HOW TO MEASURE YOUR DOOR
We need to know the clear inside measure-
ments, or air opening, height and width.
We hang our door up and above your clear
opening, on the outside of the building, so we
won't lose any headroom! We usually hang
the door 12", 24", 30" or 36" above your clear
opening. This will vary from door to door.
We need a header placed at 12", 22", 28" or
34" to center above your clear opening to
hang our door on. You can build this into the
endwall of your new or existing building.
Shows how a header is installed in an endwall
of a building and where. The header is placed
up and above the bottom of the rafter so you
won't lose any headroom!
This drawing shows how the Bi-Fold Door
rolls up the outside of the building column.
Your door will look like this when fully opened.
Lose no headroom!
SPEC SHEET DETAILS
We at the factory will help fill in the "Spec Sheet Details".
A. ___ Clear Opening between building Side Columns - Finished Opening.
B. ___ Clear opening from bottom of truss to finished floor - or total clear height opening.
C. ___ Distance from finished floor to the very top of door hinge. B+D=C.
D. ___ Distance from top of clear height to top of single hinge. This distance will vary on
different size doors. The distance above your clear opening will be 12"-24"-30"-
36"-48"-Other_______. Circle One.
E. ___ Distance from top of clear height to center of mounting hole for single hinges.
F. ___ Distance from finished floor to beginning of top building sheeting.
H. ___ The distance from the finished floor to the center of the mounting hole for the
hinges.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR DOOR
Door starting to open
Door fully opened
"Door Frame" in the Clear Opening
Bi-Fold Doors Overlay the Side Columns on the Face of the Building.
Dear Valued Customer, Important Messages
Customer, Contractor/Owner, Building Manufacturer, Architects, Building Suppliers
The customer, contractor/owner and the building manufacturer are responsible to ensure
that the building's structural design is capable of handling all the imposed loads that the
Bi-Fold door exerts on your door header, endwall, and building. When your Bi-Fold door
is in a full open position, the Bi-Fold door tends to pull away from the building at the hinge
line exerting considerable horizontal loads on the building structure in the open position.
Your building header design must meet standard deflection and strength criteria, both in
vertical and horizontal directions to support the Bi-Fold door in all positions.
We will work with your architects, contractors and building suppliers to make sure the
door you order will fit your clear opening and building. We will answer your questions and
assist you with shop drawings to make sure that your "Automatic Bi-fold" door will fit your
new or existing building. Available are the door weights, loadings, hinge locations, specs
and fine details.
Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors will provide you with those loads that are applied to your building
and door. We will provide you with our A-1, A-2, A-3, and A-4....A7 Spec sheets for your
actual measurements, movements, weights, and hinge locations.
WARNING:
Improperly designed Bi-fold door header can result in property damage, personal injury
or death.
Your building header design must meet standard deflection and strength criteria
both in vertical and horizontal directions to support the bi-fold door in all positions.
Door Span Allowable Deflection
0' - 50' 1"
50' - 70' 1.50"
Over 70' 2"
The Schweiss Handbook is designed to show:
The many different ways to attach a Bi-Fold door to your new or existing building structure
(wood, steel, Quonset, sidewalls, etc.) Detailed illustrations to help you further under-
stand how to prepare your building for a Bi-Fold door, without changing the design of your
steel or wood building. Many different applications of an optional Freestanding Header.
The Schweiss Handbook should be read by anyone involved in the design, specifications,
selection or purchase of an industrial Bi-Fold door operator or automated Bi-Fold door
system. Any illustrations or numbers shown in this book are for examples only. Upgrade
equipment is available from Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors and is strongly recommended that
upgrade equipment be used on every Bi-Fold door.
WARNING: Without the proper upgrade equipment, the door could cause property
damage, personal injury or death.
If you have any questions about Bi-Fold doors or need technical assistance, feel free to
call us at (507) 426-8273.
Thank You
Schweiss Bi-Fold Doors
How to Measure your Door - Steel Side View
Lateral Bracing
Stub Column
D
E
CCC
Bottom
of Stub
CC
Top Of
Header
C
Overall
Height of
Bi-fold Door
B
Clear
Opening
Side Column
Steel Building Mounting Styles
(A) Flush Mount
Inside of
Building
Top View
Steel
Side
Column
Side Wall
Girt
Building
Line
Sheeting is on the same plain
Outside of
Building
Recessed Door - Layout
(B) Face Mount
Inside of
Building
Top View
Steel
Side
Column
Side Wall
Girt
Building
Line
Sheeting is offset
Outside of
Building
Standard Door - Layout
Wood Building Mounting Styles
(A) Flush Mount
Inside of
Building
Top View
Wood
Side
Column
Building
Line
Sheeting is on the same plain
Outside of
Building
Flush Door - Layout
(B) Face Mount
Inside of
Building
Top View
Wood
Side
Column
Building
Line
Sheeting is offset
Outside of
Building
Standard Door - Layout
How to Measure Your Door
Wood Frame Structure
Steel Frame Structure
D
- Wedge Stube Columns on
Steel Buildings 1" Below "C" Measurement
C
B
- Clear Opening Height
(Provided by Customer)
Clear Opening
A
- Clear Opening - Between Columns
How to Measure Your Door Wedge
Advantages of a Larger Wedge:
12" Wedge
24" Wedge
36" Wedge
12' Clear Opening
12' Clear Opening
12' Clear Opening
Custom Build Any Size Wedge
Steel Building with Stub Columns
Side
Column
Lateral Bracing
C
-channel Or Purlin To Attach
The Endwall Sheeting To Above
The Bi-Fold Door
Stub columns
D
E
H
C
Door rolls Up
On Face Of
Side Column
Overall
Height of
Bi-fold Door
B
Clear
Opening
Height
Endwall
Building
Main Frame
Placing Header on Mainframe
Door
Column
Header Plate And The
Door Column Must Be
Flush
Dotted Lines Represent The
Header Plate
Stubs Welded Or Bolted To The Main Frame Or The
Continuous Header To Support The Door Header Plate.
Endwall Sheeting Above
The Bi-Fold Door
Main Building
Frame
CC
Door Column
D
E
CCC
B
C
H
F
Finished Floor
A
- Clear Opening - Between Columns
AA
- Distance To Stay Back With The Sheeting
Attaching Header using Stub Ends
Header Plate And The Door Column Must Be Flush
Main Building
Frame
Door
Column
Stubs welded or bolted to the main frame or the continuous header to
support the door header plate. The door can also be attached to the
vertical stubs only leaving the continuous header off, just another way
to support the door frame.
Endwall Sheeting Above The Bi-Fold Door
Door Column
D
E
B
C
H
F
A
- Clear Opening - Between Columns
AA
- Distance To Stay Back With The Sheeting
Header Built into the Endwall
A
B
C
D
E
H
Using the Bottom Cord as the Header
A
B
C
D
E
H
Added Bracing
2 X 6 Vertical
Triple Vertical Stiffeners - 3 - 2x6's By Each Hinge Location
Tie Back Brace
2 X 6 Vertical
Need A Backer Plate
To Apply The Bldg.
Sheeting To
Header Bolt
Ceiling
B
Bi-Fold Door Header Endwall - Side View
Double End
Wall Rafter
Built In
Header Plate
Need A Backer Plate To
Apply The Bldg. Sheeting
To This Area
2nd Building Rafter In From The Endwall
3rd
Wedge = D
B
Ceiling
Double Endwall Rafter
Note: Use The Same "Additional Support Bracing" As Style 1 On This Style Of Endwall Rafter
Additional Header Plate (filler Block)
Detail:
Bolt Through Door
Header
Triple Vertical Stiffeners
(3) 2x6's By Each Hinge
Location
How To Strengthen
Your Endwall Rafter
Bolt Rafter To
Each Side Column
Side Columns Must Be Full Length
(on Larger Doors Double The Side Columns)
A
B
C
CC
