A bifold closet door looks very stylish and trendy. Not only in terms of look, but it is also a good choice when it comes to ease of use. A big closet with bifold doors helps you to reach out to the shelves and sections easily. This has either two or more doors hinged together. When folded, they are positioned at a 90-degree angle to each other.
The bifold closet has pivots on the top and bottom. Now if you see that door going out of the trail or trembling, it is likely that the pivots are not functioning properly. And to make the door function again, you need to fix it. Fixing the bifold closet bottom pivot is not so tough if you know the way.
To help you fix the bottom pivot of the bifold closet door and other issues, I am here with this article. Keep reading the article as I would discuss fixing the pivots of a bifold closet door. Let’s get started now!
4 Easy Steps To Fix A Bifold Closet Door Bottom Pivot: Do It Yourself
It often happens that the bottom pivot may come off the bracket or the bracket may break. As the entire bifold door is moved with the help of these pivots, they may get damaged. However, fixing them is not so difficult if you know the right method. In fact, you can do it by yourself if you see an issue with the bifold door.
Below are the simple steps to fix a bifold closet door bottom pivot:
Step 1: Remove The Door From The Trail
First, you need to remove the door from the trail to work smoothly. You can’t work on the door if the screws and pivots are fixed in place. This is why you need to remove it.
To take out the door, you have to put pressure on the upper spring pivot. As the spring compresses the upper pivot, the bottom of the door gets released from the bottom bracket. Now move the door towards you to detach the door from the upper trail completely. Keep the door at a side and position it before you work on it.
Step 2: Unscrew The Old Bottom Pivot
If you see a damaged bottom pivot, you need to replace it. For replacing, you have to remove the old bracket and empty the space for installing the new one. First, remove the screws from the bottom bracket with a screwdriver or drill. As the screws are removed, the bracket will come off the door.
So this bracket is what keeps the door connected with the floor and walls. The bracket is bent so that one side faces the floor and the other side faces the wall. The side that faces the floor has holes to put the screws on. The other side has two holes from screwing. Remove all of them and detach the bottom pivot.
Step 3: Screw A New Bottom Pivot
Take a new bottom pivot bracket. You have to adjust the bracket in the same place as the old bracket. The screws would be placed along the same holes that have been made previously. In fact, the holes would guide you to the position of the bracket.
The holes towards the floor would need a 2-inch screw and the holes towards the wall generally require ¾ inch of screws. Fix these screws into the holes with a screwdriver or drill to secure the new bottom bracket to the door.
Step 4: Position And Align The Door
Once the bottom bracket is fixed to the door, you can now fix it to the trail once again. You need to position the door the same way you have detached the door from the upper track. With the spring in the upper pivot bracket, press the door upwards so that the lower pin automatically gets into the lower pivot bracket. Now both the pins are into the brackets.
Make sure that the two brackets (upper and bottom) are on the same line. Try folding the door to check whether the positioning is right or wrong. If you don’t find it smooth, you can loosen the pivot slightly and slide the door. Where you feel the door is moving smoothly, position the pivot at that point and fix the screws tightly.
How To Fix A Loose Bifold Closet Door Bottom Pivot? (5 Steps)
Sometimes, the bifold closet door may move vigorously on the path while sliding it. This happens when the pivot gets loose or wears away. The entire setup needs to be altered in this situation. In fact, you need a new hole to fix the pivot as the old hole is bigger than it should be. This problem is very common as regular usage can wear away the wood, make the hole big, and the door shaky.
Here are 5 steps to fix a loose bifold closet door bottom pivot:
Step 1: Remove The Door From The Track
First, you have to lift the door slightly so that it presses the upper spring pin. As the spring pin is compressed, you have to move the door towards you. In this way, the door would come out of the track and you can then work on finding the loose pivot and fix it.
Step 2: Take Out The Loose Pivot
Now find the pivot that is loose. It is likely that the pin is loose and the hole has been enlarged. You can get the loose pivot to the bottom or top of the door. Search in the brackets, move them, and see which one is loose.
With a screwdriver or drill, pull out the pivot screw that is loose. Along with the screw, remove the pivot bracket as well to work smoothly.
Step 3: Drill The Existing Hole
See, if you completely change the position of the bracket, the alignment would be distorted. But as the hole has been enlarged, the fitting is not proper making the door shaky. Now the only way out is to make another hole in the existing hole where you can screw it. To do that, you have to enlarge the existing hole first.
Use a drill to enlarge the existing hole. The round has to be perfect and large enough so that a dowel can be fixed in it. The dowel will fill the gaps in the hole and help you make another hole in it.
Step 4: Fix The Dowel
As the hole is made, now is the turn to fix the dowel into the hole to fill in the gap. First, spread some around the plug of the dowel. Now insert the dowel in the hole to fill the gap. Remove the extra glue from the hole and let it dry and sit.
If you see the dowel extending out of the hole, cut off the extra part of it so that it sits flat on the door.
Step 5: Make A New Hole And Fix The Pivot
As the dowel is fixed into the gap, you can now drill through the dowel to make a new hole. Try to make the hole in the same position as before to keep the alignment right.
After you make the hole, insert the pin into the hole. Screw the pins tightly and then install the brackets. In the end, install the door again the same way you removed it from the track.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How To Adjust Bifold Closet Door Bottom Pivot?
You may need to adjust the bifold closet door bottom pivot to prevent damage to the flooring as well as the wood. If the pivot is not adjusted properly, the door bottom would touch the ground and wear out soon. To stop this, the pivot has to be slightly lifted so that the door doesn’t touch the ground.
To make the adjustment, remove the door from the track by lifting it up. After that, check the adjustment of the bottom pivot. If the pivot is so tightened, you would need to loosen it a bit so that the door remains lifted from the track. Once you are confident about the adjustment, reinstall the door on the track the same way you removed it.
Does A Bifold Closet Door Need A Bottom Track?
Generally, a bifold door needs only one track to move and slide from one end to the other. Though the pivots and brackets are generally installed on both ends of the door, one track can suffice.
It is not mandatory to have a bottom track. In fact, many bifold closet doors have an upper track where the pivot and brackets are adjusted. Along the upper track, the door slides.
The other setups are made across the internal area of the bifold door. Therefore, it is not always mandatory to have a bottom track in a bifold closet door.
How To Adjust Bifold Closet Door Pivot Alignment?
It is very common to get the wrong alignment in a bifold closet door. And this happens, the bifold closet door would tremble and won’t open or close smoothly. Poor alignment disrupts the smooth running of the track.
To adjust the alignment, you need to adjust the position of the brackets. Lift the door a bit and check the alignment of the brackets along the track. As per your idea, you have to loosen the pivot and move the bracket sideways. Now check the alignment and then see whether the door is working fine or not.
As you adjust the position of the bracket, you can get the right alignment. You can even adjust the height of the bottom pivot to resolve the door alignment issue.
How Much Should Be The Gap Between Bifold Closet Doors?
The gap between the two doors of the bifold door plays a big role in aligning the door. And when the alignment is right, the door moves swiftly across the track. This is why the gap between the doors is important.
Between two adjacent doors in a bifold closet door, there should be a gap of ⅛ inch. This is the ideal gap to ensure that the doors don’t collide with each other. Apart from this gap, you also should take care of the gap between the door and the floor.
Leave a minimal gap between the floor and the door so that it doesn’t run over the floor. If it does, the flooring will get damaged as well as the wooden door corners would be scraped off. Therefore, stay cautious while determining the gaps.
How To Fix The Bifold Closet Door Pivot Brackets?
Adjusting the bifold door bracket is one of the main tasks you need to do. The bracket adjustment makes the bifold door slide on the track smoothly and properly without any interruption.
To fix the bifold closet door brackets, lift the door slightly to loosen it out of the track. Once you do it, you have to slide the brackets on the door to see whether it is aligned to the bracket at the bottom or not. If not, you need to adjust the alignment of the bracket. By sliding the door, you can check the alignment.
If you think that the screws in the brackets are loose, remove the door and use a screwdriver to tighten them. This way, you can fix any issues with the pivot brackets.
Final Thoughts:
It is quite simple to fix the issues of a bifold closet door bottom pivot if you know the right way. As I have already guided you about the common issues you may face, I believe now you are confident enough to work on these problems.
Next time there is an issue with your bifold closet door pivots, will you be able to solve it by yourself? I believe you can!