Here at PINKYS, all of our exterior Bi-Fold doors are available in 4 different swing options, as described below:

All of our standard bi-fold doors will have one main active door panel that will operate independently from the rest. The additional door panels will be locked into the top and bottom of the frame via flush bolt hardware. Disengaging this flush bolt will unlock the accordion folding mechanism of the door panels, allowing you to fold and fully stack all door panels to one side at a 90° open angle.

To close and lock the folding mechanism, simply unfold the doors back to their closed position and re-engage the flush bolt.

Swing angle refers to the number of degrees a door can open from it's closed position. Our exterior Iron double doors have the ability to open a full 180°.

When looking at our Air Series Bi-Fold doors, the main active door will be your one swinging panel, and it's swing angle will be reliant on the below factors:

Placement of the Door Jamb 

In order for a full 180° swing angle, you will need to install your door jamb flush with your drywall or finish work.

Objects in Swing’s Arc Path

You will need to ensure that there are no objects along the wall the door will be opening up to. This will include any light fixtures, hanging objects, furniture, etc. You will also want to consider any adjacent doors that could directly impact the doors swing angle.

Door Lock Projection

The installed lockset’s projection, or how far the lockset projects out from the door when installed, will have a direct impact on this swing angle, as the door will only open as far as the lockset will allow before hitting the adjacent wall.

Unleveled Flooring

If your flooring on the hinged side of the door isn’t level, any uneven slope of the flooring that would cause the bottom of the door to hit within the swing’s arc path would directly inhibit its swing angle.

Our exterior steel Air Series Bi-Fold doors use steel bullet hinges that come pre-welded to the doors and frames. These can not be removed or adjusted, however, each door comes pre-fit and tested with the exact frame that you receive to ensure seamless operation.

Due to their slim profile and minimal frames, our exterior steel Air Series Bi-Fold doors are not offered with operable glass panels.

Greasing the hinges is very easy via the included hinge zerk fittings. All you need is a standard grease gun and petroleum grease. Once your grease gun is loaded and primed, place the nozzle directly on top of the brass nipple and press straight down until you hear a click. Once you hear the click, keep the gun pressed down and pump the lever 1 to 2 times. If grease starts to seep out where the hinges meet before you finish the full two pumps, stop, wipe off the excess grease, and move on to the next hinge. 

The glass and the metal should be cleaned with our Iron Door Spray on a regular basis to protect it from UV rays. This spray is specially made to leave a protective coating on your door, as well as keep the door clean from dirt and grime.

Spray our Iron Door Spray directly onto a microfiber towel, then wipe evenly along the surface of both the glass and metal. Spraying directly onto the door itself can more easily create streaks along the surface of the glass and door.

What does “door swing” mean?

Door swing refers to the direction and arc through which a door moves when opened and closed, which plays an important role in design, space planning, and accessibility.

In the case for a Bi-Fold door, the swing also dictates the direction and side (interior or exterior) in which the bi-fold folds to.

What is door handing, and how is it related to door swing?

Handing determines which side or the door, when facing the door from the exterior, your hinges are on, as well as the direction that the door will open.

Do building codes dictate swing direction?

Yes, building codes indeed dictate door swing in certain situations. The standard requirements depend on your local code, which includes aspects like occupancy type and use case for the room or space.

For example, some commercial locations require doors to swing in the direction of egress if the building hits a certain max occupancy or contains high-hazard contents.

If installing in a hurricane-prone region, code may require your door to swing outwards as to prevent strong winds from blowing the door inwards and causing a safety risk.

Best practice is to always check and follow local codes and ordinances to remain compliant.

Can I reverse the swing of my PINKYS door?

No. All of our doors are made and tested with the exact frame you receive, with the exterior of the door prepped specifically to withstand exterior elements. You will want to make sure to order the necessary swing for you specific application.

Do I always have to fold all my bi-fold door panels open in order to use the door?

No, our standard bi-fold doors actually have one main swing door, which can be used independently of the accordion mechanism at any time, allowing for a more versatile use case.

Should my door swing in or out?

Certain applications may require a specific swing in order to be code compliant. For example, some commercial applications may require your door to swing in the direction of egress (typically out swing) for safety purposes. It is always best practice to check and follow local building code and ordinances to remain compliant.

If no local building codes affect your specific application, choosing an in swing vs an out swing door is a matter of design preference. Out swing doors provide more interior space to work with and are often used as back patio doors, while in swing doors provide a bit more privacy in your space, such as most front entry doors.