What is a sliding door?
A sliding door is a door that does not swing on hinges but slides sideways, parallel to the wall. Because no swing arc is needed, you save space in front of and behind the door. That makes the sliding door popular in small rooms, in openings between living room and kitchen, and as a wardrobe door.
The main types:
- Surface-mounted (barn-style) sliding door: the door hangs on wheels from a track above the opening and slides along the wall. Easy to install, including as a retrofit. At the bottom a floor guide keeps the door in place.
- Pocket sliding door (in the wall): the door disappears into a cassette or steel frame inside the wall. A clean result, but you need a wall of sufficient thickness and space beside the opening, and the cassette must be installed before the wall is finished.
- Lift-and-slide door or sliding patio door (exterior): a large glazed exterior door that is lifted slightly when opened and then slides along a track. When closed, the door drops into its seals.
- Wardrobe sliding doors: light panels on a top and bottom track, often in built-in wardrobes.
Application
What to consider when choosing:
- Free wall space: for a surface-mounted door you need roughly one door width of free wall beside the opening, without switches, sockets or radiators.
- Load capacity of the track: choose a track system rated for the weight of your door. Solid timber and glass are heavy.
- Secure fixing: a track on a plasterboard wall without timber backing will not hold. Fix it into a lintel, studwork or a mounting beam.
- Sound and draughts: a sliding door does not seal as tightly as a hinged door. For a bathroom or bedroom that can be a drawback.
- Ease of use: a soft-close damper prevents slamming; a recessed flush pull is needed if the door disappears into the wall.
Installation tips:
- Measure the opening at several points and check whether the floor and the top are level.
- Let the door overlap the opening slightly on both sides and at the top, so that no gap is visible.
- After installation, adjust the height using the adjustable rollers so that the door does not drag over the floor.
Related Terms
- Interior door
- Door closer
- Door stop
- Threshold
- Door frame
- Lintel
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