To keep the doors sliding smoothly, it's important that the walls above don't transfer any weight onto the door frame – a steel support beam may be required in wide openings. The floor also needs to be solid, to keep the tracks straight and level. Lift and slide runners, with heavy-duty bearings, are preferable.
A Lintel is a structural support that sits above windows or doors. Lintels are required under current Building Regulations and must be installed where missing and any weight sits directly upon a door or window.
The Importance of Header Size
On a simple passage door in a non-loadbearing wall, a header made from a pair of 2 x 4s installed on edge is usually sufficient, while a typical double patio door in a non-load-bearing wall might require a 4 x 6 header or a 4 x 8 header.
Sliding wardrobe doors without a frame
For a minimalist design, providing the opening aperture is true and square, do not add a frame. We recommend that you only use this installation method if your walls are plumb and straight and if the floor is a level hard surface such as wood-flooring, laminate or tiles.
You really need to get some one to look at this! From what you say as long as there is enough of the reinforced slab sitting on the walls it will hold it self, Your best off taking all the bricks out up to the slab and then rebuilding the sides and placing a lintel where needed for extra strength.
Box lintels can be used for internal or external openings and with a variation of wall thicknesses. The Keystone box lintel has perforations along its length acting as a plaster key. As an optional extra Keystone box lintels can be insulated.
Sliding doors are worth considering if your priority is your view and you wish this to be as uninterrupted as possible by framing. 'With a sliding door you get the benefit of larger expanses of glass and the view isn't impaired by as many frame lines when the door is shut,' adds Higgs.
The Pros of Sliding Glass Doors
If you have a large gaping doorway in your home or office, sliding doors are practical and efficient. They make great use of space and if you ever need to move big items or furniture around, there is no reason to try and squeeze the item through the small door jam or a window.
Sliding doors allow you to create different zones in your space, without shutting areas off completely. This is a great advantage if you work from home and need to have privacy but still stay connected to the rest of the family.
To install a pocket door in an existing wall, you have to remove drywall, and it's easier to uncover the entire wall instead of trying to work in a limited opening. That way, you can remove entire studs instead of cutting them and reroute wires as needed.
Measure the width of your door frame. Most door frames that are 4 feet wide or less require a 2-by-6 header. Between 4 and 5 feet, the header should be built 2 inches wide and 8 inches long while a larger opening needs a header that is 2-by-12. When in doubt, use 2-by-12-inch headers.
Always use two studs on each side of the opening. The first will be continuous from the top plate to the bottom plate. This is called a king stud. The next jack stud will be cut to the height of your door plus 2-1/2″ and minus the thickness of the bottom plate 1-1/2″ as it will rest on top of this.
Lintels generally require a nominal minimum end bearing of 150mm at both ends, meaning the total lintel length is the span of the opening plus 300mm.
Bi-fold doors open your home to more light and add flexibility to your interior layout. Installing them requires adding a lintel across the top to provide structure to the opening and support the weight of the doors. For bi-fold doors, steel lintels make your best option as they have the strength for the job.
Simply put a lintel is a beam that is usually placed above windows and doors. The lintel's main job is to support the load from the structure above it. Both doors and windows are not constructed to structurally withstand massive loads by themselves. Lintels are mainly found in masonry or brick structures.
Sliding doors provide better security and offer ease of use and space-saving opportunities. Sliding glass doors use a glass pack and insulated frames to offer better energy efficiency than the traditional French doors. French doors allow more ventilation but can have space, mechanical, energy-efficiency issues.
Locking and Security
Patio doors, for example, serve as a protection against security threats. Just like windows, a patio door can be an entry point for intruders. In this case, French patio doors are much more effective than sliding doors because of their dependable locking system.
Myth 1: Sliding Doors Leak Water When It Rains
Yes, but no. Just about any opening in your home, be it a window, door, or sliding door, can leak given enough wind and rain.
Being light and easy to operate, sliding doors make opening and closing simple for a child or somebody in their later years.
Sliding doors are not only lightweight and occupy less space, but they are also highly sturdy and durable. A great feature that adds to their durability is that they are waterproof as well.
What size concrete lintel do I need? The lintel should be installed with a minimum end bearing of 150mm, so measure your opening and add at least 300mm. Unlike steel lintels, a concrete lintel is often used in visible areas and painted if required.
Steel lintels are generally made from pre-galvanised steel which is cut and either roll-formed or pressed into the required shape. Steel has the advantage over concrete in that the lintels are usually lighter and are easier to handle on site. The lintel can be shaped so that it is not visible above the opening.
Lintels are required for all openings over timber frames greater than 600mm in width, & for all openings over steel frames greater than 900mm.