How to Convert an Accordion Door to a French Door

Accordion doors, while extremely common, can become frustrating due to a bent track or lost support pin. For this reason, or any other reason, you may need to convert your accordion doors into swinging French doors. Most accordion doors can be converted rather simply, using only basic tools and equipment. As accordion doors are smaller than the doorway by necessity, the doors will never be too large to work as French doors. They may, however, occasionally leave gaps above and below the doors that are much smaller than the opening.

Drill
Wood drill bits
4 metal door hinges
Wood screws, 1-inch
Wood screws, 3-inch
Latch
Metal flat straps, 6-inch

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the accordion doors from their tracks by depressing the retention pins at the top of each door and sliding them out of their position within the tracks. Depress the pins at both the top and bottom of the door if necessary to remove the doors.
- 2
  Unscrew the tracks from the top and bottom of the doorway, loosening each screw with a drill and holding the top track in place to prevent it from falling once the last screw is removed.
- 3
  Separate the accordion doors from one another by unscrewing each of the brackets, hinges or straps that connect the two doors. Hold each door up to the door frame with the help of an assistant.
- 4
  Position two door hinges between each door and the door frame, spacing them one foot from the top and bottom of the door. Mark the screw holes for the hinge in the doors and the door frames. Remove the doors and set them on the ground. Set the hinges aside.
- 5
  Use a drill and a wood drill bit slightly smaller in diameter than the wood screws to make a hole in each marked position. Return the door and hinges to their places against the door frame. Drill 3-inch wood screws into each hole in the door frame and 1-inch wood screws into the holes in the door, drilling each one halfway until all the screws have been placed. Tighten all screws completely to finish the installation.
- 6
  Test the doors by swinging them back and forth, making any necessary adjustments to prevent friction and slow operation.
- 7
  Set a latch between the two doors. Mark the positions of the latch screw holes. Drill out each hole. Attach the latch to the doors with 1-inch wood screws.

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