Accordion cabinet with folding doors: how to choose - types of mechanisms and design

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A wardrobe is a must-have item in the interior of an apartment or house. Manufacturers offer a variety of models to suit every taste and financial capabilities. Products are classified according to several criteria. One of them is connected with the door opening system. Recently, a wardrobe with folding doors is gaining more and more fans.

Accordion cabinet - features, advantages and disadvantages

The peculiarity of the product is hidden in the door mechanism. Through simple manipulations, the doors are folded in the form of an accordion or book, located at one of the side walls of the cabinet, while moving outward. The door leaf consists of several sections connected to each other. Its movement occurs along the upper guide. It holds the doors in the desired position and sets the direction of movement.

Like any mechanism, the folding system has its pros and cons.

Advantages:

• full view of the interior space;
• compactness;
• light weight;
• ease of operation;
• there is no possibility of damage to the floor covering;
• the ability to replace one of the elements in case of breakdown;
• quiet operation;
• no size restrictions;
• versatility;
• affordable price;
• attractive appearance thanks to the use of different materials and design methods.

Weak sides:

• low wear resistance (service life is approximately 5-8 years);
• increased mobility of the valves;
• still requires a small free space for normal functioning;
• Careful handling required.

Locks

Folding interior doors use mortise locks, which ensure reliability and aesthetic appearance of the door leaf; the exception for this type of closing elements are glass doors. The design features allow you to install the locking mechanism not only in the usual place in the middle of the sash, but also at the bottom, which makes it almost invisible. The lock system can be mechanical or magnetic; the second option is more convenient to use and has proven to be reliable in operation.

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If necessary, it is better to use a magnetic lock on interior doors

Design and types of folding door mechanisms for cabinets

The construction of such a cabinet requires high-quality fittings. Its configuration is determined by the type of doors: book or accordion.

To execute the first option of 2 sashes you will need:

• carriage on ball bearings with 2 degrees of freedom;
• top guide;
• bottom rail for supporting the leading leaf;
• rotary axes;
• hinges in the end part;
• fastener

All elements are adjustable, which increases the service life of the system.

A book door can consist of 2-10 leaves. She will need more space to function properly. This option is more massive and reliable. The sashes can come off in different directions and have asymmetrical parameters. Therefore, there is no need to save on accessories.

The accordion door will require the following parts:

• top guide made of steel or aluminum;
• carriage slider (one or more);
• rollers;
• hinges or hinge profile for fastening sections;
• special key for adjusting and assembling the system;
• fastener

The number of sets depends on the number of canvases.

Sometimes a bottom rail is included. This is mandatory if the facade is made of MDF, with glass or mirror inserts. But usually it is not necessary, since lightweight materials are often used for such a door. It is important to pay attention to the inadmissibility of using plastic rails and fasteners, as they do not withstand long-term use. The panels must be framed at the ends with metal elements and connected to each other with a hinged profile.

There are general requirements for sliding door fittings.

• Aluminum is considered the best material for guides. A U-shaped profile with one groove is made from it. The product must not contain defects and deviate from the horizontal position. Violation leads to spontaneous opening or prevents the movement of the rollers.
• There are several requirements for the movement system: noiselessness, ease of sliding, smoothness. For these purposes, rims made of suitable materials are used: rubber, Teflon, plastic, steel, etc. The bearings are protected from dust and small debris.
• Special seals are designed to isolate the interior of the cabinet from drafts and maintain the necessary storage conditions. Rubber, caoutchouc or silicone is used to make tapes. Rubber has the greatest elasticity and reliability, but silicone is usually used for glass sashes. It provides surface protection at attachment points.
• The connection of individual parts of the door leaf is carried out using mortise-type hinge mechanisms. They are installed in special recesses and fixed with self-tapping screws.
• Clamps help ensure the integrity of the valves, preventing them from moving beyond a certain location. The most commonly used type is magnetic.
• Don't forget about elements such as handles, although in most cases they are not used. But if thickness allows, it is wise to choose a model equipped with mortise handles. They do not protrude beyond the door leaf and contribute to more convenient operation.

Separately, it should be said about the possibility of left and right opening, depending on the characteristics of the room.

Sashes that do not have fastenings on the side are capable of moving in any direction.

What is required to install the door?

The doors themselves are sold with all the necessary spare parts and fasteners. In high-quality products, there are always several spare strips to be able to increase the width of the door.

typical configuration of an accordion sliding door.

From materials it is also necessary to purchase and prepare everything necessary to prepare the doorway itself. Any suitable extensions and platbands are suitable for this. It is only important that the thickness of the material is at least 15 mm in order to withstand the weight of the door and, accordingly, all the loads during operation.

The following tools and building materials will be needed:

1. hammer drill;
2. hammer drill (if you need to expand the existing doorway);
3. roulette;
4. plumb line and bubble level;
5. construction corner;
6. hacksaw;
7. miter box;
8. bars or wooden bowls;
9. polyurethane polyurethane foam.

Accordion cabinet or bookcase - what's the difference?

Wardrobes with folding doors are divided by the number of doors. Each species has its own name.

An accordion cabinet can contain a significant number of canvases. The more there are, the smaller the width of the individual elements. Standard section sizes are 10-15 cm. The connection is provided by a hinged profile or end hinges. The entire structure is securely fixed to the top rail. Moving along it occurs using rollers. The outermost element is attached to the side wall.

The bookcase has doors consisting of only 2 parts. They can be the same width or differ in this parameter. Their advantages include higher reliability compared to the previous type. For the same reason, sashes can be made of heavy materials (wood, glass, mirrors, etc.).

In this case, 2 guides are installed: below and above. The bottom rail additionally acts as a support. The parts are connected to each other by loops.

Preparing the doorway

You can, of course, mount an accordion door inside an existing door frame. However, this will significantly reduce the usable width of the opening. It is best to completely dismantle the old door along with the frame and knock down the mortar underneath them down to the base (brickwork or concrete wall). After this, you can take measurements of the resulting opening and check the list of nominal door sizes for different numbers of elements. Such a list is included in the instructions for the door. It is only important to take into account the width of the extensions. As a result, it becomes clear whether it is necessary to slightly widen the opening or, conversely, to reduce the dimensions to the required parameter with the help of extensions, polyurethane foam and bars.

The prepared extensions are cut to form a box without a threshold. In this case, the upper crossbar is attached with its ends to the upper edge of the vertical extensions and fastened with self-tapping screws.

Important: In order not to damage the material, you should first drill holes in the place where the self-tapping screw is installed with a drill of a smaller diameter (2 mm) and only then screw in the self-tapping screws.

After the box is ready, it can be inserted into the doorway and secured with blocks and other wooden supports as wedges. For reliability, it is better to use several bars equal in width to the doorway, form spacers in the center and along the bottom edge so that the extensions do not bend during the installation process. To secure the extensions to the wall, long anchors are used, installed three on each side and at least two on top.

Once the anchors are tightened, you can foam the gap between the extensions and the wall. After the foam has dried, you can proceed directly to the installation of the sliding accordion door.

Wardrobe designs with folding doors

Wardrobes equipped with folding doors come in different designs. The following models exist:

• built-in;
• frame.

The first option resembles a mini dressing room. If there is a niche in the room, then this is an ideal choice. The walls of the room act as side elements. An important condition for normal operation is a perfectly flat surface of the floor and ceiling to which the guides are attached. This should ensure the same distance between the rails. Failure to comply with this requirement causes rapid wear of the mechanism and frequent jamming of the rollers.

The frame cabinet consists of side walls, bottom, lid, back panel and doors. If desired, it can be moved or placed in another room. It has a higher cost because more materials are used to make it. Suitable for installation in spacious rooms.

For rooms with non-standard geometry or small sizes, it is worth purchasing a corner structure. It saves space and can change the disproportionate dimensions of a room.

For the manufacture of the frame, laminated chipboard, MDF, and natural wood are used. The latter option is of high quality and cost. The cheapest version made from laminated chipboard. Its advantage is a wide choice of colors, but there is a risk of releasing harmful chemicals. The average position in terms of cost and quality is occupied by an MDF frame. This material is decorative, reliable, and has a good ability to imitate natural materials.

Seals

A mandatory element that is used in folding interior doors. The seals ensure maximum adherence of the canvas to the frame, which eliminates drafts and provides relative noise insulation. The tape is made of rubber, rubber or silicone. Such an element can dry out and become deformed during use, but is easily changed if necessary and is sold in all construction and hardware stores.

For wooden doors, it is better to use a rubber seal, which has such qualities as elasticity and wear resistance. Silicone tape is often installed on glass sashes.

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The seal provides good sound insulation of the room

Internal filling and storage systems

The interior filling of the cabinet is designed to organize a convenient storage system. Depending on the purpose of the furniture, you can select components. A typical set includes a number of elements.

• The rod is designed to accommodate hangers. It is securely fastened lengthwise or crosswise depending on the width of the product. In the second case, it is supplemented with a retractable mechanism. If the crossbar is installed in the upper part, then a special device (pantograph) will be required. For blouses, shirts and skirts, a distance of 0.8 to 1 m is sufficient. Longer wardrobe items (dresses, raincoats, coats, etc.) will require from 1.5 to 1.6 m. To determine the vertical dimensions of the opening, you need to add 20 cm to maximum length of clothing.
• No closet is complete without shelves. They can be pulled out to provide access to the remote part. To restrict movement, clamps are installed on them. The optimal distance between them is 30-35 cm.
• Drawers are suitable for storing small items. They move easily thanks to the roller system. By design, the boxes are either closed or mesh. Some of them have partitions inside, which allows you to quickly find the right thing.
• Retractable trousers consist of several parallel slats. Allows you to keep clothes in perfect condition.
• A similar device, but smaller in size, is used for belts, ties, scarves, and scarves.
• The lower part is usually reserved for shoes. It is installed on inclined lattice stands. This principle ensures good ventilation. It is easier to hang boots with high tops using plastic clips.
• The upper tier is suitable for things that are used occasionally. Its height ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 m.

Checking the pressure. Correct adjustment

The pressure on the sash over the entire surface of the window should be uniform. To check the pressure, use regular office paper.

Close the window by placing a wide strip of paper over the seal. After this, try to pull out the paper and feel the force with which it comes out. If the paper stretches out easily in some places, it means that the pressure is weakest here and adjustments are necessary.

Thus, check other pressure points around the entire perimeter of the window.

Specialists check the quality of the sash pressure using a caliper and a depth gauge. But it’s easier for the average user to do this with paper.

Facade designs for folding cabinets

According to the method of execution, furniture facades are divided into solid and framed. The first type is a canvas made of one type of material. It can be: natural wood, chipboard, MDF, glass, mirrors, etc.

Frame structures provide more scope for implementing design ideas. They consist of a frame and a panel. For the frame, MDF or aluminum profiles are most often used. Inserts are made from different materials. It is preferable to install frame structures in a wardrobe with sliding doors, as they are lighter.

Kinds

Before considering all the existing options for fittings for sliding doors, it is worth considering what the specified panels themselves are. Currently, the following popular door designs are installed in homes:

moving along the wall base - these options boast a stylish design and fairly simple installation - it is quite possible to cope with it without turning to specialists;

The listed options for sliding doors are incredibly popular today and are found in many homes. They not only boast an impressive design, but are also convenient to use. These structures must be equipped with the following fittings:

guides - these are the parts necessary for the folding leaves, designed to move the doors;

Accordion cabinet façade decor materials

For exterior decoration use:

• glass;
• rattan;
• bamboo;
• skin;
• textile;
• plastic;
• mirrors;
• metal.

Each type has its own characteristics.

High-quality plastic is practical, light, reliable, and low cost. A wide palette of shades is available, which simplifies the choice of furniture.

A special type of glass with high strength is used for facades. In the case of sliding facades, small inserts are mainly used to reduce the load on hinges and other fittings. Glass elements are decorated using different techniques: stained glass, sandblasting, fusing, matting.

Metal doors are considered the most durable. They can be painted in any color.

Natural materials (bamboo, rattan) will add ethnic notes to the interior.

Fabric and leather doors are lightweight, and a wide selection of textures and colors allows you to create a special facade design.

The mirror surface can serve as a dressing table, and it can be decorated in the same way as glass.

Photos of cabinets with a folding front opening system

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Having decided to buy a wardrobe with folding doors, you should decide in advance on its design and location. To do this, we first consider different options, taking into account the area and architectural features of the room. It is even recommended to make a drawing of the proposed purchase with exact dimensions. In a furniture salon, attention is paid to the internal content, quality of fittings, color design, smooth running and lack of noise.

Additional items

If you install an additional type of fittings, you can give any folding door additional charm.

Types of additional accessories:

• end loops of unusual shapes and colors;
• comfortable beautiful handles;
• inlaid overlays designed for folding sectional panels.

In addition, additional functionality of folding door structures can be provided by using hinges with a closer. These mechanisms will add ease to opening and folding door leaves. The mechanism has an adjustable closing speed with the function of fixing the doors when they are in the open position.

To learn how to install a folding door, see the following video.