Bi-fold and load bearing question.

[Joe87]

Hi all, 

We are in the VERY early stages of building our own garden room. We have decided on bi-fold doors across the front about 4m wide and two windows to make the corner one next to the bi fold and one on the side wall connecting at the corner with a square corner post. I have 2 questions that I hope someone can help with. 

 

1. My first question is, do the bifold doors (I assume runner) get attached to the wooden ceiling edge? Obviously the lower runner is on a course of bricks but I'm not sure on the top as I obviously can't add a course of bricks above the door. Sorry if this seems a ridiculous question. It'll probably be obvious once I know haha

 

2. Question two is, do I need some sort of load bearing square corner post? I can't imagine the roof just sits on top of the door and window frames. It'll be a good 5m or so of roof on that corner that potentially won't be held up by anything. Is there something else that would be used or would the other walls hold up this area or would I need some sort of lintel across the front to take the load? 

 

As I've said this is really early stages and we are still researching and learning a lot before we start anything! So I hope these questions are not to ridiculous :p. Everything else we are confident with but it's only the windows and bi fold we are unsure of and even if I do end up having them fitted I want to make sure it would be 'set up' correctly for a hassle free fitting. 

 

I hope I've made the questions clear. 

Thanks for any help

 

Joe

[nod]

You would normally have a steel beam above the bifolds that will support any brickwork or roof or floor above the bifolds 

The bifolds will be delivered without the glass fitted and the doors will be set within a frame 

Once glazed all the weight will be on the bottom of the frame which sits on brickwork 

Hope this helps 

[MAB]

This video in link below may help you.

I bought my 'Folding Sliding Doors' from here and installed them myself as shown in their video.

Detailed instructions can be downloaded here:-

https://www.foldingslidingdoors.com/info/advice-centre/installation-instructions

 

 

What is the best bi-fold operating system

 

Edited June 5, 2020 by MAB

[Simplysimon]

2 hours ago, Joe87 said:

Hi all, 

We are in the VERY early stages of building our own garden room. We have decided on bi-fold doors across the front about 4m wide and two windows to make the corner one next to the bi fold and one on the side wall connecting at the corner with a square corner post. I have 2 questions that I hope someone can help with. 

 

1. My first question is, do the bifold doors (I assume runner) get attached to the wooden ceiling edge? Obviously the lower runner is on a course of bricks but I'm not sure on the top as I obviously can't add a course of bricks above the door. Sorry if this seems a ridiculous question. It'll probably be obvious once I know haha

 

2. Question two is, do I need some sort of load bearing square corner post? I can't imagine the roof just sits on top of the door and window frames. It'll be a good 5m or so of roof on that corner that potentially won't be held up by anything. Is there something else that would be used or would the other walls hold up this area or would I need some sort of lintel across the front to take the load? 

 

As I've said this is really early stages and we are still researching and learning a lot before we start anything! So I hope these questions are not to ridiculous :p. Everything else we are confident with but it's only the windows and bi fold we are unsure of and even if I do end up having them fitted I want to make sure it would be 'set up' correctly for a hassle free fitting. 

 

I hope I've made the questions clear. 

Thanks for any help

 

Joe

welcome to the madhouse, in three years you'll have caught up with @joe90

[Russell griffiths]

I would say you need somebody to do some calculations on this for a couple of reasons

1. If you under specified your steel your roof will sag and stop your doors working. 

2. If you over specified your steel it could cost you a chunk of cash you could spend else where. 

 

Calculations should be done for a couple of hundred 

 

or just go and get a dirty big steel from the scrap yard and a steel corner post, for probably less than the calculations. 

Depends on your risk level. 

 

He who dares rodney. 

 

A rough sketch and theres probably a few blokes on here who could run the calcs for you. 

[Joe87]

Thanks for all the replies, some really good pointers. I thought I would get flamed of the forum haha. These are some good points. I'll definitely have a look at the video, that could be just what I need. I do like to jump into the deep end, "I built a grow box next job... Garden House!" haha. Thanks!