On Dec 26, 9:33*pm, "Mark" wrote:
"Jo Ann" wrote in message

...





Hello all,

I am a newbie to the group, relatively new homeowner of a relatively
old home (late 1800s). *I'm not an especially skilled DIY'er, but not
a complete idiot, either. *Needless to say, with an old house to
maintain, I learn more every day!

My current issue is a bifold single door that will only open about
halfway. *It's not off the track and doesn't visually appear to have
anything wrong, but when I try to fold it open more than about
halfway, it resists and feels sort of "sprung." *I can force it back
all the way by pushing on it really hard, but it won't stay. *It
doesn't drag or stick, opens smoothly to about halfway. *It happened
suddenly -- opened it once and it worked fine, opened it the next time
and it wouldn't open all the way. *It feels as if there is something
caught behind it keeping it from opening all the way, but there's
nothing there. *It's the kind that hangs from a plastic/nylon roller
in the top track and pivots on the lower corner (no track on the
bottom). *I've had a lot of bifold doors before and thought I knew
every way they could go wrong, but this is a new one on me. *Any
ideas?

Thanks in advance,
Jo Ann

There are several designs to bifolds, so a lot depends on how yours is
built. *Mine are attached on a pivot at the *'fixed' jam side, and then have
a single pin that rides in the track at the other side, with a spring in the
track at the open end that puts tension on the door when it is closed to
keep it closed. * It sounds like yours is on a closet, so check that there
is nothing like a coat or shirt sleeve that might be getting in the way on
the fixed side of the door when it opens. *It might not be obvious once you
have the door open.

If this isn't the case, check the track at the open end to see if there is a
spring and it is working as you'd expect. *It could be out of place, or bent
and causing the door to bind when opening if the spring is in a certain
position where as it might not bind if it is positioned slightly
differently. *Look in the track to be sure a mounting screw isn't loose and
catching on the door in some way.

Is the floor surface carpeted? *Check that the bottom of the door isn't
catching on something.

It has to be something that you can see if you watch closely. *Next time it
gets stuck, stop and check it out closely. *You should be able to see
something.

After reading the responses, I thought "These guys are right. It's a
simple design with only a few possibilities, not some sort of
complicated, advanced technology." So, I lifted the door off the
track and discovered -- a sticky-tape lint roller stuck behind it! I
couldn't see it when I examined the partially opened door because it
was stuck right in the middle of the door, right at the V where it's
hinged. I had looked at the shelves and nothing was protruding, had
looked at the floor to see if something had fallen down, but it never
occurred to me that the fallen item had actually attached itself to
the door in the one spot where I couldn't see it with the door partway
open (it's a shallow pantry cupboard, so it wasn't possible to squeeze
in behind far enough to see the back of the door). That's why the
door felt springy when I tried to force it; the roller would compress
(they're only tape and cardboard), but was thick enough to exert
pressure and bounce back when I let go; and, of course, the harder I
pressed, the better it stuck. Anyway, thought I would post this to
say thanks to everyone who encouraged me to examine the door more
closely and also to give everyone a laugh! Thanks for the help!

Jo Ann