Door swing typically 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.

For our Center Split Bi-Fold models, because there is no actual swinging door, it will refer to which half of panels will be your main active panels, as well as which side they will stack to (left/right, interior/exterior)

From the exterior, right half of door panels are main active folding panels, hinges on the right side, panels push inward (away from you as you enter). Panels accordion and stack to the interior right side.

Facing the door, while standing on the exterior of your space, the right half of door panels will be your main active folding panels. These panels will have their hinges on the right side, and will accordion and stack toward the interior of your space, from left to right.

The left half of door panels will be locked into the frame via an upper and lower flush bolt mechanism operated from the interior of the door. Disengaging these flush bolts will allow your left half of door panels to, when standing on the exterior of your space, accordion and stack toward the interior of your space, from right to left.

From the exterior, left half of door panels are main active folding panels, hinges on the left side, panels push inward (away from you as you enter). Panels accordion and stack to the interior left side.

Facing the door, while standing on the exterior of your space, the left half of door panels will be your main active folding panels. These panels will have their hinges on the left side, and will accordion and stack toward the interior of your space, from right to left.

The right half of door panels will be locked into the frame via an upper and lower flush bolt mechanism operated from the interior of the door. Disengaging these flush bolts will allow your right half of door panels to, when standing on the exterior of your space, accordion and stack toward the interior of your space, from left to right.

From the exterior, right half of door panels are main active folding panels, hinges on the right side, panels pull outward (towards from you as you enter). Panels accordion and stack to the exterior right side.

Facing the door, while standing on the exterior of your space, the right half of door panels will be your main active folding panels. These panels will have their hinges on the right side, and will accordion and stack toward the exterior of your space, from left to right.

The left half of door panels will be locked into the frame via an upper and lower flush bolt mechanism operated from the interior of the door. Disengaging these flush bolts will allow your left half of door panels to, when standing on the exterior of your space, accordion and stack toward the exterior of your space, from right to left.

From the exterior, left half of door panels are main active folding panels, hinges on the left side, panels pull outward (towards from you as you enter). Panels accordion and stack to the exterior left side.

Facing the door, while standing on the exterior of your space, the left half of door panels will be your main active folding panels. These panels will have their hinges on the left side, and will accordion and stack toward the exterior of your space, from right to left.

The right half of door panels will be locked into the frame via an upper and lower flush bolt mechanism operated from the interior of the door. Disengaging these flush bolts will allow your right half of door panels to, when standing on the exterior of your space, accordion and stack toward the exterior of your space, from left to right.

All of our standard center split bi-fold doors will have one main active half of door panels that will operate independently from the opposing half. This active half of panels has the ability to be locked and unlocked via a keyed cylinder on the exterior side of the door, or a flush bolt handle on the interior side of the door, unlocking the accordion folding mechanism and allowing you to stack this active half of panels to their respective side.

The opposing half of door panels will be locked into the top and bottom of the frame via flush bolt hardware. Disengaging these flush bolts from the interior flush bolt handle will unlock the accordion folding mechanism, allowing you to stack this inactive half of panels to their respective side.

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

Our exterior Center Split 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 Center Split 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 for Center Split Bi-Fold doors?

When referring to our Center Split Bi-Fold doors, the swing will dictate which half of door panels (the right or left half) will be your main active panels when viewing from the exterior of your space. It will also determine what direction and side this active half of door panels will fold and stack to (Interior or exterior, left or right)

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 Bi-Fold 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.

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.