about the height, sturdiness, placement and usability so that the door is easy to use and that no damage will occur to the tracks or hinges.

Finding the correct place to install the handles can sometimes be a challenge, so we’ve outlined the most important steps and equipment that you’ll need, below.

Where to position a bifold door handle

Bifold doors can come in many shapes and sizes; some opt for a set of 2 doors, whilst others want a full wall of bifolding doors, usually amounting to 5! When finding the correct placement for your internal bifold door, the handle will always need to be on the leading door, no matter how many doors you have.

By placing the handles on the leading door, you ensure there isn’t mounted pressure when pulling or pushing the door to open and close it. If you use the centre door for your handle placement, there will be unnecessary strain on the middle door as it’s attempting to pull two frames at the same time. And, in terms of the track that the door runs on, this often won’t go smoothly and you’ll end up damaging the track.

Now, for placement, the internal bifold door handles will need to be in a horizontal position in the middle of the leading door. As with the placement of the leading door, the handle needs to be in the horizontal middle in order to distribute the weight of the frame and glass evenly. Having the handles too high, or too low, can result in the handle breaking off, or worse, the door starting to bend and crack.

However, if for whatever reason you can’t place your handles in the horizontal middle, the option to place them by the hinges is something that you could consider. The pressure will still be shared and strain won’t be caused to the track and hinges, although, closing the bifold doors will be more of a challenge.

Tools you’ll need for fitting

Depending on the type of handle that you’ve chosen, the tools that you’ll need for fitting may differ. For the majority of bifold door handles, you’ll need the following:

• Tape measure

• Chalk, wipe-away marker or pencil

• Electric screwdriver

• 1/16 inch drill bit

Things to consider

When purchasing your door handles for bifold doors, pick out something that suits your style as well as being practical. A flimsy, decorative handle won’t last very long, and will usually require you to repurchase a new set. You’ll also need to make sure that the handles you purchase are of a normal standard in size. If you ever need to replace your handles, it’ll work well in the long run to have the holes already in the correct place. Plus, you don’t want to purchase a smaller set and have visible holes in your door frame!

When you install your bifold handles, think about the way that the door will open. Having the handles on the wrong side of the door, or simply, the wrong way round, will cause much confusion and frustration for future use of the door.

Another thing to consider are obstructions. When you first installed your door, any obstructions in the way of the opening and closing for your door will need to have been moved. This is the same for the handles as, depending on the size of them, you may need to think about whether they’ll cause damage to any nearby walls or ornaments.

Best handles for Bifold Doors

It’s very easy to get caught up in the design of items, such as door handles, and sometimes, handles that look pretty aren’t always functional. You can easily find handles for your bifold doors that suit your aesthetic, just ensure that they’re practical and durable, too.

Different styles of bifold door handles

Believe it or not, there is an array of different style door handles to choose from, such as:

• Knob

• Hinged

• D Handle

• Flush Fitting

For colour, it’s usually best to match the colour of the hinges and locking mechanism as, sometimes, a contrast in these colours often results in an unfinished appearance. However, contrasting the colour of your door to your door handle is really effective in the overall finish, for example, a white bifold door frame with a black or steel grey handle.

Functionality

The functionality of your handle is very important and whilst many often go for a standard hinged handle, we believe that a classic knob or D handle usually looks best. These handles are practical, sturdy and very sleek, and as an internal bifold door doesn’t need a bolt, a hinged handle isn’t required.

For bifold door handles, it’s important to spend some extra time doing your research and finding the best handle that’ll suit your home’s interior. As well as being functional and practical, if you open and close your bifold door regularly, it’s a good idea to make sure the handles are easy to use, comfortable in the hand and strong enough to push and pull your doors. Installing your handles are quick and effortless, just remember to think about the weight of the door and the pulling motion you’ll use to open and close it, before you decide on the correct placement.

In Summary

Of course, fitting your handle is one part of fitting your new internal door! You can also check out our guide on how to install and adjust internal bifold doors, and if you fancy adding some colour, how to paint internal bifold doors.

If after viewing our wide range of internal bifold doors you have any questions, our friendly team is here to help so get in touch.