How do I finish a rough opening for a bifold closet door? The instructions on the door package tell me how to hang the doors, but not what to do about the "hole"?

 

I see this is your first post, so welcome to the forums! Your rough opening should be about 2" wider than the finished opening size for the bifolds. You'll need to make a jamb for the bifolds (jamb stock is available in a variety of sizes and kinds at most lumberyards and big box stores). The jambs should equal the final wall thickness... for instance a 2x4 wall with 1/2" drywall on each side would call for a 4 9/16" jamb. Jambs come in a few standard widths, so if you have an odd wall thickness you may have to rip your own jambs out of solid stock, or use a premade jamb and add a jamb extension onto one side to make up the difference.

Once you have the jambs, you'll assemble the head piece and 2 leg pieces to form a "3 sided frame", then install this jamb into the rough opening, ensuring it is plumb and level by shimming between the jamb and rough opening with tapered cedar shims. Be sure the width between the top of the legs equals the width between the bottom of the legs. The interior dimensions of that jamb should equal the finished opening size given on your bifold instructions... for instance, 48x81.

 

Don't forget to install casings to both sides to cover the gap between the new jamb and the wall.

 

Alternatively, you need not use a jamb at all. The rough opening can be simply sized, with the addition of drywall, to have 1/4" space on each side of the door. Trim the front with casing as stated, however, instead of the usual reveal, you may overlap the casing so that it extrudes 1/4" to conceal the clearance gap.

 

I prefer a wood jamb to give adequate support for the top track for the doors.

 

I agree and IMO a jamb and casing just makes for a nicer looking job although I've worked in areas where a drywall return with or without casing was the norm.

 

A wood jamb does not give you any support to the top track, it is the header above the door that holds the track. No jamb is common in bifolds, especially in modern construction.

I prefer a jamb, too, but the poster did ask how to finish the opening. He did not say he is a novice, but assume, since he's reading the directions, he is No jamb and no interior trim will be easier for a newbie.

 

Maybe, but if he doesn't know how to put on corner bead and how to tape and finish drywall... if the rough opening is not perfectly plumb and level... if he doesn't think to shim behind the drywall so that he ends up with a "perfectly sized" finished opening... I think he would be scratching his head trying to put a bifold into a rough opening where the header might be 1/4" out of level, where the sides of the opening are 1/4" out of plumb, and the bottom of the opening is 1/4" wider than the top. They call them "rough" openings for a reason.

But the drywall return is certainly acceptable as well, you just don't slap the drywall onto the rough opening and call it good. My bifolds have drywall returns. But like you, I prefer jambs and casing. I agree that in many places drywall returns are the norm.

 

I hate drywall corners, because I'm no good at them

I meant to tell you, XSleeper, that was a great explanation on the crown molding, and the pictures you used to illustrate coping were excellent. (That was you, wasn't it?)

Connie

 

Thanks Connie... just trying to be helpful!