Closet doors are a great way to save space and keep things tidy in your home. They also help to keep things somewhat dry and cool in the summer and cozy and warm in the winter. And, since they can be installed so easily, you can easily upgrade your home’s decor and make it feel more modern and open.
But, installation and sliding closet door replacement can be a lot of work. You have to measure, cut, drill, stain, and paint. Not to mention, it can be very expensive.
In this guide of sliding doors installation, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to install a closet door the right way.
Tools and Equipment You Need
Exterior and interior sliding closet doors can slide from one end to the other giving you access to one side of the closet at a time. To install them, you’ll need a few tools:
- Screwdriver
- Drill
- Hacksaw
- Measuring tape
- Marker or pencil
You will also need some building materials:
- Top and bottom guiding tracks (or floor guides where bottom tracks are not necessary)
- Roller brackets
- Sliding Doors
- Screws or nails
- Door hardware
Closet Doors Installation Steps
It can be difficult to determine how to install closet sliding door best, especially if you’re new to this. Now that you have all you need to set up your sliding door, it’s time to get down to business.
Preparation and Measurements
Sliding closet doors come in different sizes for your home. Before buying anything, it’s important to take measurements. First, measure the width of the top (for sliding closet doors hanging) of the closet door frame and note it down. Proceed to the width of the bottom frame, and lastly, the height.
Fixing the Door Tracks
Door tracks go in hand with the bracket rollers but tracks are installed first. First, take measurements of the top of the closet opening and transfer them to the door tracks. Cut the tracks with a hacksaw. The length of the tracks should be a little bit shorter than the opening width to maintain the perfect fit.
Using the pencil, draw a line at the center of the opening which will guide you for a perfect alignment of the door tracks. Use the screws to fix the tracks at the top of the closet opening with a little space between them. You can repeat this for the bottom tracks or if you’re using floor guides where bottom tracks are not needed.
Some sliding doors have roller bracelets attached to them while others don't. You can follow the instructions provided in the manufacturer's manual to install yours. they should be placed at least 2½ inches from each door end.
Install Sliding Closet Doors on Tracks
If the doors are not painted yet, do it fast. It’s going to get a lot harder when they are mounted. Get an assistant to hold the door at an angle and aim for the top groove of the top tracks. Fix the rollers in the groove.
Next, push the door into the bottom tracks and ensure that the lower rollers align perfectly. You should hear the springs snap right in the groove when aligned.
Tips for hanging of sliding closet door on concrete and carpet: In order to use plastic concrete/wall anchors with long pan head sheet metal screws, you will need to choose a diameter whose screw matches the hole locations in the guide.
You can also use masking tape over the carpet and mark these hole locations on it, leaving some space between them so that you don't have to mark them every time you screw something down. Finally, drill the pilot holes using a standard drill bit and install sliding interior closet doors over carpet. It should be easy if the carpet isn’t too thick.
Ensure that the Doors Slide Smoothly
Rock the installed doors back and forth and see if they slide smoothly into position. If they are not aligned with the frame properly, use the roller screws to adjust them accordingly. Now would be a good time to fix the hardware. Using screws and a drill or screwdriver, fix the door knobs at your desired height.
Fixing Bifold Closet Doors
Most bifold closet doors are made from medium-density fiberboard (MDF). Bifold doors are double doors that open to each side of the closet. They’re easy to install, but they can develop some common problems.
You’ll need:
- Hammer
- Screws
- Drill or screwdriver
- Hacksaw
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
Materials
- Tracks and brackets
- Bifold doors
- Pivot screws
- Door hardware
Preparations and Measurements
First, measure the width of the doorway and make sure that it’s wide enough to accommodate the sliding door. Then, you need to measure the height of the doorway. Finally, you’ll want to measure the depth of your closet. From this information, you can determine the minimum space requirements for each side of your closet door.
Tracks and Bracelets Installation
Cut the tracks a little shorter than the width of the top closet opening. Draw a line along the center of the top and bottom closet opening to guide you to align the tracks. Use a drill or screwdriver to fix the tracks accordingly, making sure the pivot bracelets are towards the frame side.
Fixing the Door
Paint the door if it hasn’t been painted. Then, fix the pivot screws into the holes at the top and bottom of the doors with a hammer. Fix the top brackets with top pivot screws and bottom brackets using the bottom screws.
Door Adjustment
Check if the door opens smoothly. If it does not adjust the brackets to ensure it runs frame walls to avoid wear and tear. Use the pivot screws to adjust the height to prevent it from sweeping the floor.
Fixing Door Hardware
Find a perfect height and screw in door knobs using screws shorter than the door width to prevent them from sticking out of the closet. Fix the aligners on the inner side of the doors which help to keep the doors closed.
Lastly, have a local inspector check your sliding doors if the need arises. If you have standard or mechanized sliding doors, it’s important to have a local home inspector check them for proper alignment and function. If you find any problems with your installation, you can always contact them for help.
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Conclusion
Closet door installation can be a challenge - but there are some easy steps you can take to make them easier to open and maintain. They might take a little bit of getting used to, but once you do, they can add a whole new level of personal style to your home. If you need any help with installation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with an expert today!
