Many are sure that accordion doors are modern products, but few people know that similar folding door models have existed for several centuries. These designs have only become popular now, since previously there was much more free space in houses. Let's find out what an accordion door is, how it works, and what features it has.
Description and varieties
As the name implies, the design of such a piece of furniture is similar to the bellows of an accordion , button accordion, accordion and similar musical instruments. Opening like bellows or window blinds, the door changes its length and width, opening or closing the passage. In other words, the design of such an “accordion” model is not anything complicated, although it looks unusual.
In most cases, doors are made of lightweight plastic (PVC). There are also models made from chipboard (chipboard) or real wood. The cost of wood or chipboard is higher than their plastic counterparts.
Basically, the model range is made of plastic, painted “wood”, but there are also models finished “metal”. Various patterns can be applied to the accordion door. Often in stores you can find models with glass openings, and the glass, as a rule, is also made of plastic. Of course, the cost of such “accordions” is much higher.
How does it work?
The folding door is based on the principle of blinds. Thus, several interconnected vertical lamellas move along one upper or, if the doorway is wide, then along a lower guide. Why is the accordion door called that? The process of opening and closing is reminiscent of playing an accordion - the parts of this musical instrument move in approximately the same way.
The system moves thanks to two outer flaps. So, on one of them there is a roller installed, which runs in a guide rail, the second strip is fixed to the door frame. In the closed and open position, the accordion door is secured using a special lock.
There are guides at the top of the opening. The sashes are suspended on a rail using fasteners. Aluminum or steel is used as a guide material for accordion doors. To make the part look more aesthetically pleasing, its visible parts are laminated or finished with veneer.
In earlier designs, a ball was used as a sliding part, to which a metal rod was welded - the sash was held on it. Such accordion doors were not effective - due to friction, the rail and sliding ball wore out greatly. When moving, the product creaked, and the movement itself was not smooth and the door often stuck.
Today, in modern models, rollers are equipped with high-quality bearings. Closing such doors with an accordion is almost silent. As for the work in general, the movement of the valves is very smooth and the wear of parts is minimal.
Advantages and disadvantages
Like any other innovation, such “accordions” have a number of advantages. However, against the background of the positive aspects, several disadvantages also stand out.
Pros:
- Unusual design.
- Space saving - great for small apartments and small spaces.
- The accordion door opens softly and smoothly.
- Good ventilation.
- Large selection of sizes.
- Low cost (cost starts from 2000 rubles).
- Brings innovation to the interior of the apartment.
- Easy to install and dismantle.
- The ability to completely assemble and disassemble in half an hour.
- Wide choice of colors and design of accordion doors.
- Children really like it.
Minuses:
- For a small cost you will have to pay with fragility.
- Doors made of plastic are significantly susceptible to scratches, chips, cracks and other cosmetic defects.
- Careful assembly and installation is required to reduce the likelihood of breakage.
- Inexpensive models are especially distinguished by their flimsy design.
- Lack of sound and heat insulation.
- Most cheap doors begin to creak and wobble after six months or a year.
- Significant difficulties may arise when moving furniture or large household appliances in and out through a doorway (a standard accordion door reduces the door opening by 10-15 cm).
- If the guide elements are provided only at the top, the door may jam when closing.
- Doesn't close tightly.
- With constant use, accordion doors begin to make noise over time.
Therefore, as with any more or less serious purchase, it will be necessary to take into account all the positive and negative aspects of the purchased model. In some cases, you can simply ask yourself the question: “Is it worth buying an accordion door at all?”
Folding door
Book doors, which have only two leaves, are much stronger and more reliable than accordion doors. The design of such doors is simpler, but also heavier. But they also look more solid. They are well suited for an apartment designed in a classic or minimalist style.
Such doors, like accordion doors, can either divide the entire room or simply block the doorway. But these doors require more space to open since they are only half the size of regular doors.
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Sections of book doors can be either symmetrical (leaves of equal size) or asymmetrical (one leaf is narrower than the other), which makes them very unusual.
Like accordion doors, they can slide in one or two directions. In addition, when folded, their doors can slide into the wall, be located at the edge of the opening, or fold along the wall. This option is most suitable for “Khrushchev” buildings.
Opinions
There are now many sites that specialize in product reviews. Also in some online stores it is possible to leave a comment about a product . Therefore, each person can easily decide what exactly he needs.
Reviews about accordion doors are contradictory. Like many products on the market, it also has its fans and haters. True, there are significantly more people who do not want to install a door with such a mechanism. As the main arguments, they cite poor sound and thermal insulation, short service life and difficulties in transporting furniture and large household appliances through the doorway. Opponents focus on the unusual change in the interior, convenience and the fact that such “accordions” are perfect for apartments with a small area.
Everything depends on the manufacturer, I looked at a lot of these accordion doors before and settled on MARLEY and was right. The door opens well, softly, without much noise. The model I took was Eurostar. been working great for five years now . A neighbor saw it and also bought some cheap one from OBI, showed it off at first, and took it off six months later. I told her: “The miser pays twice.”
Valentina, Tomsk
Such models are especially relevant for Russia, since more than half of residential buildings are “Khrushchev” buildings with a small area. Such “accordions” will fit well into almost any interior, as they have a variety of colors. Like their interior counterparts, “accordions” come in both solid and with a glass insert. Let's add ease of installation to all the advantages - and here you have an excellent solution to the lack of narrow corridors and small space. The issue of insufficient sound and thermal insulation is not acute here. The fact is that the sealing system is similar to conventional doors . In addition, with proper handling, the accordions will last a long time.
uniondoor
When open, they reduce the doorway by 10-15 centimeters, so the opening itself will need to be made wider, otherwise you won’t be able to bring anything in or out through it without dismantling the accordion. If you have to change the washing machine (for example, take it out of the bathroom) through a standard door, you won’t be able to take it out with the “accordion” installed. And existing models guide elements only on the top; the bottom is usually on a wheel, so it gets stuck from time to time when opening or closing. My friends bought guides for the bottom separately and were still ultimately dissatisfied. They are going to replace it with a regular door.
Nadezhda, Simferopol
Cloth device
The accordion door differs from other models of folding structures in the absence of a solid leaf, and its opening mechanism is shown in the photo below. It consists of doors. These are also the only doors in existence whose leaf can be soft. The materials are simply stretched onto a frame of metal tubes that are connected to the mechanism.
Rigid canvases consist of sashes that are connected to each other using loops or strips of leather or fabric. In this case, each rail has a separate attachment to the guide.
The design of accordion door leaves can be panel, panel, glass, plastic or aluminum profile.
When creating folding door panels, manufacturers try to reduce the weight of the structure as much as possible. It is the weight that affects the speed at which the mechanisms wear out. Therefore, in panel models, a frame is used not on wood, but on an aluminum base.
If the accordion door has two leaves, then they open from the center along the edges. If the structure consists of one sheet, it opens only in one direction. There are also models that open in two directions.
These products look very interesting in interiors. There are a lot of doors for different modern and classic styles. Today, an accordion door can fit perfectly into the design of any houses and apartments.
Design
The accordion door consists of blinds that are located vertically and a book door. The design includes three or more panels, each about 10 centimeters wide. Various materials are used to make panels: wood, plastic, glass, artificial leather and others.
But the most important thing in a folding door is the technical elements that operate the entire mechanism.
Sliding doors require special fittings, which are usually sold as a set with the product. The handles also differ from the standard ones - they are “recessed” into the door leaf so that the accordion can function normally. If the door is equipped with a lock, then it is certainly a vertical latch lock. Fixing the door in the desired position is possible thanks to stopper flags, and smooth movement is achieved as a result of the action of special synchronizers, which are responsible for ensuring that the panels are parallel to each other.
Instead of an accordion, you can install a book door
The opening mechanism is carried out due to the movement of rollers along guides. All elements should be purchased based on the type and material of the sliding door, since each system has its own weight, on which the choice of fittings depends. The lighter the door leaf, the simpler the roller mechanism required.
