This engineering solution allows you to partially eliminate the shortage of free space and quickly combine two adjacent rooms into one large one. In addition, the canvases, when installed correctly, do not creak, and the entire structure is much more durable than a traditional swing structure. The installation of compartment doors, regardless of their differences in size, number of leaves and a number of other parameters, is carried out according to the same algorithm, with only minor adjustments on individual points.
Preparatory activities
Taking measurements
This is easy to do if you have a tape measure on hand. For those who are settling into a “new building,” it is much easier. If the house is being renovated, then it should be taken into account that the installation of compartment doors will be much more complicated if the measurements are made inaccurately. And this is quite possible, since the openings must be trimmed.
First you need to dismantle not only the platbands, but also the box. After cleaning this section of the wall, its condition and the need for reinforcement are determined. At this stage, solutions may vary. For example, widen the opening, install a partition made of gypsum plasterboard (multi-layer plywood) instead of the dismantled part of the old one. This will help not only to take the correct measurements, but also to understand how to install the compartment door.
- two small sliding doors;
- one is fixed, the other is mobile;
- how the canvases will be joined - simply close together or overlap each other;
- a wide canvas that slides into the septum cavity. For example, from the same drywall.
Perhaps this is the whole difference in the methods of self-installation of sliding compartment doors. The principle of their functioning is identical - movement along the guides in one direction or another.
After measuring the width of the opening, it is necessary to increase the corresponding parameter of each sash by at least 50 mm. For what? If the panels are calculated exactly according to the passage pattern, then in the “closed” position of the door, gaps may form between their cuts and the ends of the wall; extraneous sounds and drafts are guaranteed.
Material selection
Everyone has their own preferences in terms of aesthetics, design, and so on, but a number of installation features are worth noting.
- Glass (high strength) or solid wood. What they have in common, in addition to high cost, is significant weight. This means that you will have to install a larger number of carriages and carefully develop the drawing to avoid distortions and snags. Consequently, the installation of doors will be greatly complicated.
- Board materials (MDF, OSV, chipboard). The option is cheaper and easier to install. For each sash (taking into account the low weight), two carriages are enough. In addition, if necessary, you can restore the canvas and eliminate its minor defects without the help of a professional.
- Cloths that are too cheap wear out quickly. When choosing slab materials, you need to pay attention to the density of the products. And it is desirable that they be laminated.
- The top rail is mounted on the ceiling or wall (when the height of the sash is chosen less than the opening). In the latter case, if a wooden block is being prepared, you need to take into account that its side should be approximately twice as thick as the canvas.
- All necessary components (rollers, guides, locks, fittings, fasteners) are supplied with the doors. But if you decide to purchase them at retail, for canvases made independently, you should take with you a developed installation diagram with the dimensions of the opening. The manager will tell you what exactly may be needed and in what quantity (for example, how many carriages should be installed).
How to make a compartment door
Marking production
The instructions for installing sliding sashes are quite simple. The nuance is how to attach the guides. Here you will have to choose from several options. It has already been said that they can be fixed on the ceiling or wall. But how many of them do you need to install a door?
- One top. The convenience is obvious - there is no threshold, which makes it easier to clean the floor in the area of the opening. The downside is low strength. Constant dynamic loads (including drafts) gradually weaken the structure.
- Two (above and below). Installing interior compartment doors with your own hands using this method, despite some complexity and a larger number of components, is preferable. First of all, in terms of durability.
Fixing the guides
Given the increased loads, dowels + screws are mainly used. Although there are also special brackets on sale that make installation easier.
If the fastening is done on the ceiling, then it is necessary to make a small indentation from the wall so that the sash does not cling to it. The main thing at this stage is constant monitoring of the position of the guides. The slightest deviation from the horizontal will lead to problems with opening/closing the canvases.
Installation of carriages
They are dismountable, so the bracket is first disconnected and the roller mechanism is placed in the guide cavity.
Some modifications are first attached to the sash, and only then installed in the profile. The difference is not fundamental.
Canvas design
It is quite difficult to install all the fittings already on a suspended sash, and therefore this is done in advance. At the same time, the staples are also secured (with a detachable mechanism).
Staging the canvases
Each of them is raised, and the components of the carriage are fastened together. This work cannot be done alone, and you will need an assistant. The specifics of the connection depend on the design features of the roller mechanism, but everything is described in detail in the passport; It's impossible to make a mistake.
Opening design
Whether to install platbands, trims, or finish the edges differently is at the discretion of the owner. But it is advisable to cover the guides. Decorative strips are sold in a large assortment, and therefore, when purchasing fittings, it is easy to choose the best option for the interior of the room.
That's all step-by-step instruction; nothing complicated.
Regardless of whether you own a small apartment or a spacious house, installing interior compartment doors is more than advisable. They will not only make any opening original, but will also bring a number of additional amenities. For example, if the process of moving the sashes is automated. And if you consider that installation is easy to do yourself, saving on specialists, using only household tools, this decision is quite logical and rational.
Initially, sliding doors owed their popularity to their ability to save significant living space in small apartments. A little later, owners of residential premises with significant living space appreciated their noiselessness, original design, and durability. In addition, installing a sliding door in a plasterboard partition is possible without the involvement of a specialist, but only using your own skills and ordinary tools available in every home.
The inability to large-scale redesign the area of an apartment, the need to create two rooms from one or to make an autonomous walk-through room pushed many owners to install a sliding door in a plasterboard partition or create several sliding panels. They are slightly more expensive than the usual swing analogues that are familiar to everyone, but the possibility of self-installation, the freed up space and the comfort provided by the products compensate for the minor financial difference. Another significant advantage is the absence of the need to “adjust” an existing doorway to fit the product. In the case of a sliding door, this is unnecessary, since the product is as functional as possible and always fits the specified parameters.
The sliding design is very convenient in terms of many parameters
Additional advantages of the sliding door, emphasizing the correctness of such a choice, include:
- silent operation;
- absence of thresholds that pose a risk of possible injury to the elderly, children, and disabled people;
- partial or complete isolation of premises;
- accessibility of use;
- durability of the structure.
The installation process itself is not particularly difficult. Essentially, the design consists of a canvas, a cassette and a mechanism on a special wheel.
What to prepare for installation?
As always, quality work is preceded by a period of careful preparation. The doorway is measured and the data is recorded. For convenience, you can use a tape measure. The parameters of each canvas cannot be identical to the main measurements, but must be at least 6–7 centimeters larger.
Installing an interior sliding door with your own hands requires the presence of:
- set of accessories;
- door leaf;
- self-tapping screws;
- anchors;
- platbands;
- additional;
- finishing nails;
- door frame.
Before you start installing an interior sliding door with your own hands, you must make sure that the contours of the door opening have the correct shape. That is, all the walls are strictly parallel, perfectly straight, and do not contain relief bulges or curvatures. If the door is installed in an existing plasterboard partition, in most cases a wooden embedded partition is mounted above it.
When preparing the opening for installation, the existing trim and the old door are removed, the old hinges are dismantled as unnecessary, and the frame is simply pulled out. Old damage to the wall that appears during the dismantling process is smoothed out with putty, and after drying, it is carefully sanded. Leveling the walls is a mandatory operation, since when installing a sliding door with your own hands, there are no platbands and the usual door frame, like swing counterparts.
Sliding door structure
How to install the structure yourself?
The instructions for installing a sliding door are not complicated. If the owner has conceived a design in which the open door will be disguised, it is worth installing a plasterboard structure. Using this technique, the room is visually enlarged. But this is completely optional - moving on rollers simply along the guides, the product will also be functional.
According to the instructions for installing a sliding door, a place for the handle is initially prepared on the door leaf itself. A hole is cut out with a chisel, rough edges are smoothed out, and the door handle is installed and fixed. Next, a groove is cut out in the upper part of the existing doorway into which the U-guide is inserted. After fixing it, the lower part is mounted. After installing all the parts and checking their strength, the rollers are installed. The interior sliding door is installed with the help of an assistant, since it is very difficult to hold it strictly vertically on your own and carry out all the manipulations. The product is installed in grooves near the roller bases.
All that remains is to mark the location of the upper door guide. The area for the location of the rail, which should guarantee trouble-free movement of the rollers, is indicated with a simple pencil. After the markings are made, the accuracy of the measurements taken is once again clarified. If no errors are found, the rail is carefully and firmly fixed with pre-purchased anchors or self-tapping screws.
Important:
You can check the strictly horizontal position of the product using a level. If an error is found, it must be corrected. Without paying due attention to the correctness of the process, interior sliding doors will provide owners with a lot of trouble, opening spontaneously.
To connect both parts of the mechanism, the door is slightly tilted with its upper edge and placed on the rails. The work is considered perfectly completed if the structure is well fixed, the door moves without difficulty, and no extraneous sounds appear during its movement.
Guide mechanisms ensuring easy sliding of the structure
Installing a product without a threshold
Installing a compartment door with your own hands, if a threshold is not provided, is not very different from the previous instructions. In addition to safety for household members, its advantages include the absence of the need to dismantle the existing floor covering.
The dimensions of the canvas for work must exceed the size of the opening in the room where the work on installing the compartment door will take place. During installation, the strips are screwed to the door and the bearing is installed. Next you need to drill holes and install anchors. To avoid miscalculation, the design is measured against the door opening. After fixing the bearing, the installation itself follows. If there is no assistant who could hold the door by lifting it, improvised things are placed under it.
A metal strip is installed on one of the already fixed anchors and bearings with a fixed door are threaded onto it. The entire structure is carefully lifted, and the remaining anchor is screwed to the metal rail. If, according to the owner's idea, door handles are needed, they are attached at the end. Properly installed compartment doors will not make noise, but if there is a small child, sick, elderly people in the house who are sensitive to even a minor irritant, most often a small rubber strip is glued to the top rail. You can buy it in a store or cut it yourself from a car camera or other similar object.
Very convenient when there are no thresholds in the rooms, and the door is hidden in a false wall
Properly installing a compartment door, in comparison with more complex structures, does not seem to be very problematic. And especially if you consider the advantages, savings, aesthetics and functionality that such doors offer owners. The process itself takes no more than a few hours, but the result is such that it’s really worth the effort.
DIY coupes at home, first of all, you need to figure out what they are. This design involves one or two movable sliding panels, where glass or a mirror can additionally be mounted. Rollback is carried out along steel guides using mechanisms in the form of rollers. The canvas is most often a panel made of laminated chipboard or wooden slats covered with MDF, although other options are possible.
Interior sliding doors
What you will need for manufacturing, assembly and installation
Of course, the easiest way is to buy a ready-made structure, assemble it and install it on the guides, but some people are so designed that self-production different things are more to their hearts. At one time, Lion Feuchtwanger said: “A talented person, talented in all areas,” and this is impossible to dispute, so this article is specifically for such people. But giftedness does not mean that you can do without tools and materials.
Necessary carpentry tools
You can, of course, get by with a standard carpentry tool, which is shown in the photo above, but in the age of nanotechnology development this is somehow not entirely appropriate. Therefore, we will make a corresponding selection:
- hammer drill (can be replaced with an electric drill);
- manual frezer;
- circular (circular) saw and/or jigsaw;
- electric drill and/or screwdriver;
- a set of drills for wood (with a countersink) and for metal (differ in sharpening);
- set of nozzles;
- construction corner;
- construction knife;
- construction hair dryer (for PVC), iron (for melamine);
- rags;
- felt roller;
- small hammer for fastening glazing beads;
- building level (long);
- metric tape and pencil.
Necessary materials
LDstP different colors
You will need few materials to make sliding doors; you just need to take their selection as seriously as possible, taking into account the quality. The selection list includes:
a panel made of laminated chipboard, which can cover the doorway with a margin of 5-7 mm. The optimal thickness is 25 or even 28 mm;
- furniture edge (PVC, melamine) for fabric;
- “Moment” glue (if there is no adhesive coating on the edge);
- solvent;
- a block of 50xxx50 mm, the length of which will correspond to double the width of the finished canvas;
- 2 boards 50×100 mm along the height of the opening with a lintel between them (in the form of a door frame);
- additional strip (instead of the door frame);
- platbands;
- colored or corrugated glass or mirror (optional);
- curly glazing bead (if necessary);
- aluminum guide;
- fittings for moving units;
- internal (mortise) door handles;
- fastening material as required.
Let's get started
First, buy in the store those parts that you will not make yourself. And this is all the fittings for moving units, guides, mortise door handles and fastening material.
Fabrication
It is better to make straight cuts with a circular saw.
First, measure the height and width of the opening - the dimensions of the canvas will directly depend on these parameters. The sliding interior door should be larger than the opening by 5-7 mm in height and 50-70 mm in width, which will ensure good closure. First you need to cut out a rectangular quadrangle and to do this, first make markings using a construction corner and a tape measure, and mark the cutting lines with a pencil under the rule (instead of a ruler). Cut out the seat for the mortise door handles using a hand router or do not install them at all (a hole made by hand will be too rough).
Cutting is best done with a hand-held circular saw, setting the limiter so that the cut is perfectly even. The circular saw must be sharp. Otherwise, the edge will turn out torn, and you will not be able to remove this defect without leaving a trace.
Perhaps, when making sliding doors yourself at home, you will want to diversify their design with colored (corrugated) glass or a mirror. To do this, you need to cut out a seat in the canvas, that is, make a frame. Such an opening can be designed in the form of a figure using a jigsaw, but do not rush to complicate your life. Figured glass or mirror is acceptable only if you have a polyurethane glazing bead. If you stocked up on such a fixative in advance, then go for it.
Important! In the middle of the end of the lower part of the blade (lengthwise), use a router to make a groove 5 mm deep. It will be needed for the guide flag.
Edge gluing
Gluing furniture edges
First, we will choose a furniture edge, either polyvinyl chloride or melamine. Personally, I don’t see a difference in practical and qualitative terms, but the gluing instructions here are somewhat different, although the principle is the same.
Melamine edge
The melamine edge is glued using heating with an iron.
To glue the melamine edge, follow these step-by-step instructions:
- cut the tape 15-20 mm longer than the end to be pasted;
- turn on the iron, setting it to the delicate fabric setting so as not to burn the paper;
- press the strip with the adhesive side to the end;
- roll it with a roller for the best fit (you can press it and rub it with your hand through a rag);
- pass the iron over it through the paper tape;
- after cooling, cut off the protruding part of the edge and glue with an extended blade of a construction knife or a steel ruler;
- sand the corners along the entire length with sandpaper, securing it to a block;
- Wipe with solvent to remove traces of glue.
Video: Gluing melamine edge
PVC edge
Using a hair dryer
Now let's follow the sequence of installation of PVC furniture edges:
- cut the tape 15-20 mm longer than the desired size;
- warming up the strip from the adhesive side with a hair dryer, press it to the edge;
- if there is no factory adhesive layer provided, apply it yourself using “Moment” or “88-Lux” and perform a similar operation;
- if you don’t have a hair dryer, apply the tape and heat it through the paper with an iron in the delicate fabrics mode;
- cut off the excess with a far extended blade of a construction knife;
- process the corners along the entire length with sandpaper, securing it to a block, and, if necessary, wipe the joint with a solvent.
Below you can watch a video of such an operation:
Video: Gluing PVC film
Note. Please note that in both cases the blade of the construction knife should be extended at least halfway. It bends in this position, and the cut is more accurate.
Sliding door assembly and installation
Assembling a box from additional timber
First you need to assemble a U-shaped box (without threshold) from additional timber (planks). To do this, measure the height and width of the doorway, but cut the additional strip so that there is a gap of 5-10 mm on the sides and top - this is for sealing with polyurethane foam. To assemble the box, first drill holes with a countersink or regular drill to prevent the wood from cracking, and fasten the nodes with self-tapping screws 45-50 mm long.
We seal the box with foam
Insert the box into the doorway and level it horizontally and vertically. At the bottom and in the middle, insert temporary jumpers from any lumber (boards, bars, etc.) so that they do not move out of place and wedge the box. Fill the gaps around the perimeter with foam and do not touch the spacers for at least 4 hours. However, this operation can be done first, and while the foam is drying, start cutting out the canvas and gluing the edges.
We measure and install platbands
If the trim comes with the factory door, then there is a tongue and groove, which during installation is simply driven into the groove of the frame without any additional fastening. But if you buy platbands separately, then you will have to fix them with sealant or self-tapping screws (the heads are then closed with furniture plugs). Try to take all measurements accurately so that there are no gaps.
We measure the length of the thrust block
Now we measure the length of the thrust block. This parameter should be twice the width of the door leaf. Cut the required piece and drill holes in it for installation on the wall, close to the top trim.
One of the ends of the bar should be flush with the vertical casing
The other end protrudes beyond the box
Screw the stop block to the wall, but do it so that its end opposite to the opening direction is flush with the vertical casing, as in the top photo. The opposite end will naturally protrude towards the opening - this can be seen in the image below. Screw the supporting beam with self-tapping screws 100-120 mm long with plastic dowels, pitch 30-35 cm.
Advice. Practice shows that in such situations you need a plastic dowel with a diameter of 6 mm, and not 8 mm, as is usually recommended in all instructions. In the event that there is a 6, it is smeared on the walls of the hole and it is simply unrealistic to remove the screw from there without unscrewing it.
Fixing the guide
Measure the guide along the length of the installed stop block, cut off the required piece and drill mounting holes in it at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Then screw this aluminum profile to the stop block so that their ends are flush with each other. Here you need 30-35 mm wood screws.
Inserting videos
Insert a pair of rollers into the guide, which, resting on the curved edges of the profile, will serve as a sliding mechanism.
We fasten the fasteners for the rollers
At the upper end of the canvas, stepping back 5 cm from the side ends, screw the brackets for hanging on the rollers with self-tapping screws, but first drill holes of a smaller diameter so as not to split the canvas. If the package does not include screws, then you can use 35-45 mm wood screws.
Hang the door on rollers
After fixing the brackets, hang the sliding doors on the rollers that you previously inserted into the guide.
Manually tighten the locknut
Manually tighten the locknuts on the sliding mechanisms to temporarily fix the door leaf and close the door completely.
Installation location of the plastic flag
Place a strip of masking tape under the canvas so that the markings are visible. Step back 5 cm from the edge of the canvas and put a mark with a pencil for the edge of the installation of the plastic flag, and draw a control line along the end of the canvas. This will later serve as a guide for fixing the guide flag.
Screw on the guide flag
Place the outer edge of the flag against the line, while simultaneously focusing on the cross mark. Drill holes for screws diagonally through the mounting holes and remove the tape. Now place the flag in its original position and secure it with four screws.
After screwing, put the blade on the rollers, while at the same time placing it with a groove on the guide flag. On the sliding mechanism, tightly tighten the locknuts with an open-end wrench, insert the clamps on both sides of the guide and immediately tighten them.
Assembling a decorative box
The main structure of the sliding doors has already been installed, but one small detail remains - you need to close the sliding mechanism with the guide. To do this, mount a box from the same platband, as in the top photo, and screw three corners for fastening to it.
Fixing the decorative box
Fix the decorative box to the thrust block with the previously screwed corners onto the self-tapping screws.
Insert and secure the handle
Now insert the inner part of the door handle into the mounting hole in the leaf and screw it with self-tapping screws. Place a metal sheath on top. Assembly is complete, use it.
Conclusion
Some visitors to our resource are interested in how to make sliding doors for a closet at home. I want to say right away that this is no more difficult to do than the sliding doors discussed above, but there are many nuances. Therefore, this topic requires writing a separate article.
Have you been thinking about replacing traditional swing doors with more modern compartment doors? It's time to do it. Interior sliding doors are an excellent alternative to classic models, which boasts high ergonomics, convenience and practicality. Don’t be afraid that you won’t be able to install the product – it’s quite possible to do it yourself. In order not to be unfounded, next we will tell you how to select and install sliding doors without the help of professionals. And to further simplify the situation, we offer you photo and video editing, which will become your visual references in your work.
Choosing a sliding door: deciding on the mechanism and door leaf
Before you begin installing doors, you need to choose a suitable design. It is important to decide on two points: the material of the door leaf and the type of sliding mechanism.
The following materials for interior doors have proven themselves to be the most successful today:
- – hardened or triplex;
- wood – natural massif;
- MDF and .
Its operational and aesthetic qualities directly depend on the material of the structure, so you need to be very careful here.
The sliding mechanism can be of two types:
- Hidden - implies the movement of the door structure into the wall. To install such a system, you need to make a special pencil case in the wall - a free space in which the door leaf will hide. The advantage of the mechanism is that it frees up walls, near which you can place furniture and appliances without fear that they will interfere with the closing and opening of the door. The downside is the complexity of implementing the system: a pencil case cannot be made in every wall and only with the help of professionals.
- Open - implies the movement of the door along the wall along special guides. To install such a system, you do not need to rebuild the wall - you just need to free up space on both sides so that the door opens and closes freely.
Advice. Based on the characteristics of the mechanisms, an open system is best suited for self-installation of an interior door - we will consider the features of working with it further.
Preparation of materials and tools
The main material is the door itself. Before you go shopping, take a few measurements. In particular, you need to determine the width and height of the doorway - based on these parameters, select a new design. For the doors you need to purchase and.
You will also need to buy accessories: metal profile guides, rollers, locks, handles.
Advice. For a lightweight door made of plastic, chipboard or MDF, two rollers are enough, but for a wooden or glass door it is better to buy four. In order to protect the wall finish from deformation when moving the door, select hidden locks that cut into the canvas.
To attach the guides to the wall surface, you need a wooden beam 50 x 50 mm or 50 x 30 mm. As for tools, you will need the following set:
- building level;
- hacksaw;
- roulette;
- drill;
- self-tapping screws;
- screwdriver;
- wedges;
- chisel;
- anchor;
- pencil.
Preliminary work
At this stage, you need to decide which way the door will open, and also prepare the doorway and the space around it for installation.
First, remove the old door frame. Then clean the walls near the opening and eliminate all existing cracks and cracks. Next, clean the doorway so that its defects do not interfere with the movement of the compartment structure and do not spoil its appearance.
After this work, you should install a new door frame, fixing it to the walls with self-tapping screws. The frame must be mounted taking into account the gap between the door structure itself and the floor. The recommended gap is at least 10 mm. If the installation is carried out in a room that does not yet have a finished floor, you need to add to this 10 mm the expected height of the screed and the thickness of the future floor covering.
When the preparatory procedures are completed, proceed to the most important stage - installation of the guides.
Installation of guides
The guide installation process includes three stages.
- Installation of timber. Place the door leaf against the wall and mark its top edge. Draw a horizontal line along this mark using a level. Secure the wooden beam exactly along the resulting line with self-tapping screws: one half of the beam should be placed above the opening, and the second - in the part of the wall where the door will slide.
- Top rail installation. On the underside of the beam, evenly fix the guide profile and secure it with self-tapping screws every 10-15 cm. There is no need to immediately tighten the screws to the limit - finally fix them only after checking the quality of the guide installation.
Advice. To check the functionality of the rail, after installation, insert a roller into it: if it slides smoothly along the profile, it means that the installation was done correctly, and if there are any problems with movement, you need to readjust the rail.
- Installation of the bottom guide. There are three options here: the first is to install a guide in the subfloor; the second is the installation of a wooden beam with a fixed guide directly onto the finished floor; installation of a profile with rollers at the lower end of the door leaf. The first two options are considered the most reliable and convenient.
Door assembly: rollers, fittings and other important nuances
First you need to secure the roller mechanisms to the canvas. To do this, shallow grooves along the entire length should be cut with a chisel in the lower and upper ends of the door. U-shaped guides must be installed in the resulting grooves. And only then in these guides, using self-tapping screws, it is necessary to secure the rollers.
Then the fittings are installed: handles and lock. You need to insert the fittings very carefully so as not to damage the surface of the canvas.
Next, you need to fix the door in the prepared frame: first insert the door into the upper guide, and then into the lower one. Check the smooth movement of the door and install special stops in the profiles - rubber plugs, which will soften the stop of the door and prevent the doors from “falling out” of the rails.
After this, you need to secure special restraining posts on both sides of the door. In order to determine their exact location, alternately close and open the canvas until it stops - these two extreme marks will be the points at the level of which you need to attach the racks. The racks themselves can be made of any durable material.
The next stage is decorative camouflage of all fasteners. In order for the new sliding doors to look as impressive as possible, you need to cover all structural parts with platbands and extensions. Don’t forget that one of the side trims should have a counter hole and fittings for a door lock.
In order for interior compartment doors to serve you as long as possible, they need to be properly cared for. Here are some tried-and-tested tips:
- Clean the guides regularly - dirt in the rails will prevent the door from moving freely.
- do not forget to check the fittings - it is much easier and cheaper to replace the rollers in a timely manner than to subsequently face complete deformation of the guide profiles due to their incorrect movement.
- close the doors smoothly, without sudden movements - the more carefully you handle the door leaf, the longer the roller mechanisms will last you. If you close the doors with force, you can provoke the stopper to fall out and fly out of the guides, and this is fraught not only with deformation of the structure itself, but also with injuries to household members.
- From time to time, clean all the structural parts of the sliding door - watch not only the door leaf, but also the trim, extensions, locks and all fasteners.
Now you know that if you have the desire, the necessary materials and our simple installation instructions, you can easily install interior sliding doors with your own hands, without resorting to the services of professionals. So you shouldn’t deny yourself the opportunity to get a full-fledged functional door without extra financial expenses.
Sliding door installation: video
Interior sliding doors: photo
It is very important before installing sliding doors to remember that the future structure should be 5-7 cm wider than the doorway. Before purchasing, it is better to remove the existing one and prepare the walls. In almost all cases, it is necessary to install platbands - they are needed for the normal design of the doorway and its fastening. The editors of the publication tell you how to choose and install sliding doors in an apartment.
Do-it-yourself sliding door installation
The installation instructions are the same for both professionals and amateurs. If installation is being carried out for the first time, it is better to invite a measurer from the manufacturing company to determine the straightness of the doorway, the verticality of the wall, the minimum and maximum of its thickness, including the angles of the opening.
The installation scheme for sliding doors from any manufacturer always requires a flat surface (the tightness of the door depends on this). When the installation site is ready, you can proceed with the following operations:
- installation of the bottom guide: as a rule, this guide is twice as long as the width of the opening (this is the free play length). At one end, the guide is approximately 5-7 cm longer than the opening;
- installation of the guide according to the instructions should not cause difficulties;
- finding a place for the top rail: to determine everything for the top rail, you need to hang rollers on the door and place it on the bottom rail; the extreme positions of the structure will indicate its positions at the top;
- installation of the upper guide: first, the lower guide must be secured to a beam (as a rule, its dimensions are 40 mmx40 mm);
- the beam with the upper guide is attached using dowels and screws according to marks made in advance;
- installation of stoppers: stoppers are placed on the upper guide on both sides; they are necessary to fix the structure in the selected position;
- door installation: the door leaf itself is “started” first from the side of the upper guide, after which the structure must be lifted, and then the rollers must be installed on the lower guide - both the upper and lower rollers must be on the rails;
- installation of decorative panels: the bottom of the door does not require any modifications, and its upper part - the guide - is covered with a panel that is already secured with self-tapping screws;
- the heads of the screws are hidden with decorative buttons;
- then you need to check the progress of the structure, the operation of the latch + how well the canvas adheres to the wall.
IMPORTANT! It will be useful to familiarize yourself with how sliding doors are installed - video reports and manuals from a specific manufacturer. Such materials can be distributed quite officially both by the manufacturer itself and by dealers.
The most popular brands on the market: RAUMPLUS, HUGA, PRESTIGE and KOMANDOR, VOLKHOVETS, BELLA COSA, ALAVUS, BELWOODS, PROFIL DOORS, DODIA, TITUL, UNION, MARIO RIOLI, DERA, VERDA.
Self-installation of sliding doors
For installation you will need:
- door fittings and fasteners;
- wooden beam with a section of 50x50 mm;
- door frame, extensions and platbands;
- anchors for attaching the timber to the wall, additional screws, finishing nails;
- tools: tape measure, level, plumb line, screwdriver, pencil, milling machine or chisel.
Independent installation of a structure from the outside begins with determining the basic quantities: the distance from the opening and the lower edge of the spacer (usually 60 mm), the dimensions of the opening and the panels.
Step 2 - Mechanisms for operability: stoppers for rollers, rollers, bolts and screws for attaching the structure to the rollers, a key for adjustmentSometimes the spacer and bars are replaced with one bar (approximately 50 mmx50 mm), onto which the rail is then attached from below.
This technology for fastening sliding doors requires precise horizontal positioning of the guide beam and its tight fit to the wall, no matter how flat the wall is. But even in this simplified case, it is necessary to make sure that there is sufficient space between the door leaf and the wall for the door to move freely. After this, you can fasten the guide rail to the installed block.
Scheme 1 - Sketch of the assembled mechanism- In Diagram 1:
- left, side view:
- rollers with a guide attached to the wall;
- canvas;
- support roller;
- wall.
right, top view:
- canvas. The arrow shows the direction of movement;
- opening;
- clearance between the canvas and the wall.
The carriages must be assembled on fixed rails and the movement along the entire length of the rails must be tested. After installing the carriages with rollers, travel limiters must be installed on the rails - rubber shock absorbers must be inside.
IMPORTANT! Each manufacturer's instructions may differ in detail, but the installation sequence is always the same.
The next step is to install the blade fasteners on the carriages with rollers. The door leaf mounted on the carriages does not need to be fixed: make sure that it will move freely along the entire length of the rails up to the travel stop. As a rule, in any factory structure there are adjusting bolts, which, together with the fasteners, make it possible to finalize the position of the blade in the composition of the entire structure.
IMPORTANT! A detailed illustrated installation diagram for the accordion is included in the kit - work must begin with careful study.
The final installation points are handles for sliding doors and a decorative trim on the top. The platband, as a rule, must be hinged to provide access to the carriage mechanisms and rollers.
The installation price depends on the design and on what preparatory work is needed in a particular case. However, the installation cost will always include the installation of the door frame, since the installation of a sliding structure requires preliminary preparation of the site. Photo 16 - Glass in the interior from van Ellen + Sheryn Architects
Self-installation of doors: “accordion”
Photo 17 - Interior by Yulia Piskareva (YOLO)Installing an accordion can be done by any home craftsman who has a standard set of tools: a hacksaw, drill, screwdrivers, tape measure.
Installing an accordion is a less labor-intensive process than installing a swing model. Moreover, the “accordion” is a more budget option than the interior option.
Photo 19 - Design by Koch Architects, Inc. Joanne Koch
First of all, it is necessary to take measurements of the opening; if the dimensions are far from standard, then you need to find out how many panels there should be in this case. Then you need to adjust the length of the door panels, which should be 4 cm shorter - taking into account the required gaps at the edges. The length of the rail itself depends on the width of the opening. Afterwards, the axles for the rollers are installed at the top and bottom and the canvas itself is assembled.
Photo 20 - Design by Sergey KrasyukIMPORTANT! The design features of each door may require additional manipulation and preparation in order to get a more holistic picture of how to properly install the accordion.
A sliding structure cannot fully serve as a replacement for reliable and durable doors - after all, sliding models, as a rule, are not assigned a protective function. However, in places where a tight partition between rooms is needed and there is a shortage of space, sliding door options are simply irreplaceable.
Installation of sliding doors: step-by-step installation video
Installation of sliding interior structures can be done exclusively using the top guide. Then the installation of sliding models is the simplest: you need to install one guide using standard doors.
The technology for installing sliding doors can be different - not only when they move along the wall, but also when they are built into the wall; however, such an installation scheme is very labor-intensive and will be difficult to implement on your own.
Door installation: Versailles system
Cost of work and structures
- Measurement services (Moscow/Kyiv) - from 500 rubles /50 UAH;
- Installation of extensions - from 150 rubles/150 UAH (per meter);
- Trimming the door leaf - from 800 rubles/100 UAH;
- Door price - from 2000 rub/1000 UAH;
- Installation - from 2000 rub/400 UAH;