Most people have closets where they store their clothes, shoes, and other personal effects. If you have one at home and would like to separate it from the rest of your bedroom space, go for mirrored sliding closet doors. You can buy these doors from a furniture retailer. The good news is you can easily install the sliding closet doors for bedrooms yourself. You do not have to hire a handyman or furniture contractor. Here are some tips on how to choose the right sliding closet doors and how to install them.
Closet Door Opening Measurements
Before you even think of buying a closet door, you need to take measurements of your closet door opening. This includes taking measurements horizontally across the top and bottom as well as vertically on both sides. Remember to add at least 2-3 inches to your horizontal measurements because most sliding closet doors tend to overlap in the middle. However, it is up to you to decide the amount of overlap you want.
If the opening width for your closet is about 47 inches, you can buy two doors with each measuring 24 inches wide. For an opening width of 88 inches, you can buy three doors with each measuring about 29 inches wide. The track length for the aforementioned doors ranges anywhere from 71 inches to 106 inches. Make sure you measure correctly.
Sliding Door Options
You can choose from a wide range of wood sliding closet doors. For instance, you can choose to buy prefinished doors that do not require a lot of work to install. In most cases, such closet doors only require some bit of painting before they are ready for use.
If you would like to create a classic look in your bedroom, go for sliding doors with full-length mirrors. For a contemporary or modern look, go for sliding doors that have clean and simple lines. Colors for a minimalist or classic look depend on the décor of your home or personal preference.
Other common styles and finishes that you can choose include closet doors with frosted and translucent glass, mirrored glass, or raised panels. Once again, it is up to you to decide the type of closet door style or finish to install in your bedroom.
Closet Door Hardware
Almost all sliding closet doors require a sliding track installed at the top end of your closet. Track rollers are necessary to make opening and closing a closet door easy. It is worth noting each closet door requires a sliding track and track rollers. In addition, you will require a pair of door handles, some mounting screws, and another sliding track to install at the bottom of your closet. Make sure that your closet door kit has all of the pieces mentioned above. You do not want to get home and find that you can install a closet door because some pieces are missing.
How to Install a Closet Door
Start by installing the sliding tracks at the top and bottom and secure them with mounting screws. To make your work easier, pre drill holes for the mounting screws. Hanging a closet door is a bit tricky and it is advisable to have someone help you guide the rollers onto the tracks. If the track has a locking mechanism, remember to snap it into place. With your closet door in place, close and open it several times to ensure it is working properly. Repeat the same process with the other door or doors.
Buying and installing a closet door is not hard. However, you should consider factors such as the measurements for your closet door opening, hardware, as well as styles and finish options. On the installation front, ask someone to help you guide the track rollers in place after installing the sliding track.
