Closet doors come in a variety of styles.
Sliding closet doors have come a long way from the days when they would jump the track, or get stuck all the time. Today they will give years of trouble-free service if they are installed properly. Manufacturers offer several types made in a variety of styles and materials. Each type has unique characteristics, and each fits most closets. Does this Spark an idea?
Bifold Doors
Bifold doors are two narrow doors joined together by hinges so they fold when open and close flat. They may be made of solid wood, louvered wood, vinyl or metal. They slide by way of a small peg on the top edge of each door that moves in a track mounted to the overhead opening of the closet. Some bifold doors may also have a track on the floor at the bottom of the closet opening. Bifold doors don't extend into the room as much as swinging doors because the distance they span is cut in half when they are folded. These doors may have raised panels or flat panels, and may come finished or unfinished. Some manufacturers offer styles with glass, frosted glass, mirrors, bead board, tongue and groove or fabric. Installation is not difficult.
Multifold Doors
These doors have more than two doors joined together in the same way as the bifold doors. They are mounted to the closet opening frame in the same way. Their chief advantage is that they span longer distances while minimizing the distance the doors extend into the room when opened. They also give you the flexibility to use different configurations, such as having four panels fold to one side while only two fold to the other.
Bypass Door
The bypass door is the most common type of door found on closets with door openings larger than 36 inches. A bypass door is like a sliding glass patio door where one door slides in front of the other. These doors mount on two tracks--an upper and a lower. This makes them quite stable. The doors may be made of large mirrors set into metal frames of various colors. They also may have raised panels of wood or vinyl and may come finished or unfinished. There are flat-panel versions available, too.
Pocket Doors
Pocket doors are a great solution for those who prefer not to have doors fold out into the room. They were very popular in Victorian houses in the late 1800s to close off sitting rooms and dens. Pocket doors slide into the interior wall space and disappear from view. They are an excellent choice for handicapped accessibility. Any slab door can be made into a pocket door by buying a track kit and mounting the track wheels to the door top. These are now available with high-quality ball bearing rollers to make opening and closing almost effortless. Pocket doors are best installed as the building is being built, since it takes considerable effort to retrofit them to an existing opening.
Tags: doors have, into room, Pocket doors, These doors, also have