Sliding doors have a lot of advantages. They will fit harmoniously even into a small apartment or can effectively zone a large room.

Which sliding doors to choose?

In any interior, a door - important element. Remember when choosing sliding doors that the style of their design is important.

For classic interior It is better to choose matte elite models.

White doors look good in the hall and living room.

For an eco-style design, you can choose doors made of bamboo, wood, veneer, or a model with leather inserts.

The Mediterranean interior is harmoniously complemented by designs with glass inserts and stained glass paintings.

For an ascetic room, choose an interior door that combines plastic, glass and metal.

A solid solid door with carvings is suitable for a classic interior. Stained glass and mirror inserts would also be appropriate.

The Japanese interior is perfectly complemented by interior glass doors with ornaments in the form of hieroglyphs, embroidery and animals.

Important advantages of sliding doors

Such doors have a number of advantages:

• sliding doors can separate two rooms and even separate a bedroom area from a dressing room or office without taking up extra space, which is very important in apartments with a small area;
• in a studio apartment that does not have solid partitions, such doors, together with stationary elements, successfully replace part of the walls and provide insulation;

• Parents of children know well that children can get their fingers pinched by a swinging door, and a door swinging open from the wind can hit them hard. The design of sliding models is much safer, especially since modern and high-quality fittings allow them to be securely fixed;
• The door leaf can be wooden, veneered, MDF or glass; it can consist of several panels and even be a colorful panel that you can admire when the door is closed. Thus door leaf can become the highlight of any interior.

Application options for sliding doors with photos

Most often, with the help of sliding doors, they separate the living room and kitchen, separate the dining room from the living room, or separate the spacious hall from the living room. This is very convenient, because if there is a celebration of some event or a noisy crowded youth party in the house, the hall with the living room can form a single space, sufficient for large group people.

In a one-room apartment, you can use a sliding door to separate the sleeping area. If, for example, someone lives in an apartment married couple, one can quietly watch TV or work on the computer while the other sleeps or rests. And in the bedroom you can organize a dressing room or office in this way. In a bathroom or combined toilet, a sliding door is suitable for a shower stall.

Answers to questions about sliding doors

There are many questions and misconceptions about the use of sliding doors:

• A sliding door is considered expensive. Of course, if we compare the price of a sliding door and a cheap swing-type model, the first one is certainly much more expensive. But with swing doors in the mid-price category, there is no particular difference in price. In addition, the sliding door leaf can be made of one material, without inserts and luxurious, spectacular glass elements, which increase the cost of the structure. But the fittings in such doors are always in plain sight and have more serious functions, and thus cannot be cheap.

• Space saving. Quite often you have to refuse to buy furniture that is perfect for a kitchen or room, because then you won’t be able to close the swing door, or you will constantly have to walk around it with caution. Sliding doors will help solve this problem.

• Difficult to install. The fact that a sliding door is difficult to install is usually said by those who install interior doors themselves to save money. But any door requires professional installation, and it is in this case that it works and looks much better. And the installation of sliding doors will definitely be offered to the trading company that sells them.

• Lack of choice. This erroneous opinion arises among those who take into account only classical models. Modern sliding doors are suitable for any interior and can be made to suit any finish and opening width.

• The same erroneous opinion is the belief that sliding doors allow odors to pass through and any noise can be heard through them. In fact, if the door is of high quality and has a modern sliding mechanism, then the sound insulation of such a design is quite good. And dealing with odors is quite simple with modern hoods and built-in fans.

The choice of sliding doors is extensive. For those who prefer an interior in neutral colors, it is possible to choose doors made of veneer, natural wood, laminated with wood texture, and for bright interior You can choose a colorful door leaf in rich colors. It is desirable that all doors in adjacent openings, regardless of whether they are sliding or hinged, have the same or very similar door panels. Then a single line will be traced in the interior.

Sliding doors. Photo

The cramped conditions of standard city apartments force their owners to use a variety of devices and structures, the use of which will help save precious living space. By making sliding doors on rollers with your own hands and installing them instead of traditional swing doors, the owner will be able to free up space for installing pieces of furniture or simply increase the free space of the premises. In addition, sliding structures are often installed in large openings between rooms and become a kind of mobile, allowing, if necessary, to divide them into different rooms or combine them into one large room.

Having understood the principles of installation of such a structure, it is quite possible to assemble and install sliding doors yourself, saving on the involvement of craftsmen, if you have one at hand necessary tools, and the owner himself has strong carpentry and plumbing skills and due care.

Advantages and disadvantages of sliding door structures

The choice of specific models of sliding doors depends on the layout of the apartment, as well as design design rooms. But before purchasing interior sliding systems, you need to learn not only about their positive qualities, but also about their weaknesses.

So, sliding doors have the following positive qualities:

• They provide significant space savings.
• Unlike a swing design, a sliding door will never open and close chaotically due to drafts.
• Such doors even help to visually expand a small apartment space.
• The advantage is the absence of thresholds in some types of similar designs, which is extremely convenient if elderly people or people with disabilities live in the apartment. disabilities, as well as small children.
• A sliding double door can divide a room into separate zones, which helps to optimally use the space of a one-room apartment.

• With the right approach, a sliding door is not so difficult to install and is easy to operate.
• A sliding design can add individuality to a standard apartment layout and transform it aesthetically.
• Thanks to modern technology, sliding doors are easy to automate, and this distinctive feature can be called one of the key advantages over swing structures.

However, it is equally important to know the “cons” of such doors, since, having installed them, you will need to comply with some conditions for their operation:

• The roller system and the guide rail along which the door leaf will move must always be maintained in good condition and clean, otherwise they may fail, and one day the door will jam in one position.
• Typically, a standard sliding design, unlike a swing design, is unable to qualitatively soundproof separated rooms, since at least small gaps will remain between the door frame and the door leaf.
• The door will not be able to contain odors from cooking if it is planned to be installed at the entrance to the kitchen area.
• All parameters of the structure during its installation must be well measured, and its elements must be installed perfectly accurately vertically and horizontally, otherwise the door may jam. However, this requirement probably applies to any type of door structures.
• Installing a double-leaf door is a more complex process than one consisting of a single leaf, since the moving leaves will need to be very precisely adjusted not only to the doorway, but also to each other.
• The high cost of sliding structures also cannot be considered an advantage.

Types of sliding doors

There are several types of sliding doors. They differ from each other in design, appearance and installation of the working mechanism.

All types of sliding doors have general principle work, which distinguishes them from swing structures- they move along a horizontal line, along the door and wall. But, these systems are divided into different types and can be:

- traditional sliding;

— cascade;

— folding - “accordion”;

- radius sliding.

Any of existing structures can be single-leaf or multi-leaf. Thus, a multi-leaf system can include from two to four door leaves.

If the door has not yet been selected, then it is worth considering the features of each type, and only after that decide on the design.

Traditional sliding doors

Traditional sliding doors are divided into hanging, cassette hanging, and having two guides - upper and lower.

• Bottom and top guide design

This type of sliding door is the most common and is most often chosen for installation in apartments, as it is considered the most reliable, of course, with the guides correctly positioned and secured. In this design, one or more doors move along upper and lower rails.

It should be noted right away that this type of sliding door is quite complicated for independent installation, since it is necessary to perfectly fit the upper and lower guides to each other.

Find out a completely doable task from a new article on our portal.

The disadvantage of this system is the fact that the bottom rail is mounted on the floor surface, that is, either a threshold will be formed, or a recess will have to be cut out. In the guide profile, which is installed in the floor, dust and small debris will certainly collect, which can hinder, slow down, and sometimes even block the movement of the door leaf, so you will need to constantly carefully monitor the cleanliness of this unit.

• Hanging sliding doors

Suspended structures are also quite popular, since they do not require the installation of a rail in the floor and do not have a threshold, but move only along the upper guide.

The rail is fixed to the wall above the doorway or to the ceiling, depending on the height of the selected door and room. The guide can be located openly or covered with a masking or decorative casing.

The door leaf in this design option will be in a suspended state, at a distance of 10–15 mm from the wall, so you need to take into account that it will not be possible to place one of the pieces of furniture against the wall towards which the door will open.

Depending on how the interior will be decorated, the false panel that will cover the upper guide can be fixed only on the segment of door movement or from wall to wall, and sometimes a similar “border” is placed along the entire perimeter of the room. In the latter case, it will serve as a decorative element of the interior and, in addition, will serve as a disguise for the curtain rod. The option of attaching a border along all the walls of the room is possible if the door guide is located high enough on the wall.

• Hanging sliding cassette doors

This version of sliding doors can have a suspended structure or move along two guides. Its main difference from previous varieties is the location of the rails and canvas inside the doorway. That is, when the door moves along the guides, it will go into a niche built in the wall specially for this purpose.

If a similar design is chosen in a private house, it is usually provided for in advance, when constructing walls or partitions. Well, in an apartment such a niche is formed from a plasterboard structure, but in this case, you need to take into account that the size of the room will decrease by about 100÷120 mm.

The advantage of this option is a tighter fit of the end side of the door when closing it and the absence of an open gap between the wall and the leaf, which means that the sound insulation of the rooms will be an order of magnitude higher than in any other sliding structure.

In addition, by installing this type of door, you can free up the wall and the space in front of it, adding aesthetics and comfort to the interior.

However, given all the alterations that will need to be made when installing cassette sliding doors, it is clear that the total cost of installing them will be quite high, even if you do all the work yourself.

Cascade sliding structures

The cascade version of sliding doors is designed on the same principle as the traditional one, with upper and lower guides, but differs in that it consists of several panels, each of which moves on its own separate rail. Therefore, such a system can be moved apart in the form of a partition, dividing the room into two zones, or it can be assembled near one of the walls and cover the room only by the width of one panel.

Such systems are usually used as partitions, but they can also become a wall with a door if only one of the panels is moved. Such sliding structures are most often made from natural or polymer glass of different shades, and have a height from ceiling to floor, so the lower rails are built into the floor, and the upper ones are fixed to the ceiling.

Very often, such systems are used to create glazed verandas or terraces - there is always the opportunity to turn the room into an open summer recreation area.

How can you rationally use a veranda or terrace?

Modern window and door designs allow full use of the premises of the house or extensions in winter time, and in the summer turn them open cozy areas rest. An example is, which is described in a special publication on our portal.

Sliding design - “accordion”

Sliding system The “accordion” can act as a partition or door. It consists of several canvases connected to each other by end loops.

Sliding folding door design - “accordion”

This is a rather complex design for self-made, and assembly is best carried out with the invitation of an experienced specialist.

The width of the door leaves can be different - it depends on the size of the opening and the free space that can be allocated for the structure when folded.

The accordion system can be installed in a standard or wide doorway, and also as a partition dividing a room into zones. When installing it to act as a partition, the guides are mounted on the floor and ceiling.

The characteristic disadvantages of this design include the almost complete absence of sound and heat insulation.

Radius sliding structures

Sliding radius systems add a special charm to the interior of any room, but to install them you will have to create a plasterboard semicircular wall. This type of structure can be used for installation in doorway or serve as a full-fledged room partition, installed from ceiling to floor.

The radius version is mounted on the upper and lower guide, and can run on the outer or inside walls, and also be built into it, that is, the empty walls inside will become a cassette in which the door leaves will be hidden when they are opened.

A well-made and correctly installed structure of this type can create sufficiently high sound and heat insulation. However, if there is no experience in installing a radius sliding door system and plasterboard structures, but there is a great desire to have such a decorative and functional element in the interior of your apartment, then it is better to entrust its installation to an experienced master– self-installation will be extremely difficult.

Manufacturing and installation of sliding doors on rollers

Materials for assembling a suspended door structure

A suspended structure is the simplest option for self-assembly, so it is worth considering how all the work is carried out and what materials will be needed for it.

• Depending on the size of the doorway, one or two door panels will be required. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the massiveness of the canvases, since this parameter will be used to select the fittings that should hold them suspended.

For suspended structure the canvas should be larger than the doorway.

• The upper guide is a rail along which the door leaves will move using roller mechanisms attached to them. The length of the guide should be equal to twice the width of one or two door leaves.

The upper guide is a metal profile. It requires a beam of the same length

• A wooden beam equal in length to the rail and having a cross-sectional size of at least 50×50 mm - the guide will be attached to it.
• A set of rollers and fasteners, selected according to the weight and thickness of one or two blades.

• High-quality boards or panels for framing a doorway - making a frame.
• Three trims - two vertical and one horizontal, for the doorway, and a false panel that will cover the beam and guide fixed above the doorway.
• If desired, it can be built into the design; it is installed to make closing the door leaf easier.
• One or two sets of door handles.

• Anchors for securing the timber to the wall.
• Self-tapping screws.
• Fastening elements for installing platbands and false panels.
• Mounting polyurethane foam for filling gaps between the door frame and the wall.

The table below shows the dimensions of the sliding structure with one leaf and the corresponding dimensions of the doorways:

					Length of embedded beam, mm
	without frame	with frame
600×2000	540×1975	565×1975	704×2042	2047	1300
700×2000	640×1975	665×1975	804×2042	2047	1500
800×2000	740×1975	765×1975	904×2042	2047	1700
900×2000	840×1975	865×1975	1004×2042	2047	1900
600×2100	540×2075	565×2075	704×2142	2147	1300
700×2100	640×2075	665×2075	804×2142	2147	1500
800×2100	740×2075	765×2075	904×2142	2147	1700
900×2100	840×2075	865×2075	1004×2142	2147	1900
600×2200	540×2175	565×2175	704×2242	2247	1300
700×2200	640×2175	665×2175	804×2242	2247	1500
800×2200	740×2175	765×2175	904×2242	2247	1700
900×2200	840×2175	865×2175	1004×2242	2247	1900

And this table shows similar parameters, but for a double-leaf sliding door:

Sliding door size (width × height, mm)	Doorway size (width × height, mm)		External size of the door block with trim (width × height, mm)	Height of fastening of the embedded beam from the finished floor, mm	Length of embedded beam, mm
	without frame	with frame
600+600×2000	1143×1975	1165×1975	1304×2042	2047	2500
700+700×2000	1343×1975	1365×1975	1504×2042	2047	2900
800+800×2000	1543×1975	1565×1975	1704×2042	2047	3300
900+900×2000	1743×1975	1765×1975	1904×2042	2047	3700
600+600×2100	1143×2075	1165×2075	1304×2142	2147	2500
700+700×2100	1343×2075	1365×2075	1504×2142	2147	2900
800+800×2100	1543×2075	1565×2075	1704×2142	2147	3300
900+900×2100	1743×2075	1765×2075	1904×2142	2147	3700
600+600×2200	1143×2175	1165×2175	1304×2242	2247	2500
700+700×2200	1343×2175	1365×2175	1504×2242	2247	2900
800+800×2200	1543×2175	1565×2175	1704×2242	2247	3300
900+900×2200	1743×2175	1765×2175	1904×2242	2247	3700

If you are not sure that the door leaf will be made independently with required quality, then it is better to purchase it ready-made, since doors produced using professional equipment will look much more impressive.

Tools for work

Now about the tools, without which it will not be possible to make a door system and install it.

The list of minimum necessary items includes the following items:

• Electric drill (hammer) with drills for wood and concrete.
• Circular saw, electric jigsaw and hand saw.
• Screwdriver.
• Building level, plumb line, 1000 mm ruler, square, tape measure, folding meter.
• Electric or regular plane.
• Manual milling machine with a set of necessary cutters.
• Hammer, chisel, pliers.

Manufacturing of door leaf

If the door will be made independently, then you need to know what it can be made from and what models of door panels can be used in this design.

Hanging doors can be solid, paneled or using artificial glass installed in a frame with a varying number of lintels. A solid canvas can be made from solid boards, chipboard or well-treated wooden beam and plywood. It should be noted that all these materials are quite massive, so ready-made versions of hanging door panels are often made using high-quality plastic or metal, which is used as a frame for installing transparent synthetic glass inserts into it.

In any case, whether the doors are purchased ready-made or made independently, the parameters of the door leaf should be selected depending on the size of the doorway. The exact ratios of these sizes can be found in the tables above.

For example, for a doorway with one leaf measuring 865×2175 mm, with a frame installed in it, you will need a door having a size of 900×2200 mm, and when installing a double-leaf structure in an opening measuring 1765×2175 mm, the leafs must have a size of 900+900 ×2200 mm.

If purchased as a door blank chipboard panel the desired size, it can be made lighter by cutting out one or more windows in it, then process their edges with a router and install thin plywood or glass in them.

The manufacturing process of glazed or lightweight chipboard is performed as follows:

• To begin with, the panel is marked. In this case, the condition must be observed that in any case it is necessary to retreat at least 150 mm from the edges. Thus, the frame of a door leaf made of chipboard should not be narrower than this size.
• After marking, the internal parts of the panel are cut out with an electric jigsaw. In order to carry out this process, a hole is drilled in one of the corners of the marking, then a jigsaw blade is inserted into it, and the marked parts of the panel are carefully cut out.
• Next, you need to properly process the inner edges resulting from cutting out the openings, otherwise they will look sloppy. This work can be done in two ways - process the edges with a router or refine it with a relief glazing bead. The bead is cut to the size of the windows, then glued or nailed along the entire perimeter on one side of the panel.

• Next, glass or a plywood insert is cut to the size of the window and installed in it, pressing against the fixed glazing bead. After this, the inserts on the other side are fixed with a second bead.
• The end surfaces of the chipboard door leaf can be decorated with a special decorative thermal tape, which is glued using a regular iron.
• If plywood inserts are installed in cut-out windows, they can be matched to the overall color before installation by painting, staining or laminating. The glazing beads should also have a color that matches all elements of the door structure.
• Doors can also be made of timber different sizes in cross-section, but the thickness of the frame frame should not be more than 30 mm.

The timber for the manufacture of such a door leaf must be of high quality and well processed.

The timber from which the internal frame lintels will be made must have less or the same thickness as the frame. The size of the bead and the thickness of the panels that will be installed in the formed windows need to be thought out in advance, since the first one should not protrude outward relative to the surface of the entire door leaf.

It should be noted that the production frame door made of timber is a more complex process, since all frame elements are fastened together with extreme precision and reliability, otherwise the finished canvas may “lead”, that is, its frame is deformed.

• There are several methods for connecting timber, but the most popular are “half a tree” and “in the paw”. They are quite easy to cut, hold the structure well from deformation and reliably fasten the elements together.

It is better if the bars are fastened together not with metal self-tapping screws, or even more so with nails, but with special wooden dowels, which are driven into holes drilled through to the required diameter in the nodes of the adhesive connection of the bars. For each of these door frame units, it is necessary to use two dowels installed diagonally.

• In the lower end part of the leaf, across its entire width, a groove is milled for the flag roller or, as it is called differently, the lower door lock.

Installation of suspension system

When the door leaf is ready, you need to attach fittings to it - these are roller mechanisms, special locks or handles that are different from those installed in conventional swing structures. In any sliding doors, the handles are recessed into the door leaf, as they should not interfere with its movement.

• The first step is to mark the location of the handle on both sides of the door leaf. It should be located at a distance of 35÷50 mm from the vertical edge of the panel.
• After this, the width of the nest and its height are marked from the marked line. Next, from the top marking point, a distance equal to half the width of the future hole is measured - this point will be the center of the circle, which is drilled using a core drill of the required diameter.

• The same process is carried out on the bottom side of the marked socket for the handle. You should get two blind recesses, having a depth to which the handle will be recessed into the canvas.
• Then, the wood between the two marked round recesses of the crowns is selected using a router or a chisel and hammer.

• Handles in sliding structures are fixed in cut-out parts using glue, for example, “liquid nails,” or snapped onto special fasteners that are pre-screwed into the resulting opening.
• The next step on the upper end side of the door leaf is to mark and secure the roller mechanisms using self-tapping screws. Most likely, you will have to use a router (chisel) to select shaped grooves for them.
• The rollers must be fixed at a certain distance from the edges of the door leaf. This parameter is indicated in the instructions included with the metal fittings kit.

• Now you can put the finished door aside for now and start upgrading it, of course, if the door frame is not already installed in it.
• Assembling and installing a frame for sliding doors is much easier than for swinging structures, since it consists of three absolutely even elements - two vertical and one horizontal boards (panels), fastened together using long self-tapping screws.

The box can be made from solid board or chipboard - this factor does not play a role in this case a big role, since no load falls on the mounted structure. Its only purpose is to give the doorway a neat and aesthetic appearance.

• The fastened frame is installed in the doorway and wedged with wooden spacers, which are driven between its panels and the wall to achieve ideal vertical and horizontal walls.

The position of the box panels is controlled using building level and plumb line. When the structure is installed perfectly accurately, it is fixed to the walls. This can be done by drilling through holes in the boards of the box or by screwing metal plates to the end sides of the boards and to the wall.

• Next, a metal guide for the rollers is attached to the prepared beam, a length equal to twice the width of the door leaf, using self-tapping screws.
• Holes are pre-drilled in the timber through which it will be fixed to the wall.
• After this, roller mechanisms mounted on the door are inserted into the guide rail.

• The entire structure is placed against the doorway, leveled, if necessary, temporarily supported with wooden wedges, and then the beam is “tightly” screwed to the wall.
• Next, the door is moved to one side and the other of the guide to determine the places at the beginning and end of the rail where the travel stops or door stops will be attached. Stoppers in different door models may have different designs.

• The next step ahead open door, in its lower end part, in the cut-out groove, a flag roller is installed and screwed to the floor. It should be perfectly level under the top guide rail.

This lower stopper prevents the door leaf from moving to the side, that is, does not allow it to oscillate transversely.

• Next, the gaps between the wall and the door frame boards are filled with polyurethane foam. After it dries, the excess that appears is cut off.
• Then the beam and guide rail are decorated with a false panel, and the gaps between the door frame and the wall are decorated with platbands.

In the case considered, the installation of the simplest sliding suspended structure, uncomplicated by unnecessary elements, was presented. Therefore, the installation of such a system seems quite accessible to self-execution by any home craftsman, of course, subject to taking into account all the nuances and following technological recommendations.

Video: Another example of installing a suspended roller door structure

Sections of the article:

Increasingly, in the process of replacing existing interior doors buyers opt for sliding systems. This trend has a fairly good justification, because sliding doors significantly save available space by opening along the wall. In addition, such designs do not lose their originality, since they have a wide range of decorative and finishing materials.

Door device

All sliding-type products have an almost standard, similar set of elements, which includes the following components:

• Door leaf, presented in the required quantity;
• Decorative framing frame;
• A set of accessories in the form door handles and locking mechanism;
• A mechanism that includes guide rails, roller carriages and clamps.

In some cases, the design may be supplemented with an engineering element in the form of a cassette. This device is necessary when installing sliding doors hidden type hiding in the wall when opened.

The decorative framing frame is U-shaped and is used in conjunction with platbands as an element that covers uneven walls and neatly frames the doorway. In the manufacturing process, solid wood is most often used. Installation of the product is carried out using anchors, screws, adhesive or polyurethane foam. Thanks to the frame, sliding doors have a neat, finished appearance.

The guide rail is made of steel or aluminum profile. Its preparation for use consists of cutting it to the required dimensions and installing it at the height corresponding to the calculations.

Roller mechanisms in most cases are metal. The doors are complemented by special rubber or plastic linings on the wheels to ensure smooth and silent movement of the doors. The durability and correct operation of the structure directly depends on the quality of the roller mechanisms, since most of the load falls on them.

For convenience and safety of use, sliding doors are most often equipped with mortise fittings. The use of protruding handles in most types of sliding systems will not allow the doors to fully open.

Manufacturing materials

Almost any sliding door can be made of various materials and their combinations. However, the main components are wood and glass. Based on the principle of combining these materials, doors are divided into four types:

• Combined;
• Solid;
• Wooden with glazing;
• Glass with metal or plastic elements.

A door leaf of a combined type is a leaf, the frame of which is made of inexpensive wood, most often pine, with using chipboard or fiberboard boards. Most often used as a decorative and protective layer. natural veneer made of oak, rosewood, beech, Karelian birch or walnut.

Solid sliding doors are made from expensive types of wood and are distinguished by their heavy weight and high cost. These doors require installation using reinforced fasteners and in most cases have both upper and lower guides. However, if a floor rail is used, it is recommended to provide additional reinforcement to the floor at the location of the rail. This is necessary so that during use in the area where the threshold is placed, the floor does not sag under the weight of the canvas.

Wooden sliding doors with glazing can be made either from solid natural solids or by combining a solid frame with chipboard or Fiberboard sheets. Fully glazed products can have framing elements in the form of a plastic or aluminum profile, or be made only from a single sheet of glass.

Recently, in addition to traditional swing doors, which are familiar and understandable to the consumer, in everyday life you can increasingly see such a non-standard option as sliding interior doors. They are increasingly being installed in different rooms - for example, for zoning or to specifically highlight a certain part of the usable area.

Since sliding models look beautiful and cozy in any place (they can even be used for a swimming pool and bathroom), you can think about how to install them in your own home.

Pros and cons

The main advantages of sliding interior doors include significant space savings, external beauty, neatness, aesthetics and ease of use. Since the mechanism involves easy movement of the shutters along the guides, opening and closing such models is very easy and convenient.

However, when installing a simple sliding structure, the owner should take note of the fact that it will not be able to provide the room with complete sound insulation - except perhaps when installed behind a false wall, if we are talking about inexpensive options.

Sliding doors can retain heat, but much worse than regular doors, so installing them in a corridor or hallway as an entrance door is not worth it.

The mechanism itself and the installation of sliding doors are not cheap; if you want to insulate them or provide a decent soundproofing effect, you will have to spend a lot of money, but in many cases it justifies itself.

Design, device and components

The operating principle of such systems has two varieties.

• There are parallel sliding models, including more than one leaf. In this case, the door leaf moves parallel to the vertical surface. If soundproofing properties are important to the buyer, it is recommended to install this type of structure. In addition to such a reliable and monolithic model, there is an even lighter type of door, which is called folding-sliding. It consists of a certain number of canvases, which appearance very similar to an accordion.

This model will not provide sound insulation, but it is the most optimal one for zoning space (for example, in a one-room apartment).

• More simple folding-sliding system often comes with only the top rail. The weight of such a design can be considerable, especially if the canvas is made of polycarbonate or glass, so you should stock up on reliable, high-quality fittings in advance.

A standard set of interior doors usually includes the following elements:

• guide rails (or lower and upper profiles), the length of each of them is 2000 cm;
• canvases, they must be securely fastened to rails and rollers, so the kit must include a certain number of them. It can be different and depends on the type door design;
• fasteners;
• suspension, the required number of extensions and platbands - usually with a reserve;

• ready-made door panels or doors (either “accordion” or classic, monolithic models);
• decorative strip to hide the mechanism on rollers, with an entry in a box or in a box;
• limit stops;
• a retainer and a cassette (several pieces) - in order to hold the doors in the desired position when they are in the open position;
• handle and lock with the ability to be built into the door leaf.

Depending on the type of model, internal sliding doors can be with or without a threshold. Also, many manufacturers offer the purchase of additional accessories. For example, a mosquito net if you plan to install a sliding system on the terrace, and for those buyers who dream of insulated doors, a special seal may be offered.

Types of systems

Like other door systems, sliding door systems are also divided into several types based on how they open and close: there are folding, sliding and sliding doors.

• Rollback (or rollback) systems. They usually look like a canvas with one leaf, for the movement of which special hanging profiles are attached, moreover, in one direction or the other. The width of the structure for doorways is no more than 900 mm. This is an overhead model with a hinged type of fastening mechanism - at a height that in total amounts to the height of the rollers and the gap during installation.

• Sliding (or sliding) models They are similar in installation principle to sliding structures. Such doors can move in different directions, as well as by opening each door in turn. If desired, you can equip such a model with a chain mechanism for opening it, as in sliding wardrobes: if one door moves, the other automatically follows it.
• Folding or collapsible- the same “accordion”, which is most often used as a partition door or screen door, separates the necessary space in the room. They open in the same way as previous systems, moving along a special profile guide with a roller mechanism. The difference from other models is that their canvases are not sliding, but folding, consisting of several slats. Fold one way, using loops. The main advantage of the “accordion” is that it is very compact, but handling such a door should be as careful as possible.

• If the owner wants to give the doors additional noise and sound insulation, they can be installed with a porch. In this case, the canvas will be even more silent and airtight. Also, for maximum convenience and ease of installation and operation, sliding models with telescopic mechanisms are often installed: the sash moves only in one direction, which can be especially convenient in rooms with a non-standard layout.

What are the types

Sliding doors with one leaf are installed in small apartments not only to save space, but also to make the interior look cozy and neat. Installation is very simple; there is no need to install a door frame, but the opening itself will need to be strengthened and given a good finish.

Such models are attached to both walls and ceilings - the included fittings provide one or another type of fastening. As a rule, the structure itself is quite lightweight; often single-leaf panels are frameless, vertically sliding. Also recently, the lattice door has become very popular in Japanese style. It perfectly zones the room and, at the same time, decorates it.

Double doors

Internal double-leaf interior structures are mounted in wide openings and are distinguished by functionality and ease of use. They look ideal in rooms with a large area, also fulfilling a decorative role. They consist of two panels, which, depending on the installation possibilities, can simply move along the walls, or be retractable into the wall, hidden when opened. One half of the panel is easily stopped with a lock so that it does not interfere, while the other can be used.

The fixed canvas will advantageously hide the room, and the chassis will perform the main function.

Tricuspid

Three-leaf doors are very convenient to use and are installed if the room has wide openings of non-standard sizes. Three doors successfully cover any opening, and for beneficial zoning, the construction of an additional wall is not required. By installing the opening mechanism at the top, the space gains visual integrity. The undoubted advantage of three-leaf models is that there is absolutely no need to install floor rails.

Tricuspid sliding options often made on the principle of cascading canvases, each of which has its own rail. When they open, they overlap each other and it looks very nice. The sashes are also installed differently: for example, one of them stands in the center and moves in different directions, passing in turn behind the other two, which are permanently mounted. At the request of the customer, it is possible to do exactly the opposite: the side doors move, and the middle fixed canvas can perform a panoramic function of decorating the room; a drawing or beautiful stained glass window is often made on it.

Pencil case

Pencil case - very interesting and useful variety sliding design. It received its name based on the technical features of its operation. Roll-out canvases with sound insulation move along the walls according to the principle of a school pencil case. They are universal in that they are successfully used in a wide variety of premises, from offices to residential ones. The cabinet door takes up little space, and its design and configuration can be assembled and formed according to the customer’s wishes.

Semicircular radius

Semicircular radius doors are an original and, perhaps, the most beautiful and aesthetic invention of design minds. This is a large and wide structure with a convex plan, often glazed, with certain types of decoration on the panels. This rotary-sliding model, unfortunately, is not intended to be installed in small spaces. Its main purpose is to give comfort and beauty. large areas supermarkets, large country houses, offices and apartments with high ceilings.

Intra-opening

Functional internal doors are a model with elements built into the opening, which provides both aesthetics and additional benefits. The doors move towards each other along a counter guide, while ½ of the doorway remains free for entry and exit. Moreover, the location of the opening itself can be changed as desired.

"Accordions"

Sliding partition doors can be made in the form of a lightweight “accordion” made of plywood or plastic. There are entire systems of internal partitions, including corner ones, the number of panels of which can vary from two or more. To give the structure special strength, aluminum is most often used as a material, and the doors themselves can have glass inserts or made of any other transparent material.

A multi-leaf interior partition works on the principle of moving the opening to the left or right. Their sliding system is absolutely silent and soft, and the closer allows them to be closed as tightly as possible.

Lift-and-slide HS-portal

Lifting and sliding models of the HS-portal type include movable and fixed panels. They are designed to cover large doorways. It is this portal design that can provide a completely open space, devoid of both panels protruding from the wall and inconvenient vertical racks, which are often indispensable when installing three or more panels.

Thanks to the portal principle, you can completely remove the boundaries between rooms at any time, turning the room and the terrace into one, and, if necessary, close the doors back. Such structures can be warm and even double, to ensure heat retention in the cold winter. It is very easy to operate such doors, despite the fact that they can weigh 300 kg or more.

Dimensions

In accordance with the GOST standard in Russia optimal height door panel is 2000 cm, and the width of models with one leaf is from 600 to 900 mm. Most manufacturing companies try to produce their products based on these indicators, so choosing the right kit is not difficult. An advantage of standardization is the lower price for such a set of panels and fittings, however, given the fact that in the vast majority of cases strict dimensions are not adhered to during construction, you still have to order doors according to individual sizes.

Large doorways, typical of hypermarkets and large private mansions, have non-standard sizes, for the removal of which it would be best to invite a specialist so as not to make a mistake. If non-standard wide doors are ordered, it is important to take into account the gap so that the leaf opens and closes well, and the width of the leaf itself must correspond to the dimensions of the side walls.

Non-standard designs can be different: light or heavy. Usually heavy weight and the thickness of the blades is not a problem, because the control mechanism allows the technical side to be minimized. All doors are of original shape (light arches for narrow passages to the utility room, door leaves high altitude with transoms, as well as all bay windows) are made only individually, and the price for such an order will be significantly higher.

Materials

Various materials are used in the production of sliding doors.

Metal

Various options for interior partitions for government and medical institutions are often made of aluminum or iron.

As a rule, this design does not look too heavy and has good strength characteristics. Aluminum and iron are highly resistant to external weather conditions. Aluminum partitions are often used for glazing loggias and balconies. The sound insulation properties of these materials are quite high, and if you use a good seal, it will ensure both heat retention and sound insulation at a high level.

The service life of aluminum partitions is 50 years or more. They may need a new cosmetic paint job over time.

Wooden

Wooden products or canvases from different solids will never go out of fashion, and a sliding structure made from natural materials, will always look rich and stylish, especially in the living room or hall. Such models provide craftsmen with scope for creativity in wood carving and creating different types of doors: from solid frameless ones to models with figured glazing.

Natural wood is an environmentally friendly and durable material, provided it is carefully cared for.

However, sliding structures of this type are very heavy, so you should definitely remember that the fittings selected for them must be of the highest quality and with increased strength indicators.

Of course, if you plan to install it wooden doors, it is important to properly care for them so that they do not darken or crack prematurely due to temperature changes and sudden changes in weather conditions. You should first consult with specialists about what care products for wooden products you should use.

MDF

The most common and inexpensive material from which a good sliding structure can also be made is fine wood or MDF. In terms of environmental characteristics, it is not inferior to natural wood, and its surface can also be decorated different drawings and applications.

The advantage of MDF panels is that, unlike wood, they weigh very little, and therefore there is no need to purchase expensive and reinforced fittings.

Of course, the service life of such doors is much shorter, but with careful operation, this option can become acceptable.

To give the panels additional beauty and create the effect of expanding the space, mirror inserts of various shapes and sizes can be embedded in them. It looks very beautiful and attractive, but it also requires a durable mechanism and reinforced fittings due to the fact that mirror inserts have additional weight. As for simpler models of sliding doors, if you wish, you can make your own interior partition from plasterboard or veneer, sanding it “antique” or painting it in the desired color.

Colors

Thanks to modern technologies, the color scheme of any design, including sliding ones, has no strict restrictions. Depending on the material used, you can choose a product to suit every taste and color.

The main thing is that it is combined in color with the main elements of the interior, and the overall picture looks harmonious and holistic.

White color is relevant for aluminum partitions, often used in medical offices, but if it is used to paint sliding wood panels leading to the bedroom of a residential building, the effect will be very gentle and “homey”. Of course, if you plan to install panels white, it is important to make sure that the entire space around, from wallpaper to furniture, breathes lightness and romance.

Sliding structures wenge colors will always look massive and solemn, especially if the doorways are wide and the room is dominated by high windows and ceilings. This color is best used in large rooms where there are already large pieces of furniture designed in a classic style.

Styles

As you know, whether a door belongs to a particular style most often determines the nature of the material from which they are made.

• Massive blank panels made of natural wood in dark shades can safely be attributed to "classics". The classic style, despite its rigor and not always obvious affordability, will never go out of fashion and will delight its owners for many years with its strict lines and sliding interior models “adapted” to its elements.
• Discreet modern hi-tech style involves the use of glass doors in combination with inexpensive polymers or metal. Also, eco-doors made of bamboo, upholstered in leather or leatherette, will organically fit into what is called modern trends.
• If you use such a universal and lightweight material as MDF to make panels, you can make an excellent option, seasoned V Mediterranean tones.

• Traditionally and for a very long time, Japan is considered the first country in which sliding doors were once invented, which is why there is a so-called "Japanese" style room design, reminiscent of where such a convenient and functional invention came from. Sliding interior options in the Japanese style can be lattice, matte, decorated with intricate bright patterns in the form of mythological animals and even embroidery.

Design

As for modern design solutions, if the very first sliding models sometimes looked handicraft and primitive, now this is no longer the case, thanks to the development modern technologies production and bold and functional inventions of designers.

The style of the room must be determined before a door set with all the necessary fittings is purchased.

The possibility of an individual order will always help you to best determine the style and technical features that will have to be taken into account during installation.

Any wood material can be suitable for the manufacture of classic interior doors - the question is how the owner of the room would like to “complete” the doorways. If the area of ​​the room allows, you can partially install conventional swing models, and in those places where space is limited, you can also install a sliding structure.

In large private homes, sliding models are most often installed in the kitchen. They are made of durable glass, which ensures ease of use and ease of maintenance. Glass models are also used in office premises- for the same reason as in kitchens: ease of care, practicality and, most importantly, additional penetration of natural light - in working conditions it is always necessary for employees. Glass with a matte finish and simple patterns will decorate any room: from the office to the home kitchen, and impact resistance modern glass will provide such options with the longest possible service life.

A door with a mirror will not only visually increase the space of the room, but will also be the best solution to the problem if the room is small, but for one reason or another it is not possible to install a separate mirror in it. In addition, a large mirror takes up a lot of space, and a small one often does not bring much benefit if a person needs to see himself completely from head to toe.

It is in this situation that you can mount a large mirror panel into a sliding sash, making sure to provide the necessary gap so that the mirror surface is not damaged or scratched during its constant movement.

Mirror inserts can also be used simply as decoration. For example, MDF panels make it possible to make the structure a little heavier without harming the supporting mechanism. For owners prone to mysticism and Mediterranean motifs, you can always offer stained glass design for the front fixed panel of wide three-leaf doors. Modern stained glass decorations are made from durable materials, they do not fade in the sun and do not weigh down the structure, and when made by qualified craftsmen, they sometimes look no worse than ancient ones.

Beautiful options for models in the interior of a living room

Of course, when it comes to installing doors in a large private house, problems rarely arise with the concepts of beauty and functionality. As for small spaces, options for installing sliding interior structures in this case seem to be the most popular among ordinary buyers.

If the “Khrushchev” has a recess in the form of a niche, the best option There will be doors that enter the niche on runners designed in accordance with the dimensions of the recess. When installing doors made of lightweight polycarbonate into a closet, a functional partition will be created with an insulating role assigned to it.

In addition, the “Khrushchev” can be decorated with a durable interior “accordion”, which will not take up much space, unlike a swing door, and the passage to the kitchen will always be free.

Different models of interior partitions, many of which can be made independently, will help to optimally organize the space of a children's room, in which both a boy and a girl can live at the same time. With the help of such a partition you will get two small but full bedrooms.

If a person lives in a one-room apartment, in which it is not possible to build a full-fledged dressing room with a place for changing clothes, a partition can also play a “saving” role, allocating a certain part of the room for this.

When living in a studio apartment combined with a kitchen, a high screen will become a universal separator that will not only prevent the spread of odors throughout the room, but will also hide it from guests dirty dishes and other unsightly things in the form of garbage and food waste.

Thus, sliding interior doors can be installed not only in large houses and offices. Since now there is an excellent opportunity to manufacture and install them individually, such a convenient design can be fully adapted to the needs of economy class.

How to install sliding doors yourself, see the video below.