Accordion cabinet, main features, design pros and cons

Recently, an accordion cabinet has become a popular type of furniture in urban apartments. The special mechanism of the door allows you to significantly save space in the room, and its aesthetic appearance attracts glances. To choose the right model for the home, you should understand the main characteristics of the product.

Design features

The main feature of such a product is the door mechanism. In appearance, it reminds everyone of a well-known musical instrument, for which it received such a name. The action of the device is similar to the principle of blinds: with the movement of the hand they are stacked in a pile, compactly fitting on one side. Let us consider in more detail the principle of operation of accordion doors:

in which direction the door will be folded, depends on the wishes of the customer. When planning a cabinet, you should pay attention to this;
the mechanism is mounted on the upper rail - it is fixed on the ceiling of the product;
the guide rail is made of steel or aluminum. He stands beyond the borders of the corps, so it is visible. Often manufacturers offer to decorate a guide under the style of furniture - to frame it in a wooden film;
do not buy a cabinet where the rail travels along the guide using a ball mechanism - this option will quickly fail. Friction of bearings and rail reduces the duration of the mechanism;
products that require an accordion door more than 2 meters in height are mounted immediately on 2 guides - lower and upper. In this case, the cabinet can be decorated with glass facades or stained-glass windows. Reinforcement is required to support the structure. Moreover, each leaf is connected to the other half by reinforcing hinges and is additionally fixed on the rail.

So that the product frame does not fail quickly, modern manufacturers are trying to make it easier. They use light materials so that the door moves smoothly and quickly along the guide. When designing a cabinet to order, try not to make doors more than 170 cm high. To do this, you need additional fasteners to strengthen the structural strength.

Advantages and disadvantages

Each door cabinet system has its pros and cons. The undoubted advantage of the cabinet with folding doors is its significant space saving. The area that could be “dead” in the presence of a swing mechanism becomes accessible and spacious.

We highlight the main advantages of accordion cabinets:

ease of installation - anyone can fix the opening mechanism, any tools at hand are enough;
low price - compared to compartment doors, such a design will cost financially cheaper;
decorativeness - the facades of such cabinets look elegant and original in any interior;
universality - you can use the accordion door in any cabinet - wardrobe, library, kitchen;
a variety of materials - the door leaf is available in soft and hard form;
access to things: it is not necessary to fully unlock the door to get an overview inside the cabinet.

With a large list of advantages, the design is not without drawbacks. These include wear resistance and low stability. Although the design has been improved, there are still some drawbacks. With constant use and unreliable fastening, the mechanism often fails.

The owners of these furniture items note a low density of closing doors, which ensures air circulation inside the cabinet.

Materials of manufacture

Furniture manufacturers use traditional raw materials for the manufacture of accordion cabinets. For the manufacture of the body used chipboard - laminated boards of pressed wood. They come in various colors, so users have a huge choice.

For fittings, high-quality steel or aluminum parts are used. To make the doors fold well, special mechanisms with rails and wheels are used. Periodically it is recommended to process the door mechanism to improve the quality of work.

Consider the main types of manufacturing materials:

plastic - products from these raw materials are not combustible and do not emit toxic substances. They are covered with a special film that performs decorative functions. For example, in a nursery, you can choose a product with colored facades, and for the kitchen, plastic will suit the color of the walls. Cabinets with PVC facades can be installed in rooms with high humidity;
glass - an accordion cabinet with glass sashes at a glance - a fragile product. However, manufacturers reinforce the material and use tempered glass. All-glass facades are rarely produced, as they exert a large load on the hull structure. Glass is used fragmentarily - for decoration. It can be matte, have a sandblasted pattern or be stained;
metal - metal products are considered the most practical accordions. They are optimally installed in the kitchen, where there is a change in temperature and humidity. The accordion metal cabinet is available in various colors and will fit into most interiors.

Light products will add room to the room, dark with skillful combination will create a strict but original style.

Wood

Mirror

Chipboard

Selection rules

In order for the new thing to please its spaciousness and appearance, it is worth paying attention to the suggested tips. They will help to cope with the choice and not to omit errors:

noiselessness - before buying, check the cabinet for the noiselessness of its work. Try to open and close the door. In models where no extraneous sounds are heard, special seals are installed to ensure a smooth ride;
guides - it is desirable that the cabinet was equipped with two rails for moving doors at once. If only one rail is installed, over time the door will become loose and fail;
ease of operation - if the product is purchased in a nursery, it is worth paying attention to the smoothness of travel. A child is unlikely to be able to open a heavy bulky door;
color scheme - an accordion cabinet should ideally fit into the existing interior. Choose a product according to the design style of the room or taking into account dilution with contrast;
dimensions - determine in advance the dimensions of the furniture: if the product is intended for storage of things - it should have a large height. If you plan to store books and magazines - a height of 170 cm will be enough;
internal filling - do not forget about the internal organization of space in the closet. To place outerwear you will need bars, for everyday things - shelves. The presence of drawers is also necessary - it is convenient to store linen in them.

The accordion cabinet can be built-in or stationary. To rationally use the area of the room, it is better to draw a diagram of future furniture in advance and go with a leaf to the salon.