Track Styles for Bifold Doors

Bolt-on Track

• Bolt-on track is installed over the existing floor, creating a ridge of track on the floor and ceiling that the bifold door moves in when it is opened and closed. This style reduces the usable area of the door, and, thus, larger furniture may not quite fit through it anymore. In addition, the track must be stepped over when entering or exiting through the bifold doors.

Concealed Track

• A concealed track is one that is embedded into the floor, either by making a trench in the existing flooring or by installing the track at the same time as the floor is laid. The bifold door then moves through a track that is in line with the floor, keeping the full size of the doorway free for use. However, a concealed track cannot be removed without damaging the floor.

Size

• The track width of a bifold door is common to all door types, regardless of their thickness. The material used can vary, however; lighter doors can be fitted with thinner track material than can heavier doors. The result is that thin internal doors cannot be replaced with thicker exterior-grade doors without risking track buckling or requiring that the track be replaced.

Considerations

• When working out the size of the door frame, take the proposed track style into consideration. Either the door frame must be taller to accommodate a bolt-on track for a bifold door of a given height, or the door frame must be thick enough to accommodate a concealed track built into it.