Where to locate knobs on bifold doors that must be opened and closed from both sides?

Question

I'm installing two of these bifold doors side-by-side in a 60" frame:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Pinecroft-30-in-x-80-in-Optique-Clear-Full-Lite-Universal-Reversible-Interior-Wood-Bi-fold-Door-873526/

Unlike the closets that most people install bifold doors on, these will need to be opened and closed from both sides. From the traditional "front" side, I think I know where to place the knobs: on the hinge-side rail of the panel closest to the opening.

However, I'm not sure where to best place a knob on the other side. Opening is easy: push the door in the center. But closing flat, without a knob, is difficult. A knob directly opposite the "front" side knob would provide the right leverage, but it seems like that would prevent the doors from folding.

Answer 1

Welcome to the world of flush mount, flush ring mount.

Nothing is sticking out and in your way.

There are many options in finish, sizes and you can mount them on both sides.

Source: Amazon

Answer 2

For this purpose they invented the handle hinge.

One of these at door-handle height and matching plain hinges in above and below, and you get a handle that dissapears into the fold when the door is opened, and reemerges as the door is closed.

Answer 3

There's a reason that this type of door is normally only used on closets. You've discovered it. Best bet - choose a door type more suited to dual-sided opening, rather than committing to a door that does not work well for that.

The only thing I can envision working correctly, and there may not be enough wood in the frame for it to work, would be a recessed or flush grip or pull (a hole with an edge you can pull on, that does not stick up and get in the way of folding - or a bit of hardware that folds flat, but can be pulled out) or else a hole all the way through, which limits other door functions, but could serve as the handle for both sides.

Images I can easily find are all on annoying websites that make putting them here a hassle. So do an image search on those terms.

Answer 4

How thick is the wood?

You could drill a finger-recess opposite the handle, and then route around making an undercut. The shape could be a circle, or a vertical slot with rounded ends.

The recess should be slightly above or below the handle on the other side. to avoid running into the mounting hardware/screws.

Advantage is that this makes the door lighter rather than adding any more weight, and has no moving parts.

Disadvantage is the door closing might be hard for people with very low finger strength. So you should orient the doors so the conventional handle is toward the most-used side if possible.

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Example router bit that would make a nice shape:

Approximate result:

Answer 5

I'm currently using a pair of bifold doors as the access way (through the old closet) to a new addition. Since we're creating a lot of dust, we're closing them from the inside.

There are a set of "aligners" that help hold the doors together and make sure they don't bang around as they close. They've been quite useful to ensure the doors completely close behind us, minimizing the dust that escapes into the finished parts of the house.

This is what the aligners look like:
^{Source: Home Depot. No recommendation intended or implied.}

This is how they're installed:

^{Source: Lowes. No recommendation intended or implied.}

They are, generally installed low on the door, but could be installed higher and for general use.

No, they're not pretty, but they work and there's probably a pair included with your brand new door. Even if there isn't, they're dirt cheap at only $3 from the HD link.

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Don't really think I could recommend this as a long-term solution unless you really don't care about appearance, but it's an option for those, like me, who need a short term solution.