Bi Fold Door Problem (Revised post) pic attached

michael · May 16, 2007 10:32 am

If anyone can offer any advise regarding a bi fold door
We currently have a standard 3580x2100 bi fold door which sits on the slab which supports it. (Refer attached photo) Adter two years of endless problems with the door the building company has decided to replace it with a top hung door.

The existing bi fold door is bottom a mounted unit which is supported by the house slab so there is no load bearing on the top of the door

The header/lintel beam size that was fitted during construction of the house is made up of a c channel which is approx 150mm high by 50mm wide and 10mm thick.
This header/lintel was designed to ONLY support the roof above the bi fold door as the area above the door is load bearing.

The buider now wants to install a top hung bi fold door using the existing header/lintel to support this unit.
The door manafacturer advised us that the header/lintel above the door opening may require strengthning as the door needs to be supported from the top of the door, as they require screwing into the header/lintel above the door for the support.
As this opening is load bearing we dont believe the existing header was designed to support a top hung door.
What would be the correct steel header size to support the roof and the the top hung door. As per the photo the header/lintel was only designed to support the section of roof directly above the door. The brickwork above the door as per the photo has its own seperate lintel to support the bricks only.
We are concerned that the existing header/lintel is not sufficient to support the additional load of the new door.
Thank you for the last reply
Regards
Michael Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅

ECOECO · May 16, 2007 11:21 am

Hi

Unless there is a reason by way of quality or an irrepairable problem with the door you have - I would stick to bottom hung. Perhaps a replacement door from the same supplier? Bottom hung on a slab construction is the best engineered design. My guess is that the builder now uses a different supplier and that's why they want to change. Not your problem - they should buy what you want. Be careful that they get the exact size again as suppliers sizes vary. Installation is critical.

The door would weigh around 200kgs which is not so heavy across 3.5m. And the opening door on one end supported by the jamb reduces the load by 25%. If the other end is hinged off the jamb that's only 100kgs on the lintel. But please seek expert advice or accept that the builder knows what he/she is doing.

I think the builder must recommence the warranty on the replacement.

Thanks

michael · May 16, 2007 12:11 pm

Thank you very much for your information.
The building company flat out refused to put in another bottom bi fold door. They now believe that a bottom mounted bi fold is not suitable for this opening.
To try and resolve the problem we wanted a stacker door which would have gone straight into the opening but the building company was stubborn and refused to pay the additional couple of hundred dollars required.
We are very concerned at the moment regarding what they propose to do
Regards Michael

ECOECO · May 16, 2007 1:50 pm

Hi

Quote:

The building company flat out refused to put in another bottom bi fold door. They now believe that a bottom mounted bi fold is not suitable for this opening.

Nonsense... a bottom hung bifold does not care where it is, and a slab is pefect - unless of course there is something wrong with the slab... check it is horizontal and that the door does not overhang the slab - in either case it's their problem. (A bottom hung bifold needs very good support).

Quote:

To try and resolve the problem we wanted a stacker door which would have gone straight into the opening but the building company was stubborn and refused to pay the additional couple of hundred dollars required.

Very, very surprised as a bifold door would be double the cost of your stacker alternative.

Quote:

We are very concerned at the moment regarding what they propose to do

It's still their problem, not yours - so relax. And if you get a stacker instead - expect some compensation - like $2,000.

Check the slab closely :idea:

... because a stacker door would also require an accurate slab and good support , and it is strange that the builder turned down this option when it is a cheap "out".

Thanks

ECOECO · May 16, 2007 1:51 pm

Hi

Quote:

The building company flat out refused to put in another bottom bi fold door. They now believe that a bottom mounted bi fold is not suitable for this opening.

Nonsense... a bottom hung bifold does not care where it is, and a slab is pefect - unless of course there is something wrong with the slab... check it is horizontal and that the door does not overhang the slab - in either case it's their problem. (A bottom hung bifold needs very good support).

Quote:

To try and resolve the problem we wanted a stacker door which would have gone straight into the opening but the building company was stubborn and refused to pay the additional couple of hundred dollars required.

Very, very surprised as a bifold door would be double the cost of your stacker alternative.

Quote:

We are very concerned at the moment regarding what they propose to do

It's still their problem, not yours - so relax. And if you get a stacker instead - expect some compensation - like $2,000.

Check the slab closely :idea:

... because a stacker door would also require an accurate slab and good support , and it is strange that the builder turned down this option when it is a cheap "out".

Thanks

ian · May 19, 2007 7:47 pm

Michael,
With 20 plus year experiance i have i would say the door has never been fitted right!!!!! The door you have needs to be EXACTLY level, with no dips or bows in the bottom track.The same with the top track. OPEN DOORS FULLY, get a tape measure ,then measure, one side, floor to top of door INTERNAL. do the same in the middle.These measurements should be exactly the same. The door needs to be solid fixed at the head track,as this takes ALL the weight!!!!!!!!!! The steel support you have above is fine to fix into,just very hard to do for the average builder!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Also it is important to measure the diagonals across the whole outerframe,This insures the frame is square. I fit doors upto 6.5 metres wide exactly like yours and they are double glazed, so imagine the weight of these!!!!!!!. All of my installations work fine. Get a proper installer to have a look, builders fit doors,ok,but bi- fold doors are a bit of a art to do. Reguards Ian

Ed Perry · May 19, 2007 10:28 pm

Quote:

The door needs to be solid fixed at the head track,as this takes ALL the weight!!!!!!!!!! The steel support you have above is fine to fix into,just very hard to do for the average builder!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Michael says it's a bottom hung door... so the slab is critical. And the builder's need to change to a top-hung does suggest either that there is a quality problem with the bottom hung door or the slab is out.

Ed

ian · May 20, 2007 8:34 am

michael,
your door as i have said before needs to be fixed at the head section. As recomended by the manufacturer. Get a proper installer who only does this for a job
Reguards Ian

ian · May 20, 2007 9:08 am

michael,
Just to make sure of things, has your doors got sliding wheels at the bottom, if so its bottom hung. if not it is top hung. If this is the case then as required by the manufacturer the head section needs to be fixed. AS BY THE MANUFACTURER DID TELL YOU IS THAT RIGHT . let me know either way , not much gets pass me. Hope i can help
reguards Ian