If the doors on
your reach in closet are coming off their tracks or hinges, or if you
want to replace those bi-fold doors with something different,
sliding
closet doors are a great way to go.
Sliding doors have the great
advantage of not taking up any space in the room when you open them.
They are also pretty easy to install.
Look at your current doors, and take their
measurement carefully. Also measure the opening of your closet,
especially if you don’t currently have sliding doors in
there. Give yourself a fair amount of time to shop for your new doors.
You may be surprised at the selection
waiting for you at the home
improvement center! There are mirrored doors, unfinished doors, and a
huge variety of finishes. Get doors that match your measurements
perfectly.
If you buy unfinished sliding closet doors,
finish them before installing them, and leave plenty of time for them
to dry. To uninstall the current doors, you can usually just lift them
out of their track, or push a small lever to release them. Bi-fold
doors can be removed by depressing the wheels to free them from their
track.
You’ll need to use a screwdriver
to uninstall the current top track. You can throw this away, unless you
plan on selling or giving away the old door system.
Make sure to keep
the hardware with it in that case. Put it in a zippered plastic baggie
and tape it to the doors with painter’s tape (to prevent
damaging the painted surface).
Grab a hacksaw…you’ll
need it now to cut the new doors’ track to fit. Measure it
against the old track to get the exact length needed.
At this point,
you may want to file the cut end just a little, to prevent cutting
yourself while you’re handling it. Use the screws provided
with the new track to install it in the same place the old track was.
Some kits come with rollers already
installed in the track. If yours
doesn’t, install the rollers per the manufacturers’
instructions.
Now, mount your new sliding closet doors.
Enjoy!