How to Change Bifold Doors

Unscrew the hardware inside the track from the top of the doors and lift the doors off the brackets on the floor.

Unscrew the track and remove it from the header (the space over the doorway).

Measure the length of the old track and cut the new track to fit that measurement, using a hacksaw.

Finish the new doors by either staining or painting them. Apply the stain with a foam brush, wiping up any excess stain so it doesn't pool on the surface. If you're painting the doors, apply a coat of primer with a paintbrush and allow it to dry and then paint the doors. When applying the stain, paint or primer, make sure it doesn't bead up along the edges of the doors.

Install the hinges on the doors, following the manufacturer's instructions about the location of the hinges.

Connect the hardware for the doors onto the doors, following the manufacturer's instructions regarding the spacing and precise installation procedures for the doors you have. The hardware generally includes locking arms, which are the parts that slide inside the track, and the pivot plates, which are the pins on the bottom of the boor that fit inside the brackets.

Insert the hardware for the doors into the track. It can vary by manufacturer, but these pieces often include door stops in the center of the track, wheeled track hangers and pivot sockets. You'll have one of each of these pieces for each door.

Mark the location of the floor brackets on the side jambs up to the header.

Hold the track against the header with an assistant's help, positioning it so the marks on the side jambs for the floor brackets are centered in the track. Screw the track to the header, driving the screws until the tops are just beneath the track's surface so they don't block the doors from sliding.

Place the pin for one of the doors into the bracket on the floor. Screw the hardware into position on the track, following the manufacturer's directions for how to position the hardware, and install the other door.

Attach the handles to the doors.