Do-it-yourself sliding doors on rollers: we install the doors and rollers for sliding doors correctly. Do-it-yourself sliding doors: we increase the usable area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe premises How to make a door on rollers with your own hands

Sliding interior doors have become quite popular in the interior of apartments, which have many models and can be used in any room. With their help, they divide living rooms into several zones and improve the design of an apartment or house. Sliding doors are especially popular in small apartments, combining limited space (see).

Sliding interior doors: installation methods

Sliding interior doors are divided by:

• manufacturing method;
• the material used;
• decorative coating.

By manufacturing, panel and panel products are distinguished. They are performed in a deaf form and with glazing. The material for production is fibreboard and chipboard, MDF boards. As a decor, veneer is used that imitates natural wood of different species, lamination and melamine coating of the surface.

A sliding door is, first of all, a product that combines wooden, metal and glass elements, with high-quality fittings and a functional mechanism.

Installation methods

Sliding interior doors are installed in two main ways:

In the first case, the doors move along rails that are installed on the floor and ceiling. The second option involves mounting one rail above the doorway.

A cheaper and more affordable option is to install sliding doors on two rails.

Sliding interior doors move with the help of rollers that move along the guides. It is especially important to maintain the horizontal surface of the floor and the beam on the ceiling, where the upper guide is installed. Otherwise, the door on rollers will move spontaneously. In some cases, metal fasteners are used, but they can spoil the overall appearance of the product.

The use of the second installation option - along two guides, has a more aesthetic appearance. There is no bar on the floor. When the doors are rolled back, the spaces of adjacent rooms are smoothly connected to each other.

The canvas itself is moved by the movement of rollers that move along a guide installed on the ceiling. The number of rollers depends on the type of door leaf.

There are also more innovative sliding door systems. These include the cassette installation method. In this case, the door leaf is hidden in a niche. Installing sliding doors with your own hands using a cassette system is not difficult, although this option is considered the most expensive.

The design of interior sliding doors provides that the movement system is completely built into the wall. It is necessary to equip a niche with a built-in metal frame. For this purpose, a segment of the existing wall is destroyed and a plasterboard box is made.

The work can become more complicated if the wall into which the box with the cassette unit is mounted is load-bearing. Before you make a sliding door with your own hands, you must obtain permission for such repairs.

Installing doors in this way allows you to conveniently place furniture or household appliances and does not reduce the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room.

Types of sliding doors and their scope

One of the most popular models is the coupe sliding door system. This is the safest option and is suitable for families with small children. They open without undue force.

has a silent sliding system that does not create extraneous sounds when moving the canvas. The design has soundproofing properties. It is attached to the ceiling and walls with the help of special cassettes. They are quite expensive, so the system for sliding doors in the form of a false wall is more popular.

When using such a mechanism, the door is placed along the wall and moves by guides installed on the floor and on the ceiling.

The door leaf is made of aluminum profile and glass composite. The second option is more unique. Glass composite is a transparent material consisting of fiberglass and has a special strength. It does not rot and is not afraid of the influence of chemical solutions used to clean the surface.

Veneered sliding doors are often used in the interior of the house. They are made from aluminum profile. In appearance, the doors resemble a product made of natural wood, but much cheaper.

A budget option is to install an accordion sliding door in the house. In the recent past, they were made of cheap plastic and installed instead of doors in pantries and other utility rooms.

Modern accordion doors are made from metal, glass and wood. They are successfully used in the design of modern apartments. With the help of such sliding doors, the space of one-room small-sized apartments is zoned.

When are sliding doors installed?

Sometimes, to decorate the interior of the house, the use of sliding interior doors is a must. This applies to such cases:

1. The need to close a large opening. It happens that a standard double-leaf door cannot cope with such a task, and besides, it takes up a lot of space.
2. With a catastrophic lack of space in the apartment. This confirms the main advantage of sliding doors - the release of space. The design of some rooms does not provide for the presence of traditional swing doors at all.
3. Zoning of premises. Sliding doors are especially indispensable when combining the living room and kitchen. During lunch with guests, the effect of being in a large spacious kitchen is created. Sliding doors can also be used when combining a corridor and a dressing room.
4. Correction of room space. With the help of sliding doors, you can adjust the door and window openings of the loggia. If you install them in the form of an arch, the opening becomes wider and higher, which improves the overall design of the apartment or house. Correct the space of the room and in height, mounting the upper rail in the niche of the ceiling.
5. If there is large furniture in the house. The interior sliding door allows you to arrange furniture close to the doorway.

A sliding interior door is also used in case of replacement of an interior partition. The latter is limited in the choice of appearance and the material from which it is made. Then, as a sliding door can complement any interior.

Sliding door designs

Each type of sliding door design solves separate functional tasks in arranging the space of a house or apartment. Depending on the tasks, the following variants of their design are distinguished:

Do-it-yourself installation of sliding interior doors, the video is posted below, in addition to the advantages, it also has some disadvantages.

The roller mechanisms make noise when opened. Such a door is almost impossible to move silently. This is especially uncomfortable in the morning. During prolonged use, the sounds when opening only increase.

Over time, components wear out - rollers and carriages. They need to be changed more often than, for example, hinges and locks on a swing door.

Installation of sliding doors, taking into account the installation price, the cost of components and the leaf itself, will cost more than standard doors. Sliding doors have less sound and heat insulation, as there is a gap between the leaf and the wall, which cannot be removed.

Which doors to give preference to - hinged or sliding depends on the individual preferences of the homeowner. However, a sliding interior door solves the issue of saving free space in small spaces.

Installation of sliding doors in thin walls - video

Installing sliding doors is one of the ways to solve the issue of the rational and competent use of each meter in the apartment; you can do them yourself. Information on how to implement this and what is needed to make the structure will be useful for many owners of small housing.

Varieties

In a specialized building supermarket, you can see a huge variety of models of sliding doors. They are divided into types and subspecies, taking into account various parameters:

• dimensions;
• forms;
• material;
• functionality: parallel-sliding and folding.

Depending on the design and material of the model, its price category also differs, and given how rich the choice is, everyone can find a door option that suits him.

Sliding doors

This type of sliding doors is the most common. It consists of one or two sections, which, when opened, move in one or different directions. Cloths of shutters in this case are suspended on a rail mechanism, which sets them in motion.

Cassette

The principle of operation of the cassette system is similar to that of a compartment door, with the only difference that when moving the sash is hidden in a special niche that is hidden in the wall. It is sold complete with doors, but when it comes to self-production, it is made mainly of drywall.

Cascading

Cascading doors are a structure of several leaves, one of which is fixed in a fixed position, and the rest move along a rail mechanism across the entire width of the opening when closing. When the structure is opened, all parts of its canvas are assembled on the side of the fixed sash.

"Book" and "accordion"

These types of doors are almost identical. Their structures consist of several sections connected by special hinges, with the help of which the sashes are compactly assembled on one of the sides of the opening. The “book” and “accordion” differ only in the number of sections involved in the design.

For reference! These mechanisms are not in vain called "book" and "accordion", as they resemble the principle of their movement. Their action can be compared to moving a screen.

Sliding door mechanism device

Regardless of the type of sliding interior doors, the principle of operation of their mechanisms is not significantly different. Rollers are mounted on the canvas, which, moving along the guides, ensure the movement of the valves.

The guides are usually attached to the wall, but in some cases they are also fixed to the floor. In the case of framed door options, a separate running element must be installed for each section.

Sliding door devices are divided into suspended and rail. In the case of a suspension mechanism, the running gear, one or more, is installed only on top of the structure, and an additional roller is fixed below to ensure easy movement.

The rail mechanism looks the same, but the running elements are mounted both above and below the door frame, that is, the lower roller does not move along the floor, but along the rail mounted in it. This design is more resistant to heavy loads, therefore it is suitable for door models with large dimensions.

In order for the device to work smoothly, it is necessary to carefully monitor that dirt and debris do not accumulate on the bottom rail.

Step-by-step instructions for installing a sliding structure

Before buying all the necessary components in order to make a solid sliding door yourself, you should make sure that its installation is possible in a particular room. It must meet the following conditions:

• the wall is strong enough to support the weight of the entire structure;
• the doorway is even;
• the width of the wall is enough to roll back the sash.

If the room is suitable for all of the above parameters, you can decide on the type of model and begin preparing for installation. To choose the most suitable option for self-production, you can use photo or video catalogs that can be easily found on the Internet on popular platforms.

What is required to install a coupe?

One of the easiest models to make with your own hands is considered to be a single-leaf compartment door.

For reference! To install a sliding sliding door with one section, you will need a minimum set of tools, such as a screwdriver with self-tapping screws, a building level and a tape measure.

The mechanism for the design can be purchased ready-made or assembled from parts:

• running elements;
• staples, clamps;
• roller carriages;
• platbands.

When choosing a canvas, it should be borne in mind that its optimal size is considered to be one that slightly exceeds the perimeter of the opening, and the length of the guide rail is twice the width of the door.

Construction mechanism installation

First you need to determine the height sufficient for the door to block the entire opening when closed. To do this, a canvas is applied to the wall of the proposed installation and to the side where the sash will move off and, taking into account the height of the rollers, as well as an approximate distance of 2 cm, a place for attaching the guide is marked with a pencil. The result should be a flat horizontal line.

Next, a guide is installed on the drawn line, which can be fixed to the wall with self-tapping screws or special brackets. At this stage, it is important to consider that there should be a small distance between the sections and the wall.

After fixing the guide, it is required to assemble the roller device. To do this, mount the carriages, insert a screw into them and place them in the running element. Their number directly depends on the weight of the sash, that is, the heavier the structure, the more they will be required.

Sash fixing

First of all, brackets are placed on the door leaf at a certain distance from each other, but in such a way that they can withstand the weight of the entire section. Then the sash must be lifted, thread the screw into the brackets, and then fixed at the desired level. To make the design even, the best solution would be to use someone else's help.

After the canvas is hung on the chassis, clamps are placed. They should be located in such a way that the sash completely covers the doorway when closing and moves to the side at a convenient distance when opened.

Handle assembly and trim

For the full use of self-made sliding doors, it is enough to install a mortise handle on them, a ready-made version of which is easy to find in a building supermarket.

Attention! If it is necessary to mount a locking device in the structure, then a vertical type lock should be selected.

The final stage in the manufacture of doors with their own hands is their final finishing. It includes hiding the slopes behind the platbands and decorating the guide with a suitable bar. After that, the installation of a single-leaf compartment door can be called complete.

If the budget does not allow, but it is still necessary to free up space in a small room, you can make sliding interior doors yourself even from improvised means. To make them, you need any suitable canvas, for example, an old door, and as a guide rail, an ordinary steel cornice with hinges. However, the service life of such a design is short, and besides, no one guarantees its safety.

2018-04-18

If you want to make sliding interior doors with your own hands or a partition for a bathroom or dressing room, you will have to carry out a series of serious preparatory work to bring this idea to life. In general, the process itself is not too difficult, but if you want the structure to be strong enough and have an acceptable appearance, do not ignore the recommendations on this matter.

For self-manufacturing of sliding structures, you need to understand all the nuances

Design features and benefits

Before you start making sliding or so-called sliding doors with your own hands, you should consider their device in more detail. What is this design? This is a special type of door systems, which differs primarily in the way the leaf moves. Unlike swing doors, such models do not require additional space to open them, as they move along the wall and this is very convenient. This is possible thanks to the sliding system on rollers that gently slide along the guides.

A sliding structure can be used not only to close a doorway, it can also be installed to zone a room or to mask storage areas, for example, in a bathroom, dressing room or living room.

In order to finally be convinced of the feasibility of constructing such a design, one should consider not only the process of manufacturing a mechanism for sliding doors with one's own hands, but also its advantages and disadvantages.

Variants of interior sliding doors made of wood and glass

Advantages of sliding systems:

• ease of use;
• compactness;
• space saving;
• ease;
• a wide range of uses;
• ease of installation;
• do not depend on drafts;
• variety of options;
• can be automated.

Disadvantages of the sliding mechanism:

• reduced indicators of sound and heat insulation;
• fragility of the structure when using low-quality components;
• noise of movement in some cases;
• higher price of accessories and spare parts than for swing doors.

Some shortcomings are easy to level out, since you can make sliding doors in the bathroom, dressing room or other room with your own hands.

Choosing the type of door

Before you make sliding doors with your own hands, you need to decide on their type, since not all designs can be made by yourself without special tools. The following main varieties can be distinguished:

• coupe;
• cascade;
• harmonic;
• radius.

Varieties of sliding doors

The simplest is the compartment mechanism for sliding doors; it is this mechanism that is most often used to decorate small openings. Radial interior doors and partitions are the most expensive and difficult to perform. You can also distinguish such ways of moving the canvas:

• along the wall;
• into the wall;
• retractable.

You can make each of the types with your own hands. The simplest mechanism is movement along guides along the wall. If you do not want to clutter up the space, you can make a drywall partition, hollow inside so that the door drives directly into the wall. The retractable mechanism is similar to the first one, but at the same time the canvas changes its position thanks to special fittings.

Once you have decided on the type of sliding structure, choosing the one that you can do with your own hands, you can proceed to the next step.

Types of sliding systems

One of the most important components of the mechanism, whether you make a sliding door with your own hands or not, is the type of system used. In fact, the sliding system is a set of guides and frames for the canvas. This is a kind of frame structure. There are two main types of modern mechanisms:

• steel;
• aluminum.

Steel construction is the most durable. In order to make an interior sliding door with your own hands, you will need just this look. The mechanism is able to withstand heavy loads, but it is more rough and noisy.

The aluminum system is more aesthetically pleasing and less noisy. It is suitable for light partitions such as glass or polycarbonate. This mechanism is ideal for a bathroom or dressing room.

There is another type of such structures - hinged doors. With the help of such a mechanism, you can easily make sliding doors on rollers with your own hands. This is a frameless device, as the canvas is suspended from above and slides along the opening thanks to the rollers in the guide.

Hinged sliding system for interior doors

It is better not to use too heavy canvases, you can install a polycarbonate door, but you need to take care of its design.

canvas

Another important point is the choice of the canvas itself, it can be made from various materials:

• wood,
• glass,
• plastic,
• plywood,
• polycarbonate.

The choice should be made based on the purpose of the door and the selected fittings. For example, interior doors are best made from MDF or wood, but partitions made of polycarbonate, tempered glass or plastic are suitable for zonal purposes. That is, light and even translucent materials are perfect for the bathroom, living room, dressing room.

To make sliding doors out of polycarbonate, for example, you will need a piece of material the size of a doorway. If you are making a frame, a product a couple of centimeters smaller in size will do. For outdoor installation, not in the wall, on the contrary, a larger piece should be cut. The canvas is fixed in the frame of the sliding system.

And how to make a sliding door under the bathroom? For this, it is best to use small pieces of plastic or polycarbonate. They can be inserted into plastic F-profiles. You don't even need rollers. The sliding door will slide in the grooves of the profile.

Sliding bathroom door with mirror

Installation

Final stage - . For the standard version, care must be taken to fix the beam above the opening, its length must correspond to twice the width of the canvas. It is on it that you need to fix the guide. If the web is supposed to move in both directions, a triple length rail should be used.

After you fix the beam, stoppers must be installed on the wall along the edges. Rollers are attached to the end part on top of the canvas. The lower end should have a special recess, this is done so that the latch can be fixed on the floor to maintain smooth movement of the door. Bring the canvas under the guide and slide the wheels into it. It’s quite difficult to cope here on your own, so find an assistant in advance.

Sliding door installation diagram

If you are installing a do-it-yourself sliding door that slides into a wall, you need to finish the box and make sure that the canvas does not break out of the guide. In this case, you can simply not set the motion limiter, so the canvas will drive into the recess, but not fall off the rail.

It does not matter for what purpose you make sliding doors: for a living room, bathroom or dressing room. And regardless of the material of the canvas: polycarbonate, wood or glass, the principle of the work remains the same. After installation, take care of installing accessories: handles, locks and stoppers.

There are few people who want to have an apartment or a house without interior doors. But, almost everyone thought about which doors between rooms are better to install. So that it is both beautiful and functional, and does not take up space.

This is exactly what sliding interior doors are - a slider (diverging, sliding, moving to the side (into a wall, opening, pencil case) in one plane, i.e. doors that ride on rollers, sleds on rails).

Sliding interior doors - pros and cons

From a constructive point of view, there are two types of interior doors:

In this case, the door leaf is hung on awnings. Swing doors are traditional and have proven themselves well. They give the room a rich look, but take up a lot of space, which leads to inconvenience in the implementation of interior solutions.

2. Sliding interior doors.

A modern solution that allows you to more rationally use the space of the room.

Sliding doors are divided into two subspecies:

Embedded in the wall(in a pencil case) and working on the principle of a compartment.

Sliding doors hidden in the wall (sliding into the wall, recessed into the wall) have a mechanism that allows you to move the door parallel to the wall.

The principle of operation of sliding doors built into the wall is as follows: rollers are installed on the door leaf, and guides are installed on the doorway (the door will go into the wall) or above the doorway (the door will go behind the wall).

The rollers move along the guides, freeing the doorway for passage.

.

They consist of small lamellas (made of wood or plastic), which, when moved, can significantly save space.

The principle of the device is interesting, but cheap options are not practical. Instructions for assembly and installation of accordion doors are attached by the manufacturer.

The material was prepared for the site www.site

Sliding door advantages:

• unusual, non-standard solution;

• the absence of blind areas and problems with the arrangement of furniture;

• security. The owner of sliding doors is not in danger of knocking on the corner of the door in an unlit room (but, you need to be careful, children can stick their fingers between the wall and the door);

• such a door will not open with a draft.

Disadvantages of sliding doors:

• high installation cost. But, doing the work with your own hands, the costs are minimized and no higher than when installing swing doors;

• bad insulation. The absence of an obstacle to the penetration of noise, light, odors can be eliminated by installing a felt gasket on the end of the door;

• the complexity of caring for the pencil case, i.e. the place where the sliding door goes with a hidden structure. This problem is solved in two ways. With the help of a vacuum cleaner with the nozzle removed, debris is removed from the pencil case. The second option, more radical, involves removing drywall from one side of the wall. It should be noted that in a residential building, the vacuum cleaner does an excellent job;

• the complexity of the repair. When installing the sliding door yourself, you can buy a few spare rollers to replace them if necessary.

Sliding door mechanism - sliding systems

As you can see, the main difference between sliding doors and swing doors is the mechanism of their functioning, which determines the options for door movement.

Thus, a sliding mechanism for interior doors can be:

1. Intrawall (hidden mechanism). As the name implies, such a mechanism involves the movement of the door inside the wall. The system of such doors should be implemented even at the stage of wall construction, because free space is arranged in the wall - a case for a sliding door. Consequently, the wall becomes thicker by the width of the canister. This somewhat reduces the useful area, but the walls are freed up, near which you can install furniture, hang pictures or put flowers.

2. External (open mechanism). This sliding door system can be installed at any time, because does not require rebuilding the wall. In this case, the door moves along the guides along the wall. Therefore, you need to leave free space on one or two sides of the wall (depending on the number of doors and the direction of their movement).

It should be noted that there are a lot of options for door movement with an external mechanism (see diagram). That allows you to choose the best method for a particular room. Sliding doors, consisting of four leaves, deserve special attention. Here, the inner doors open towards the outer ones. What is especially important when you need to close a wide doorway or niche.

Guides for sliding doors

The last thing worth stopping at before starting the installation of sliding doors is the guide rails (profiles) along which the door moves during operation. They can be placed on top or bottom, or on both sides.

• top guides. The most popular way. They should be used with a small weight of the door leaf. Guides located at the top function longer and are less at risk of breakage;

• bottom guides. They are rarely used on their own, as they are easily deformed by simply stepping on them. In addition, the runners will need constant cleaning. And a door devoid of an upper support will not slide smoothly;

• combined. Used when doors are heavy or for smoother opening.

In this article, we will consider how to install sliding interior doors with an external sliding mechanism.

1. Material

Knowing everything related to the types and mechanisms of the functioning of the door, you can proceed to the purchase of material and the preparation of the tool.

We will need:

1. the door itself (canvas, box, platbands);
2. accessories (guide profiles (runners), rollers, handles, locks);
3. timber 50x30 for fastening the guide.
4. hardware for fastening;
5. level;
6. roulette;
7. hacksaw with fine teeth;
8. drill;
9. chisel.

Advice. With a door weight of more than 27 kg. you need to use 4 rollers, for a lighter one, two are enough.

So that handles and locks do not deform the wall and do not spoil the wallpaper when moving apart, it is worth installing hidden options, i.e. the ones that hit the door.

2. Preparation

At this stage, it turns out exactly where the door will be installed, and in which direction it will open. If two sliding doors are installed side by side, then you need to consider the convenience of opening them.

Advice. Sliding doors can be hung on common long upper skids or hidden in one pencil case. In this case, the width of the pencil case should be sufficient.

If necessary, the old door is dismantled, and the doorway is brought to the desired state and the door frame is installed, taking into account the gap between the door and the finished floor.

Advice. For residential premises, the gap should be 10 mm. If the finished floor has not yet been poured (laid), then you need to take into account the height of the screed, leveling and the thickness of the floor covering.

3. Interior doorway

• We determine the dimensions of the doorway - the height and width of the door are measured.

Advice. It is better to take measurements at several points (top, middle, bottom). The door height is interchangeable in the closed and open state. This is necessary to take into account possible irregularities on the floor.

• The beam is installed. To do this, draw a straight line over the top edge of the box. The distance from the box to the line is equal to the width of the guide. A bar is attached exactly to the line. In this case, the middle of the beam should be located above the right side of the interior door frame if the door opens to the right.

Advice. The width of the beam must be sufficient so that after installing the platbands, the door can be freely closed.

• Upper guide profiles for sliding doors are installed. The skids are mounted on a beam and fastened with hardware.

Advice. To check the correct installation of the skids, you need to run a roller over them. With unhindered sliding, you can proceed to further work. If problems arise, it is best to remove them immediately.

• The lower skids (rails) are installed. To do this, you can choose one of several options:

• a part of the subfloor (or parquet, laminate, tile) is selected, and the lower guide is inserted there. The lower rollers will move along it;

• the guide is installed directly on the floor (parquet, laminate), and in order not to destroy it, a threshold is set;

• installation of the guide knife. But, since the system of lower guides is rarely used, if necessary, the so-called package knife is installed more often. Its purpose is to hold the door and prevent it from deviating from the given direction of movement.

The non-threshold sliding door system makes it possible to realize the operation of the door without destroying the floor covering (no need to lay rails). The mechanism works thanks to carriages with rollers on ball bearings, which move along guides with shock absorbers and a lower connection. The upper guide is hidden behind a decorative trim, in the same color as the door.

4. Assembly of sliding doors

We hang rollers (roller mechanism) on the upper end of the door.

At the bottom end, at a distance of 15 mm. holes are drilled from both edges. A groove is selected between them along the entire length. Its width is 2 mm. exceeds the width of the knife. The depth is equal to the height of the knife and is usually 10-18 mm. Part of the butt without a groove will play the role of a natural door stop.

5. Installation of fittings for sliding doors

Installation includes the installation of handles and lock tie-in. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the appearance of the door. Often this procedure is entrusted to specialists.

6. Installation of a sliding interior door

The door is installed in the rails. After the door has been moved, stops (rubber shock absorbers) are inserted into the skids, they will not allow the door to “fall out” of the guides when opening and soften the stop.

7. Sliding door decoration

To make the doorway look beautiful, you need to close all the structural elements. For this, platbands are used. They are mounted on the door frame and upper rails.

But, this is not a prerequisite, because often the structural elements are an integral part of the solution. For example, when using high-tech or modern style.

The installed door in the section will have the form shown in the diagram (drawing).

Instructions for installing sliding interior doors video

8. Care and maintenance of sliding doors

In order for the doors not to create problems during operation, you need to properly care for them. For this you need:

• avoid getting water on the door so that it does not lead (if the canvas is made of wood);

• keep the guides clean. Debris trapped inside the guides will cause the door to close with difficulty;

• close the door gently. Do not close the door with force, this will accelerate the wear of the rollers. In the worst case, the limiter may fall out and the door will “fly out” of the guides;

• check the condition of the hardware from time to time. It is easier to replace the rollers in time than to deform the guide profiles over time;

• use special products for the care of the door and glass.

Conclusion

Proper installation of sliding doors between rooms and timely replacement of component parts is the key to the long-term functioning of any door.

Sliding doors can be an excellent solution not only for arranging interior openings, but also as an entrance group. I was convinced of this from personal experience by installing such a structure on the porch of my house. As it turned out, making such doors with your own hands is not so difficult: especially if you have an explanatory instruction and a step-by-step guide to action at hand.

Especially for those who decide to repeat my experience, I have prepared a short description of the entire process of their assembly and installation. I will also tell you about all the advantages and disadvantages of this type of design.

Pros and cons of sliding systems

Sliding systems compare favorably with traditional swing doors both aesthetically and in their functionality. But behind the many advantages, they hide a number of disadvantages. Of course, they cannot be called significant, but it is still worth considering when choosing a particular door system.

The main advantages of sliding door systems include:

• Significant space savings. These are their most important virtues. Such doors do not require additional space for opening, in the open state they do not interfere with free passage. The location of the door mechanisms, as well as the movement of the canvases, is carried out parallel to the wall, which makes such doors the best solution for small spaces;
• Safety and ease of use. Such a door will not slam shut from a sudden draft or careless movement. For me, this greatly reduces the likelihood of being left on the street without the keys in my pocket;
• Versatility. Such structures can be used as entrance and interior, or even as mobile partitions, necessary for the temporary delimitation of space.

In practice, literally any door can be made sliding - it is enough to replace traditional hinges with a mechanism of sleds and rollers, and a standard lock with a special locking mechanism for compartment doors. Accordingly, canvases from any material can be used as a basis: for example, I used OSB boards already known to you from my previous articles.

The main disadvantages of such door structures usually include:

• High cost compared to the price of traditional swing doors. A very controversial statement, especially if you do everything yourself and from improvised materials.
• The complexity of the installation work. I didn't notice anything too hard to do. Special or rare tools and equipment are not required, an assistant is also not needed - you can do the work yourself.
• Low level of heat and sound insulation of doors. This is due to the gaps both between two opposite canvases, and between the canvases and the doorway. But this problem is easily solved - below I will tell you how I slightly modernized the design, avoiding the penetration of cold air and dust through the doors.
• Noise when moving along the guides. When using expensive high-quality mechanisms equipped with silicone tabs and special grease, the noise during the operation of compartment doors is minimal. There are also ways to make the silent operation of a self-made mechanism for sliding doors. I plan to use them in the future.
• The need to care for the sled: cleaning and lubrication. However, the hinges of traditional swing doors also need to be lubricated periodically.

After carefully weighing all the advantages and disadvantages of swing systems, I nevertheless decided to focus on them. In addition, I had at hand everything necessary for the manufacture of a sliding mechanism.

Features of the sliding mechanism for doors

Structurally, the sliding system is based on a roller mechanism with one or two carriages (depending on the number and course of door panels). The rollers and the guide of this mechanism are usually made of durable and wear-resistant material. But I went further - I used closed bearings as rollers, and metal channels as guides, which made the whole structure literally eternal and practically maintenance-free.

The door design itself is quite simple and consists of:

• door roller mechanism;
• door cloths. I also made them myself.

Interesting to know! For sliding mechanisms, special closers have been developed that provide smooth self-closing of doors. They are installed quite simply and, in addition to closing, also ensure the fixation of door panels in extreme positions.

Door mechanisms provide for the extension of the canvases both in opposite directions, and only in one direction. I chose the classic option, when 2 identical door leaves move towards each other and join exactly in the middle of the doorway.

The basis of such doors is the upper rail: although their design provides for the use of two rails (top and bottom), the lower one is often not installed. But I preferred to put it - it not only has a positive effect on the stability of the doors, but also serves as additional protection against drafts and moisture.

My option for manufacturing sliding systems

The process of self-manufacturing and installation of doors with a sliding mechanism is quite simple and even a beginner can do it. The main thing is to know how to properly handle a construction tool and have general installation skills.

To install a stylish, practical and reliable entrance group with a sliding structure, we need:

• screwdriver and drill. If you plan to install doors in a concrete opening, then take a puncher;
• a set of bits for self-tapping screws;
• measuring instruments: plumb, level and tape measure;
• nails and screws;
• pencil;
• saw for wood and metal. You can use both hand saws and take a grinder with a circular saw.

For the manufacture of canvases and the sliding mechanism itself, I used:

• OSB sheets (the same ones I used for house cladding);
• wooden bars (I used them as a platform for mounting door fasteners);
• sealed bearings in a metal cage (4 pieces);
• bushings installed in the inner part of the bearing;
• bolts with washers and nuts;
• metal plates (4 pieces);
• I used a channel as the top guide;
• the role of the lower guide is played by a wooden block.

I also used a narrow rail - I attached it to the edge of the door leaf in such a way that, with the doors closed, it completely closed the gap between the canvases. Which also had a positive effect on protection against drafts.

The installation procedure is simple and consists of the following steps:

• Marking and sawing OSB sheets. To make the cut look as neat as possible, it is better to use a circular saw.
• Fastening to the top of the door panels of a wooden block.
• Preparation of metal plates. They must be exactly the same size. On one side of the plates, a hole for the bolt is drilled, on the other - a lot of small holes for fastening self-tapping screws.

Assembly of the roller mechanism. To do this, it is necessary to attach the plates to the wooden lining on the doors (2 plates per leaf). Then, with the help of bolts, fix the bearings on the plate.

Top rail installation. There is nothing difficult in this. Most importantly, do not forget to use the building level. Hanging doors and installing the bottom rail. This is the final stage of installation.

As you can see, self-installation of sliding doors is a simple procedure. All work can be easily done with your own hands in one day.

Conclusion

Sliding entrance group - a great option for a country house or cottage. I hope that my material will help you ennoble your own home and add uniqueness to it. Leave your comments and don't forget to subscribe for new articles.

Sincerely, Alexander!