Looking to build bi-fold doors

sounds like a good plan so far. the sepele isnt going to move much. its very stabile and machines well. If it were me I would make them with stile and rail with raised panels but thats just me. I’m not sure but I think there is a project or two in my gallery with sepele and raised panels. If not and you want to see what they look like I will post some. just looked not there but it is now! lol :-] wiskey case

skeez

-- hey honey! watch this!

Stile and rail construction solves several problems identified by our woodworking ancestors.

- Wood movement is accounted and allowed for, but contained in the panels. This keeps your door functioning well season after season.

- Warpage. The stiles and rails can be cut from straight grained, stable stock and the panels from stock with interesting figure, that tends to be a bit less stable. The long grain stile and rail can keep the panels relatively flat in all but extremely warp prone wood. Again, the entire door should function better, longer.

- A frame and panel door will usually be lighter than a solid panel.

The visual impact of the gran choices for frames vs. panels is strikingly obvious in oak, once you start to look for it. Frames made of straight grained wood around a cathedral grained panel look far better than a “zebra camoflage” door. In your case, the grain will be far less obvious with sapele, so you don’t have to worry as much.

Don’t forget, frames panels can have all kinds of details to totally customize a look. Straight, square frame parts and flat panels (ala plain Shaker) might look appeal to you, as you like flat slab doors.

With a stable wood like sapele, there’s also the option of building an internal frame and skinning it to create very stable slab doors or reasonable weight.

-- - Real men read directions

Thanks for you help and suggestions. Having no experience, I’m afraid that stile and rail construction may be a bit out of my league. I’m also partial to the flat panel look. Given what you guys have said, do you think it’s possible/adviseable to glue pieces together and go with the solid, flat panel approach? If so, is there a recommended width for the pieces to be glued together?

Thanks again

Pocket screw joints might be an option. There are also plugs available in different types of wood. It’s a very easy and strong joint. Kreg jigs are popular.

-- Rich, Seattle, WA

You can check my projects, I recent made a set of bi-fold doors for a friend’s kitchen. They are not solid wood doors but work and look good for the application. I used 1×2 oak frame that was connected using picket screws and glue as Rich recommended. Then I glued and pinned the 1/4” oak plywood backs to the frame and voila its done. The doors open in on themselves so you never see the backs of the plywood. They are very tall but light weight. You don’t directly say in your post, but I am assuming you are wanting to make solid wood bi-fold doors? If so, you will definitely need to be aware of the weight of the doors realative to the hardware you are using.

-- "You get what you inspect, not what you expect"

I’m sorry I’m a little late with a comment, but I seen this in LJ Magazine today.

This is a set of doors I built quite a few years ago.

I didn’t have a plan, but they’ve lasted many years now.

I think that building them with a frame, & panel construction there would be less chance of twisting, or warping.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Why not just veneer the doors you already have? It would be lighter in weight and I wonder if the door hardware would hold up to solid or panel doors. My 2 cents.

-- Only the Shadow knows....................

Thanks for all the suggestions. I really appreciate all the help. The pictures of past projects are fantastic.

Here’s a page on my site that shows some construction photos a set of 6 ft. bifold doors I made for my previous house. The doors are made with ash with flat panels. Maybe this will help you with visualize the how to construct your doors. These doors joints were done with a router.

Here’s another page on my site that shows some interior doors I am currently making for my house.
This page shows many photos of the construction process.

-- Garry, Engadine, Michigan (Upper Peninsula)