Eclisse provides a guide to installing an 8mm or 10mm frameless glass door in a Classic pocket door frame.
Back in the April edition of Professional Builder we showed you how to install a timber door in an Eclisse Classic Pocket Door System. This followed on from an article in the January edition that took you through assembling and installing the pocket door frame itself. Here we are going to take you through installing an 8mm or 10mm frameless glass door in a Classic pocket door frame.
The beauty of a glass pocket door is that it is both a functional and elegant addition to any project. The frameless glass doors that come with Eclisse pocket door systems come in a wide variety of designs and styles to suit all interiors and can be transparent, satin (obscure), patterned, smoked, coloured and even hand painted. Glass pocket door systems are great in ensuites and bathrooms as a way of adding more usable space and light without moving walls or adding a skylight; a great addition to divide interior spaces such as a kitchen and dining room or living area and dining area, and they are perfect for home offices too.
Q. Which glass door thickness are you installing – 8 or 10mm?
Both 8mm and 10mm frameless glass doors are available. Both are tempered to the latest European standards and come as single and double pocket doors. The main difference is that the 8mm doors come with super strong clamps fitted on the door by the installer whereas the 10mm doors have ingenious dovetail hanging brackets that are pre-installed. The 10mm glass doors can also have a range of different handles and locks too.
In the January article we mentioned the importance of installing the pocket door frame at finished floor level. This is hugely important when you are installing a glass pocket door. If you get this wrong with a timber door you can save the situation by planning the bottom of the door to make it fit. You can’t with a glass door! So, installing the frame at finished floor level is crucial.
✔ TOP TIP: Take care when unpacking the glass door, it’s a two-person job! When handling a tempered glass door take EXTRA CARE to ensure you do not bang the corners or edges against anything.
The glass is toughened by the tempering process but, like any tempered glass door, if you bang the edges, it will shatter. Eclisse glass doors comes with corner protectors but care is still needed.
✔ TOP TIP: Discard the timber floor guide that comes with the frame and install the glass floor guide which comes with the instructions with the glass door.
The floor guide comes with 1mm packing plates but these are only required if you are fitting an 8mm glass door. Do not fit them if you are installing a 10mm glass door.
HANGING THE GLASS DOOR COULDN’T BE EASIER
✔ TOP TIP: Find the capstan head bolts in the glass door kit box as these replace the hexagonal head bolts supplied in the kit box with the frame.
These bolts are needed as the two aluminium brackets fixed to the top of the door do not have room for adjusting hexagonal head bolts. Once installed, the capstan heads can be adjusted using the adjustment tool supplied. First wind the toothed locking nut onto the capstan headed bolts about half way down, then wind the bolts into the rollers in the top track. Hook the rear door bracket on the capstan headed bolt and feed the base of the door into glass floor guide. Partly slide the door into the pocket and hook the leading door bracket on to the remaining capstan headed bolt.
Using a spirit level ensure the door is perfectly vertical. Adjust as needed by turning capstan headed bolts clockwise/anti-clockwise using adjustment tool provided until the door is level and square against the floor and doorpost. Provisionally tighten the locking nut down on to the top of the brackets using a 13mm spanner. Now test the smoothness of the running by sliding the door forwards and backwards into the pocket to ensure free movement of the door. The door should open and close at the same speed when using the same amount of force to operate it. If you are happy with final position of door, hold the capstan headed bolt still by using the adjusting tool whilst tightening the locking nut with a 13mm spanner to achieve sufficient tightness. You are now ready to install the Eclisse jamb kit.
FITTING THE SPECIALLY DESIGNED JAMB KIT
The specially designed jamb kit with a paint or stain ready beech veneer includes a door post with a recess the correct size for a glass door, a bumper strip that fits into the recess to stop the door from banging when it closes. It also includes vertical pieces for the pocket entrance, a top horizontal jamb and grey brushes that stop you seeing into the pocket. The jamb kit is fitted the same way as for a timber door.
✔ TOP TIP: Attach the top architrave with silicone. This is because if you would like to remove the door or access the extractable track in the future it is easier to remove the architrave without damaging it if it has been attached with silicone rather than pinned in place.
For further information on Eclisse visit https://www.eclisse.co.uk/
