Modern sliding interior doors. Sliding doors. Country house use

Most of us are accustomed to the classic swing doors and cannot imagine anything else in the interior of our apartment.

However, modern interior doors can be quite unusual. How can you save space with their help, create an interesting, fashionable design?

Very simple - to install sliding interior doors.

Sliding doors - "for" or "against"

Opening the door along the wall is called sliding. They came up with such a design in advanced Japan. Installation of sliding interior doors allows you to solve a number of significant tasks:

Significant space savings. In order to open the door, you do not need to use extra space. Therefore, this version of the design feature is ideal for minimal areas.

Maintaining the principle of zoning. This type of door structure can serve not only as an interior divider, but also be installed within the same room.

In this case, reach the possibility of dividing the room into zones.

Such a model is especially relevant for studio-type apartments, rooms in which family members of different ages live, if necessary, temporary protection from society, for example, for sleeping or working.

Solution of functional problems. The sliding door can be multi-leaf. The presence of several segments allows you to vary the degree of opening.

Adjusting the passage space, the size of the opening solves some practical problems: the possibility of unhindered passage with large objects, the effect on air circulation, the luminous flux.

Improving the aesthetics of the space. A sliding door can serve as a stylish interior element. The unusual design will complement the modern design. Made in an unusual style, a sliding door can become the central link of the room, surprise, attract attention.

Despite the significant advantages, this door design has some disadvantages:

Installing the mechanism of sliding interior doors requires free space on the sides of them.

Such a design should move freely along the walls. This need limits the ability to load furniture and other elements of the significant space near the door system.

The noise accompanying the opening may disturb the peace of especially sensitive persons. It is better not to install such structures in rooms where there are small children, the elderly.

The cost of sliding doors is slightly higher than standard swing doors. This is due to the relative complexity of the rail mechanism. A high-quality system will cost an order of magnitude higher.

Considering the advantages and disadvantages, it is quite possible to determine the need and possibility of installing a sliding door structure.

Varieties of sliding doors

There are several options for sliding interior doors:

• Standard;
• Radius;
• Harmonic;
• Coupe.

The standard design can be single-leaf or double-leaf. A small room with a small doorway will happily accept a single canvas.

For a modest space where every centimeter counts, a single-leaf design will be the best solution.

An unconstrained room with doorways of sufficient size will suit the standard double-leaf version. It will be practical and unusual to push the sashes only to the required width.

The radius model perfectly complements a special room, because the sash moves in a circle. This version of the door will fit into a non-standard space, add style to the room.

The folding version of the accordion will allow you to achieve maximum functionality. Shutters, consisting of several narrow elements, allow you to vary the size of the opening, save space on the sides of the structure.

The compartment variant occupies, in addition to the doorway, the entire area of ​​the wall, replacing it. This model perfectly divides the space into zones. Most often used in studio apartments, living rooms combined with a kitchen.

Any sliding system suitable for interior doors can be made of glass, plastic, wood or materials based on it. The canvas can be combined and contain more fabric or mirror panels.

Do-it-yourself sliding interior doors - it's easy

A rich selection of materials for construction, repair and components allows you to independently realize any design idea.

The creation and installation of a sliding interior door can be done by hand without much difficulty.

First you need to decide on the installation option of the structure. The sliding door can be mounted overhead or built-in.

It is easier for a beginner in this business to cope with the overhead option. Built-in fastening requires more skill, additional work on arranging niches in the walls. In addition, you need to decide on the model of the door itself.

Next comes the preparatory stage in the form of measurements and calculations. To mark the mounted mechanisms, you need to know the width and height of the door itself. When marking, be sure to use a level, otherwise the finished door may turn out to be a curve.

The main work is the installation of guides. It is required to know exactly the options for their fastening. It is better to think over all the subtleties of the work in advance so that unpleasant embarrassments do not occur.

In well-fixed rails, install rollers, fix them with plugs. The final stage is the connection of the doors to the movable mechanism, the addition of the necessary fittings to the structure.

A sliding interior door can significantly expand the functionality of the room, make it modern and stylish. After weighing all the pros and cons, you should not be afraid to take on the job and install it yourself.

The presented photos of sliding interior doors will help determine the appearance of this modern design.

Photo of sliding interior doors

The tightness of standard city apartments forces their owners to use a variety of devices and structures, the operation of which will help save precious living space. By making do-it-yourself sliding doors on rollers and installing them instead of traditional swing doors, the owner will be able to free up space for installing 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 hall.

Having understood the principles of installation of such a design, it is quite possible to assemble and install sliding doors on your own, saving on the involvement of craftsmen, if you have the necessary tools at hand, and the owner himself has stable carpentry and locksmith 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 on the design of the 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 hinged design, a sliding door will never randomly open and close from drafts.
• Such doors even help to visually expand the small space of the apartment.
• The advantage is the absence of thresholds in some types of such structures, which is extremely convenient if the apartment is inhabited by elderly or disabled people, as well as small children.
• A sliding double door is able to divide the room into separate zones, which helps to optimally use the space of a one-room apartment.

• With the right approach, the sliding door is not so difficult to install and easy to operate.
• The sliding design is able to bring individuality into the standard layout of the apartment, to 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 hinged structures.

However, it is equally important to know the “cons” of such doors, since, having installed them, it will be necessary to observe 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 and clean condition, otherwise they may fail, and one day the door will jam in one position.
• Usually, a standard sliding structure, unlike a hinged one, is not capable of high-quality soundproofing of divided rooms, since at least small gaps will remain between the door frame and the door leaf.
• The door will not be able to contain the smells from cooking if it is planned to be installed at the entrance to the kitchen room.
• All design parameters during its installation must be well measured, and its elements must be installed perfectly vertically and horizontally, otherwise the door may wedge. However, this requirement probably applies to any type of door structures.
• Installing a double-leaf door is a more complicated process than one consisting of a single leaf, since the movable canvases will need to be very accurately adjusted not only to the doorway, but also to each other.
• The high cost of sliding structures also cannot be attributed to the advantages.

Varieties 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 a common principle of operation, which distinguishes them from hinged structures - they move along a horizontal line, along the door and the wall. But, these systems are divided among themselves into various types and can be:

- traditional sliding;

- cascading;

- folding - "accordion";

- radial sliding.

Any of the existing structures can be single-leaf or multi-leaf. So, from two to four door panels can be included in a multi-leaf system.

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 suspended, cassette suspended, and having two guides - upper and lower.

• Bottom and top rail design

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

It should be noted right away that this type of sliding door is quite difficult for self-assembly, 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 lower rail is mounted on the floor surface, that is, either a threshold will be formed, or a recess will have to be cut. In the guide profile, which is installed in the floor, dust and small debris will definitely collect, which can impede, slow down, and sometimes even block the movement of the door leaf, so you will need to constantly monitor the cleanliness of this assembly very carefully.

• Hanging sliding doors

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

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 closed with a masking or decorative casing.

The door leaf in this design option will be in limbo, at a distance of 10 ÷ 15 mm from the wall, so you need to take into account the fact that one of the pieces of furniture will not be placed against the wall towards which the door will open.

Depending on how the interior will be decorated, the false panel that will cover the top rail can be fixed only on the segment of the door movement or from wall to wall, and sometimes a similar “border” is placed around 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 curtain rods. The option of fixing the border along all the walls of the room is possible if the door guide is high enough on the wall.

• Hanging sliding cassette doors

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

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

The advantage of this option can be called a tighter fit of the end side of the door when it is closed and the absence of an open gap between the wall and the canvas, 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 a similar kind of doors, 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 their installation will be quite high, even if all the work is done independently.

Cascade sliding structures

The cascading version of sliding doors is arranged according to the same principle as the traditional one, with upper and lower rails, but differs in that it consists of several canvases, each of which moves along 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 be assembled near one of the walls and block the room only by the width of one sheet.

Such systems are usually used as partitions, but they may well become a wall with a door if only one of the panels is moved. Such sliding structures are most often made of natural or polymer glass of different shades, and have a height from ceiling to floor, so the lower guides 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 the veranda or terrace

Modern window and door designs allow you to fully use the premises of the house or outbuildings in the winter, and in the summer, turn them into open cozy recreation areas. An example is, which are described in a special publication of our portal.

Sliding design - "accordion"

The sliding system "accordion" can act as a partition or door. It consists of several canvases interconnected by end loops.

Sliding folding door design - "accordion"

This is a rather complicated design for self-production, and assembly is best done with the invitation of an experienced specialist.

The width of the door panels 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, as well as a partition that divides the room into zones. When installing it to act as a partition, the rails are mounted on the floor and ceiling.

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

Radius sliding structures

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

The radius version is mounted on the upper and lower rails, and can walk along the outer or inner side of the wall, as well as be built into it, that is, the walls empty inside will become a cassette into which the door leafs will hide when they are opened.

A well-made and properly installed structure of this type is capable of creating a sufficiently high sound and heat insulation. However, if there is no experience in installing a radial system of sliding doors 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.

Production and installation of a sliding door on rollers

Materials for assembling a suspended door structure

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

• Depending on the size of the doorway, one or two door leaves will be required. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the massiveness of the canvases, since according to this parameter the fittings elements that should keep them in weight will be selected.

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

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

The top 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 - a guide will be fixed to it.
• A set of rollers and fasteners, selected according to the weight and thickness of one or two canvases.

• Quality boards or panels for framing a doorway - making a box.
• Three platbands - two vertical and one horizontal, for the doorway, and a false panel that will cover the timber and the guide, fixed above the doorway.
• It can be built into the structure, if desired, it is installed for easier closing of the door leaf.
• One or two sets of door handles.

• Anchors for fixing the timber to the wall.
• Self-tapping screws.
• Fasteners for installing architraves and false panels.
• Mounting polyurethane foam to fill the gaps between the door frame and the wall.

The table below shows the dimensions of single leaf sliding doors and their corresponding doorway dimensions:

					Laying beam length, mm
	without frame	framed
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:

Compartment door size (width × height, mm)	Doorway size (width × height, mm)		External dimension of the door unit with architraves (width × height, mm)	Height of fastening of a mortgage beam from a clean floor, mm	Laying beam length, mm
	without frame	framed
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 there is no certainty that the door leaf will be made independently with the required quality, then it is better to purchase it ready-made, since doors produced on professional equipment will look much more impressive.

Tools for the job

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

The list of the minimum required includes the following items:

• Electric drill (perforator) 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 rule.
• Electric or conventional planer.
• Manual milling machine with a set of necessary cutters.
• Hammer, chisel, pliers.

Door leaf manufacturing

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

Suspended doors can be solid, paneled or with the use of artificial glass installed in a frame with a different number of lintels. A solid canvas can be made from solid boards, chipboard or well-crafted wooden beams and plywood. It should be noted that all these materials are quite massive, so the finished versions of hanging doors 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 canvas should be selected depending on the size of the doorway. The exact ratios of these dimensions can be found in the tables above.

For example, for a doorway with one leaf measuring 865 × 2175 mm, with a box installed in it, a door with a size of 900 × 2200 mm will be required, and when installing a double-leaf structure in an opening measuring 1765 × 2175 mm, the leaves should have a size of 900 + 900 ×2200 mm.

If a chipboard panel of the right size is purchased as a blank for the door, it can be made lighter by cutting out one or more windows in it, then milling their edges and installing thin plywood or glass in them.

The manufacturing process of a glazed or lightweight chipboard sheet is carried out as follows:

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

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

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

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

It should be noted that the manufacture of a frame door from a bar is a more complicated process, since all elements of the frame are fastened together with extreme accuracy and reliability, otherwise the finished canvas can “lead”, that is, its frame is deformed.

• There are several methods for joining timber, but the most popular are in the "half-tree" and "in the paw". They are quite simple to cut, keep the structure well from deformation and securely 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 that are driven into the holes drilled through the diameter at the nodes of the adhesive joints of the bars. For each of these door frame nodes, it is necessary to use two dowels installed diagonally.

• In the lower end part of the leaf, over its entire width, a groove is milled for the flag roller or, as it is called in another way, the lower door latch.

Hanging system installation

When the door leaf is ready, it is necessary to fix the fittings on it - these are roller mechanisms, special locks or handles that are different from those installed in the usual swing structures. In any sliding doors, the handles are recessed into the canvas, 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 that, from the marked line, the width of the nest and its height are marked. Further, a distance equal to half the width of the future hole is measured from the upper marking point - this point will be the center of the circle, which is drilled with a crown drill of the desired diameter.

• The same process is carried out on the underside of the marked socket for the pen. You should get two non-through recesses, having a depth to which the handle will be recessed into the canvas.
• Then, the wood between the two marked crowns with round recesses is selected using a milling cutter or chisel and a hammer.

• Handles in sliding structures are fixed in those cut out with glue, for example, “liquid nails”, or snapped into special fasteners, which are pre-screwed into the resulting opening.
• The next step on the upper end side of the door leaf, you need to mark and fix the roller mechanisms with self-tapping screws. Under them, most likely, you will have to choose curly grooves with a milling cutter (chisel).
• The rollers must be fixed at a certain distance from the edges of the door leaf. This parameter is indicated in the instructions attached to the set of metal fittings.

• Now the finished door can be set aside for the time being, and you can start upgrading, of course, if the door frame is not already installed in it.
• It is much easier to assemble and install a frame for sliding doors than for swing structures, since it consists of three absolutely even elements - two vertical and one horizontal boards (panels), fastened together with long self-tapping screws.

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

• The fastened frame is installed in the doorway and wedged with wooden spacers, which are driven between its panels and the wall to achieve perfect verticality and horizontality of the walls.

The position of the box panels is controlled using a building level and a 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.

• Further, on the prepared beam, equal in length to the double width of the door leaf, a metal guide for the rollers is fixed with the help of self-tapping screws.
• Holes are pre-drilled in the beam through which it will be fixed on the wall.
• After that, roller mechanisms mounted on the door are inserted into the guide rail.

• The whole structure is attached to the doorway, leveled, if necessary, temporarily propped up with wooden wedges, and then the beam is “tightly” screwed to the wall.
• Next, the door moves to one side and the other of the guide to determine the places at the beginning and end of the rail where travel stops or stoppers for the web will be fixed. Stoppers in different models of doors may have a different design.

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

This lower stop does not allow the door leaf to go to the side, that is, it does not allow its transverse vibrations.

• Further, the gaps between the wall and the boards of the door frame are filled with mounting foam. After it dries, the protruding surplus is cut off.
• Then the timber and the guide rail are decorated with a false panel, and the gaps between the door frame and the wall are trimmed.

In the considered case, the installation of the simplest sliding suspended structure, not complicated by unnecessary elements, was presented. Therefore, the installation of such a system seems to be quite affordable for independent implementation by any home master, of course, subject to taking into account all the nuances and following technological recommendations.

Video: Another example of installing a suspended roller door structure

Even owners of private houses want to use all the available space as efficiently as possible. Given this, architects, designers and furniture manufacturers are constantly creating ways, methods and solutions for the greatest savings in living space without sacrificing functionality and comfort. One of these solutions was the sliding doors invented in distant Japan.

Sliding doors are a door system in which the movable part does not open perpendicularly, but moves along it.

Advantages and disadvantages of sliding doors

Like any interior design solution, sliding interior doors have advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantage, as mentioned earlier, is the ability to significantly save space. The standard width of simple doors varies from 60 to 80 centimeters: this distance reduces the free space of the room into which the door leaf opens. Therefore, the installation of sliding door systems between a narrow corridor and a kitchen or living room is most popular.

The second plus of sliding doors is the originality of the general appearance of the room in terms of design. As a rule, they are made to order, taking into account individual sizes and wishes regarding color and material of manufacture. On the front of the door, you can place mirror panels, cork boards for illustrations and notes, slate boards for drawing and magnets.

Thirdly, today such door systems are often used for zoning a large room, for example, to separate the dining room from the kitchen or the seating area from the living room. Choosing doors made of transparent material, the owners of the house will not even feel the bulkiness of the partition.

However, sliding doors also have a couple of disadvantages. Firstly, the mechanism for sliding doors is more complicated, therefore, the cost is somewhat more expensive than the usual hinges.

If the goal of the owners of the apartment is the most budgetary decoration or redecoration, then it is hardly worth choosing this option.

The second partial drawback is the inevitable slight noise when opening and closing the door. Even the most expensive and thoughtful mechanism will not be absolutely silent. This fact is not an obstacle for every apartment: if the owners have a sound sleep, the sound will not interfere with a comfortable life.

Types of sliding door mechanisms

The classic version of a sliding door is a design, the working surface of which moves along the wall in a straight line and is fixed near it. Such doors can be either single-leaf (a great option for small apartments) or double-leaf.

Radius doors are a tribute to the modern architectural trend of designing houses with curved walls. The door leaf moves along a circular path, somewhat reminiscent of shower doors. In addition to the role of an interior door, this design is used to create a small separate room inside the room: a pantry in the kitchen, a dressing room in the bedroom.

Folding interior doors work on the "accordion" principle: narrow strips 10-30 centimeters wide are tightly folded and fixed near one of the jambs. A big advantage of such mechanisms is the possibility of adjusting the width of the passage. In stores there are accordion doors and from two or three wide canvases.

The third type of sliding door system is compartment doors. They not only serve to periodically close the opening in the wall, but also act as this wall at the same time. Such doors are used to distinguish between the kitchen and the dining room: the working area is opened or covered from prying eyes.

Sliding door material

The planned scope of the sliding door influences the choice of material: wood. mdf, glass or plastic.

Wooden doors are installed between the corridor and the living room or sanitary unit: they close tightly enough, do not let in light and unnecessary sounds. The issue of using wooden sliding door systems for a children's room is controversial.

On the one hand, wood is the safest natural material; many types of wood have a beneficial effect on the health and psychological state of a person even after numerous treatments.

On the other hand, solid wood products are quite heavy (compared to plastic, fiberboard or MDF), which increases the risk of injury to children's fingers if the sash is not closed carefully.

However, this drawback can be eliminated: for the sake of safety, you can put a special door closer, or lay a soft material like foam rubber along the end of the door panel.

Wooden doors and other interior elements are good for their stylistic diversity, because with a certain combination of colors and handles, you can redesign the door in any interior style, from white Scandinavian to massive rough loft.

A significantly more budgetary solution would be an MDF door. The MDF frame is highly resistant to high temperatures. However, this material has a tendency to swell from moisture, so it is highly not recommended to put a door made of this material in a bathroom, restroom or laundry room.

Glass doors are preferably used as a partition in large rooms of private houses or studio apartments. They transmit light, so that the space does not decrease in volume. Exotic lovers can order colored glass panels that will turn the rooms into a riot of colors with enough sunlight.

The main function of glass walls and doors is to let in light without letting in sound. Therefore, glass door systems are often installed in office premises for conference rooms, offices, meeting booths, libraries and rest rooms.

Plastic doors are cheap and lightweight, which determines their prevalence among owners of small country houses or renters. As a rule, they are installed only as partitions, for example, to protect children from stairs or from pets.

Today, the simultaneous use of several materials is popular: a wooden door with glass inserts is found in many design projects.

Photos of sliding doors in various interior styles can be found in design blogs or other specialized web resources. It is not difficult to note the trend that high-tech style supporters prefer glass doors, and loft and Scandinavian style prefer wooden doors.

DIY sliding door system

A non-standard mechanism does not mean at all that the installation of sliding doors cannot be done by hand. This will help save money and time when ordering from a door factory, especially if the doorway is of a non-standard shape or size.

The set of necessary accessories for sliding doors consists of the door leaf itself of the required size (width and height of a standard swing door or a little more), a sliding mechanism, handles, a rail for the door frame and, if desired, a lock. The length of the sliding mechanism is calculated as two door widths, but it is better to buy with a margin, since the mechanism is easily trimmed.

In the existing working part of the door in the center of the lower end, it is necessary to make a groove about 3-4 mm deep. The rollers that enter the sliding mechanism are screwed to the upper end of the door. Then the guide profile is fixed: it should protrude from one edge by about 5-5.5 centimeters.

The height to which the structure must be fixed is calculated based on the height of the door itself, the rollers and the lower gap (depending on the floor covering and the possible curvature of the floor, the distance varies from 1 to 2 centimeters). The door frame can be made from an ordinary rail 2 centimeters thick, on the sides of which platbands are subsequently fixed.

Photo of sliding doors

Do you think that sliding systems are a novelty of the modern world? In fact, their history began even before our era. The Japanese used in their architecture doors moving along rails to divide a large room into small zones. This invention has survived to this day and has not lost its relevance. Sliding interior doors are used in the interior not only from an aesthetic, but also from a practical point of view: they save space.

Principles of the device of sliding systems

Based on the design features, there are two large classes of sliding systems:

1. sliding-folding;
2. parallel sliding.

The sliding-folding design resembles a book or an accordion: when opened, the sash does not move along a vertical surface, but moves to the side. A distinction is made between single and double sided models. One canvas is formed by 2 or more vertical sections, which are interconnected by a hinge.

The design of the sliding-folding door resembles a book

The disadvantage of the device: it does not prevent the penetration of odors, sounds. Therefore, sliding doors are mainly used as an element of decor and for the conditional division of living quarters into zones.

The parallel-sliding design is represented by one or more doors. They move on rollers along rails along or inside the wall. Such a device provides a high degree of sound insulation and is characterized by a long service life.. It is ideal for sliding wardrobes and for interior doors.

Parallel sliding door leaves move along or inside the wall

Parallel-sliding systems have several varieties that differ from each other in the number of leaves and in the way they open.

They may consist of one or two wings. They work according to a single scheme: they move along a vertical surface. The only difference is that for double-leaf doors, the canvases diverge in different directions. It is worth noting that this model saves space, decorates your interior. It is ideal for living room, nursery, kitchen, dressing room.

Compartment doors save living space

This model differs from the previous one by the presence of a niche in the wall, where the canvases enter when the door is opened. A niche is bought ready-made complete with a sliding system or made independently from drywall or other building materials.

Cassette door leaves slide into a niche in the wall

Radius doors

The radius model is a non-standard design solution. It differs from other models in that it is not designed to save space, but rather the opposite. Therefore, this type of door is designed for large premises: supermarkets, offices, country houses, and sometimes apartments.

Radius door features a semi-circular shape

As for the design features, the radius model is similar to traditional sliding solutions. The main difference is the semicircular shape of the products.

Cascading doors

This version of the sliding system is arranged in the same way as the traditional one. But it is not like other designs in that each canvas moves along a separate rail.

In a cascade system, each leaf moves along its own rail

Such a system is used as a partition between rooms or they collect all the doors on either side of the wall and close the room only to the width of one of them.

They are designed so that the entire structure is inside the opening. The canvases move towards each other, while leaving ½ of the opening for the passage.

This configuration allows you to change the location of the part of the opening open for passage.

The difference in sliding mechanisms

The mechanisms that form the basis for the functioning of sliding systems are of two types:

1. Concealed or in-wall. The name already speaks for itself: the device provides for the movement of the canvas inside the wall. This design must be planned at the stage of wall construction, since a door case is equipped inside it. It expands by reducing the usable area, but this frees up space along the vertical surface. Here you can put furniture, hang pictures.
2. open or external. This system does not require special construction work, so it can be installed at any time. The sliding structure is designed so that the sashes move along rails along a vertical surface. Therefore, a place on one or both sides of the wall should be left free.

If we compare these two types with each other, then the open mechanism gives more freedom of action. You can choose from a four-leaf design, which is especially suitable for wide openings.

With two guides

The canvases move on wheels along the guides, which are located at the bottom on the floor or at the top. Due to such a device, the sashes do not warp during operation.

The downside of the design is the regular contamination of the bottom rail groove.

Door leaves with two guides do not warp

With one guide

This type of mechanism assumes that the main parts of the structure will only move along the top rail. This option is called "suspended", since the canvas is in limbo.

Installation of a system with one guide is carried out only to strong walls. The structure of the device includes: an aluminum profile, a frame installation kit, roller mechanisms, stoppers.

The quality of the construction largely depends on the rollers. Refuse plastic wheels without bearings, as they adversely affect the service life, the overall performance of the device. Choose skates with silicone or rubber tires. Their number is determined on the basis of: 1 set per 70 kg of door leaf weight.

To prevent the sashes from moving off the upper rails, stoppers are used during installation. And the appearance of gaps is prevented by special flags. The main advantages of such a mechanism are: soft and quiet movement of the leaves and a high-strength system.

Stoppers prevent leaves from derailing

The choice of the type of guide mechanism depends on the type of product. So, when installing a cascading door, two roller mechanisms and guides with 2 gutters are installed on each leaf, and for a glass door they equip the upper and lower rails.

Standard and non-standard door sizes

Standard

As for the size of the paintings, each state has its own standards. In Russia, usually the height is two meters (rough opening height 210 cm), and the width of single-leaf products is from 0.6 to 0.9 m.

In the same size range, manufacturers produce sliding structures. Therefore, it will not be difficult to choose the right version of the product for a standard opening.

non-standard

Given that non-standard options are made to order, they will cost a lot. In the manufacture of products, materials such as glass, mirror are more often chosen.

Glass devices give the interior lightness, weightlessness, and mirror devices make the room visually larger.. Deaf products from various tree species are no less popular.

A variant of a non-standard sliding design is a glass door

If you want to order products that are wider or smaller than the standard width, make sure you have enough space to fully open the sashes. To do this, measure the width of the vertical surface. It should be greater than or equal to the width of the canvas.

Custom heights can also be made to order. These are, for example, models with arches or transoms.

Manual and automatic sliding doors

There are two ways to open and close sliding models: manual and automatic. The first is understood as the application of physical effort by a person in order to open the sashes.

Automatic structures are equipped with special sensors. They emit infrared rays that react to human movement.. Such a device is very convenient to use, as it is practical and easy to operate.

Installing automatic doors at home is not economically viable

Manual sliding system, if desired, can also be made automated. To do this, you need to buy an appropriate set of equipment, the cost of which is approximately $ 700.

Automatic devices, despite all their advantages, are not popular enough at home, as their price is sometimes unaffordable for the family budget. But they can often be seen in offices, shops, administrative buildings.

Self-installation of sliding interior sliding doors

Do-it-yourself installation of interior compartment doors requires a lot of effort and a responsible approach. However, it is quite possible to cope with this task if you follow the instructions step by step.

However, before you get started, make sure you have everything you need at hand:

• Doors, box, cashing;
• Accessories (lock, handle, skids, rollers);
• Beam 0.5x0.3m;
• Fastening;
• Tools: drill, chisel, level, fine-toothed hacksaw, tape measure.

If the weight of the product is over 27 kg, then four rollers will be needed for the design. Think also about hidden options for locks, handles. When operating the sliding system, they will not spoil your wallpaper and wall.

Armed with everything you need, proceed to the first stage.

Training

The first step is to decide on the installation site, the number of wings. Think about how they will open, interact with each other. Decide how the product will be attached: hang retractable products on the top rail or hide them inside the pencil case.

Dismantle the old door structure and make sure the opening is in the right condition. The door frame is mounted in such a way that the gap between the leaf and the floor in the living rooms is 1 cm..

Interior doorway

Installing a non-threshold sliding model is good because it does not require the destruction of the finished floor. The mechanism is based on carriages with rollers on ball bearings that ride on skids. The rails above the opening are masked under a decorative strip.

Sliding door assembly

At this stage, the roller mechanism is placed on the upper end of the door. Then we go down to the bottom end. On its two sides, at a distance of 1.5 cm from the edges, we drill holes, and then we make a groove between them 2 mm wide, about 10-18 mm deep (knife height).

The sections free from the groove at the end will act as a travel limiter for the blades.

Installation of fittings for sliding doors

This is a rather laborious process, so if possible, trust the master. If you decide to do the work yourself, then be extremely careful and accurate and follow the attached instructions. Otherwise, due to inexperience or negligence, you can damage the product.

Installation of a sliding interior door

The sashes are put on skids and checked how they move. If there are no problems, rubber shock absorbers are installed in the guides, which act as limiters. They do not allow products to derail during movement, and also make their stop soft, silent.

decorative sliding doors

To make the opening look aesthetically pleasing, it is necessary to hide all structural elements. Use overlay strips for this. Install decorative elements on the box and top rails.

However, there are cases where it is not necessary to use a finish. Sometimes structural elements are part of a design decision. This is typical for modern or high-tech interiors.

After going through all the stages in order, you can enjoy the fruits of your labor. Ideally, sliding doors should look in section as in the drawing:

Installing a sliding system is only half the battle, the second half is its proper operation. Therefore, observe the following rules:

• Remove debris from the guides, otherwise this will cause the device to stop working.
• Close and open sashes with smooth movements. Careless operation will cause the roller mechanism to wear out quickly or the limiter to fall out.
• Regularly check the condition of the fittings. Replace worn rollers in time so that the rails do not deform.
• When caring for canvases, glasses and other components, buy special products.

Choosing sliding products, you get a double benefit: practicality and beauty.

The popularity of sliding door systems is due to their ease of use and ergonomics. They fit perfectly into the space of the apartment, without occupying a usable area with sashes, and can become a stylish design element of the room. Sliding interior entrance structures are distinguished by a variety of shapes and materials. A wide range of offers allows each customer to make a choice, focusing on their taste and preferences. Beautiful interior sliding doors in the interior are a godsend for those who love original design solutions, they have many aesthetic and practical advantages, are safe and reliable in operation.

Advantages and features of sliding doors

The features of sliding systems include the fact that they universal, they can be installed in rooms for various purposes. They are appropriate in living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, loggias, balconies. This type of entry systems is an indispensable alternative to traditional doors in small apartments. They open by moving the sash parallel to the wall, which allows you to maximize the use of every centimeter of area.

Sliding structures can be one-piece, consist of paneled elements, are made in a radius or flat version. Radius curved design is relevant for mounting doors at the junction of walls. This allows you to smooth corners and create an original interior entrance system. Due to the ease of installation, interior sliding doors in the interior can be mounted independently. This does not require special preparatory work, the installation of rails or thresholds on the floor, and door frames are not required. You will need a railing beam that is attached to the wall, and door panels with rollers that will move along the beam. Doors are equipped with built-in handles and locks, limiters are installed on the floor. Installation is easy to do, it is more difficult to choose a sliding system with reliable rails and rollers that will hold the canvas perfectly and work silently.

To benefits sliding interior systems include:

• saving free space;
• durability of structures;
• the possibility of their dismantling and replacement in connection with a change in the design of the apartment;
• lack of violations in floor coverings;
• multiple variations of sizes and configurations of door structures;
• safety in operation.

For noiselessness and elimination of glare when opening and closing doors, it is necessary to equip them with door closers and choose the right material and colors for the canvases.

Types of sliding interior doors

Door interior systems are chosen depending on the size of the apartment, the style of the interior, and the material capabilities of the owner.

1. Standard designs. For small apartments, single-leaf doors, consisting of one moving leaf, are preferable. For cottages with spacious rooms, door systems with two movable elements, that is, double-leaf canvases, are relevant. Moreover, the dimensions of the canvases can be different. This makes it possible to adjust the width of the opening (functional value) and visually change the size of the wall (aesthetic value).
2. Non-standard solutions. Radius door structures are used in unusual layouts of apartments where there are semicircular walls, or corners need to be smoothed. The railing on such a door is semicircular, it makes it possible to create an exclusive apartment design. The functional role of this design is the ability to make an interesting zoning of the room. For modern interior design in fusion style, this option is the most suitable.
3. Harmonic. The door structure of this type is different in that it does not move apart, but folds during opening and closing. This allows you to make small lamellas that make up the canvas. To adjust the width of the opening - this is ideal. You can make a narrow passage or open the entire partition to the end, and visually make the space of the room unified.
4. Sliding doors in terms of their functionality, they are the best option when it is necessary to transform a room from one large room into two small and cozy ones. Such designs are used in studio apartments. They allow you to increase the usable space of housing for a day, and organize a personal corner for adults and children at night.

According to the materials of manufacture, interior doors are divided into lungs and dense designs. The first include input systems made of paper, fabric, fiberboard. The second group of materials includes:

• plastic,
• glass,
• mirror.

Light canvases are installed if soundproofing is not needed, but only zoning is needed. Dense ones are used for maximum sound impermeability. Such an insulating role is perfectly performed by PVC plastic, glass, mirror, MDF, as well as solid wood doors. Wooden, glass and mirror doors are more expensive than plastic, fabric and paper ones. When choosing, it is necessary to take into account the cost characteristics of the door system.

Interior sliding doors and interior styles

Visually, any interior door can look like an interior decoration, for the most suitable are door systems made of natural wood and MDF. Combined canvases made of wood and glass look especially interesting.

For interior design, you need to choose glass or mirror canvases that are not burdened with unnecessary membranes. They should look like a transition from one module to another. For this type of door, automated control systems for interior partitions are often used.

For style, sliding interior combined doors made of wood and glass, with an elegant pattern of the base, will be an excellent option.

Regardless of the style of the interior, the size of the apartment, you need to pay attention to the quality of the components that make up the door system. The railing must be powerful enough, the rollers must be tightly fixed on the canvas, the fittings must be reliable. With such characteristics of the constituent elements, interior doors will work flawlessly and fulfill the functional and aesthetic task assigned to them.

Interior sliding doors in the interior: photo