Sliding doors are popular on bedroom closets, and are available both finished and unfinished, and in solid and hollow core options. It will make installation much easier if unfinished doors are finished before you install them. Replacing closet doors is fairly straightforward. You need to lift the doors off of the track, and then attach the hardware to the new doors. If you have built a new closet and are hanging sliding doors for the first time in a room, you will need to follow all of the steps below.
Tools and Supplies needed:
Basic tool kit and items on this page.
1. Building the Frame
A. Measure the door opening. Cut the door frame to length. Lay out
the pieces, making sure they are square. Nail the frame. B. Set the
frame inside the opening. Use a level to ensure the legs of the frame
are plumb. Insert shims to adjust and provide a nailing surface.
C. Use the level to check the top member of the frame. Insert shims
to adjust and provide a nailing surface. D. If you have made any adjustments,
check to make sure the frame is level and plumb. Nail or screw through
the shims to attach the frame in place.
2. Trimming the Door
A. Measure the door opening; add in the track dimension. Measure and trim the door to fit. Score the door’s bottom with a utility knife.
B. With the door on a level surface, use a circular saw to trim the
door to length using the score mark as your guide.
C. If the cut end of the door isn't perfectly smooth, you may want
to plane the surface. Use slow, even pressure on the door, removing
material gradually from the surface.
3. Installing the Track and Guide
A. Using the hardware provided by the manufacturer, attach the top
track to the door frame according to their instructions. B. Mount the
brackets and rollers on the upper end of the door, making sure the
hardware will not interfere with the movement of the rollers.
C. Set the door rollers inside the top track and hang the door in
place. Repeat for the second door. D. Check to make sure the doors
are plumb and level. Make any needed adjustments with the roller and bracket hardware.
E. Attach the floor brackets according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Check to make sure the doors can easily move through the opening. F.
Install the door hardware. Sliding doors typically have hardware
inset inside the door, as shown above, to allow for easy movement.