A sliding closet door leaves more floor space for other activities.
Installing sliding closet doors can save floor space compared with standard hinged closet doors, which require more room for opening. Small rooms or tiny bedrooms can have sufficient closet space with sliding doors, especially if the interior space of the closets is laid out wisely. Every square inch can be planned to store items for finding them easily. Sliding doors allow the shelving and interior hanging room to be just as large as walk-in doors. Good quality sliding doors with special trim work or mirrors attached can give the room a great designer look, too. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Draw the basic room and closet door area on a sketch pad. If the room is being made over, decide where to place the closet in relation to furniture, electrical outlets and windows. Measure the entire room layout and transfer all of the dimensions to graph paper once a room design has been selected.
2. Find home design books and remodeling magazines that feature closets with sliding doors. Look for ideas that will fit the room's architectural style. Consider installing sliding doors with fabric panels, mirrors attached or contrasting wooden trim. Don't make the closet space the focal point of the room, but do make the doors harmonize with special design work, including crown molding or designer light fixtures.
3. Visit a home improvement store to examine closet door systems. Review hardware for various systems, and select the highest quality of hardware for installation. Buy medium-grade doors, to make the budget stretch, but never compromise on the tracking, hinges and other hardware components. Choose hardware that will result in opening a sliding door with one finger, if needed, very easily.
4. Choose closet doors that match other interior house doors. Select closet doors that match the room's entrance door from a hallway in color and texture, for example. Buy sliding doors that are covered in white vinyl, if window framing and other doors in the general area of the room fit this description. Paint recycled doors used in closet areas to match existing doors nearby. Be sure to sand door panels and use wood filler, if needed, since a rough sliding door can snag clothing.
5. Use sliding door panels that are each approximately 22 inches wider or wider. Dress up plain white doors with door pulls, wooden design scrollwork in a contrasting color, or add mirrors with high-quality glue on each door section. Use only beveled mirrors to ensure smoother edges. Attach any mirrors to door panels while the doors are lying flat, so the glue can dry for 24 hours.
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