Interior sliding doors are a great opportunity to update your interior. Combining functionality and modern design, such doors will become unusual element your house. However, in order to choose not only beautiful, but also a secure door, especially close attention should be paid to the mechanism.
Interior sliding wooden doors.
Sliding doors consist of several parts. Most often this is the canvas, fastening system and mechanism. All necessary details are sold as a set and are included in the price of the door. However, in case of any breakdown, without having an idea of how the door works, you will have to contact specialists, and this is a waste of money.
Let’s try to figure out on our own how the mechanism works and whether it’s possible to assemble interior sliding doors yourself. Instructions and photos that can be easily found on the Internet will help us with this.
Mechanism basis
The mechanism for sliding interior doors is quite simple and consists of three main parts:
- profile guides (rails);
- roller device;
- bracket mounting;
- stoppers;
- screws.
Profile guides are made of metal - often aluminum, sometimes steel. There are doors with one rail and with two, and with a single guide it is attached only from above. The length of the rail should be twice as long as the doorway.
Sliding mechanism.
The sliding door is equipped with two rails - bottom and top. The double-rail design has its advantages and disadvantages:
- The mechanism with two rails is more stable.
- As a result of the main load on the lower component, the mechanism with two rails can withstand heavy loads and have a longer service life (especially with a heavy door leaf).
- The best indicators of sound and noise insulation.
- The bottom rail creates a threshold over which you can trip.
- Over time, dust and dirt accumulate in the bottom rail, making cleaning difficult.
The upper rail is involved in the smooth movement of the door, while the lower one is used as a support. But there are sliding doors, the fastening mechanism of which provides only one rail - the top one. Such doors are called hanging doors, and are the most popular.
Hanging sliding doors without bottom rail.
If you decide to install this type of door, then make sure that the quality of the upper guide is of the highest quality, otherwise the rail may sag under the weight of the door leaf. When installing, you must follow the instructions and photos exactly. Lasting metallic profile and reliable fittings are the key to a successful purchase of a slider or door on wheels.
The roller device ensures easy sliding of the door along the rail. To choose the right roller mechanism for sliding interior doors, you should pay attention to the presence of the bottom rail, the weight of the leaf and its size. If the door is equipped with a bottom rail, the rollers are installed closer to the corners at the bottom and at the top in the middle. The rollers are covered with wear-resistant rubber. They use bearings that make it possible for the door to slide silently when opening. Thanks to dust protection, the bearings have for a long time operation.
Most often, the rollers are attached only to the door leaf, but the design of the sliding door provides for their attachment to a frame, and externally such a mechanism looks like a groove.
Hanging doors with several leaves are equipped with a different device - rollers connect the leaf and the frame using a lever on a hinge.
This mechanism makes it possible to align closed door leaves in one plane.
Stoppers serve as limiters for door movement, simultaneously fixing and holding it.
It is worth paying attention to the fittings: they look unusual. Sliding interior doors, due to their design, cannot be equipped with conventional handles, because they will interfere with the movement of the canvases. Such doors use handles in recesses that do not protrude beyond the width of the door leaf. If not interior doors are used, but entrance doors, then special locks and closers are attached to the mechanism.
When ordering a sliding door, it will be accompanied by instructions describing the mechanism, assembly diagram and photo.
An example of a sliding door delivery package.
Description of a typical device
After description general principles work of all incoming parts, we present typical description mechanism sliding doors. It should contain the following parameters:
This makes it easy to check the integrity of the door kit.
Sliding door mechanism diagram.
Self-installation
Create unique interior apartments and increase the usable area of the apartment easily. For this purpose there are sliding interior doors. Do-it-yourself installation will help you save money.
It will require an understanding of how the mechanism works and a small set of tools.
After purchasing a sliding door with everything you need included, you can begin installing it. To do this we do the following:
- We make the markings that will be needed for the guides. To do this, measure the height from the floor to the door with a tape measure. Do not forget to add 15-20 mm to the resulting figure for the space between the floor and the door, plus the height of the profile guides and the assembled mechanism.
- Make several marks on the wall and connect them with a line.
- There is another way to measure the height of the guides, but it is not so accurate. To do this, you need to put it against the opening door leaf, marks are placed along the upper edge, and the parameters of the mechanism and guide are added to them.
- Before installing the guides, make sure that the drawn line is strictly horizontal. The easiest way to do this is with a level. This way you will protect yourself from annoying mistakes and the need to redo the work.
- Now we proceed to install the guide, and mount it so that the line is on top. The fastening method depends on the type of rail. Some models offer wall mounting using dowels, while others are mounted on brackets or beams. Fix the rail not close to the wall, but at a short distance from it, so that when opening the door the doorway does not interfere.
- Important note: the length of the rail must be twice as long as the doorway, otherwise the first time you open the door it will simply fly off the guide. When calculating the length, add a few more centimeters of spare space.
- Now you need to insert it inside the carriage mounting bolt and determine the entire resulting mechanism inside the rails. A regular single-leaf door requires only two rollers, while sliding doors or accordion doors must be equipped with rollers according to the number of movable leaves.
- Install carriage brackets at the top of the door with a gap of 3-6mm from the edge. This method of fastening is permissible for any canvas except glass. Glass doors are secured using special clamps with screws. Also, given the weight of the glass, any door made of of this material supported from below the second guide.
- After installing the roller mechanism and fasteners, it is time to install the door leaf in place. To do this, carefully lift it and screw the bolts into the brackets. To make the work easier, this stage requires assistants to secure the doors smoothly and effortlessly.
- If the sliding doors are installed level, all that remains is to decorate the doorway and slopes. If debugging is required, it can be done using bolts.
Due to their unusual design, sliding doors require a specific type of hardware.
Now all that remains is to install the fittings. Installing a door yourself will help you better understand its mechanism and ensure the quality of installation.
Traditional swing doors aren't for everyone. But sliding systems have a lot of advantages - they do not “slam”, move silently and do not take up part of the usable space of the room. To ensure that the result of their installation does not disappoint, you need to know what types of mechanisms there are for sliding doors and how to choose them for a specific design.
On a note!
- When looking for a ready-made mechanism kit, you should take into account not only the specifics of blade displacement, but also the complexity of installing and adjusting the system.
- At self-production structural elements, the peculiarities of movement of door leaves and their installation location are taken into account.
Components of the kits
Different mechanisms in their design sliding doors differ little from each other, except perhaps in the specific displacement of the valves. Therefore, the kits include almost the same elements; the only difference is in their number and design.
Rails
Profiles are mainly used as guides in sliding door systems.
The difference between them is the number of “tracks”. The specifics of the application depend on how exactly the canvas covers the opening: end-to-end or overlapping. In fact, these are traditional sliding doors, well known to many. When choosing a profile, the metal from which it is made also matters. For massive doors It is better not to use aluminum (even though it is cheaper); Deformation will cause problems with sliding doors - only steel.
Roller bearings
They also differ in design features. Required amount wheels (and the upper mechanisms can have up to 8) is determined by the mass of the blade and the type of sliding system. There are also differences in the arrangement of the wheels: symmetrical or offset (asymmetrical). For doors weighing no more than 80 kg, roller mechanisms with two supports can be used. But for massive canvases, at least four are installed, which is associated with an increased load on the structure.
Locking elements
They are not basic, but perform important functions. The first is to prevent a “hard” impact of the door on the wall (if the opening is located close to it) or the roller flying out of the guide. Such parts are called motion limiters. The second is fixing the door in a certain position. This is necessary in order to prevent spontaneous movement of the canvas. This is possible, for example, in the event of a strong draft or disruption of the horizontal orientation of the rails due to shrinkage of the structure.
The sliding door mechanism can be additionally equipped with automation elements (closers, mini-electric motors, cables, hooks, etc.). But they do not make any changes to the principle of its functioning; They only increase ease of use, nothing more.
Types of sliding systems
Open type
These are the most simple modifications. The sliding mechanism consists of roller support elements and guides. The number of the latter determines the specifics of the door’s operation, its stability in the opening and a number of other factors. Why open? The fact is that such designs are universal in installation. They can be mounted in any opening, regardless of the wall material and its structure; it makes no difference whether it is solid or hollow (that is, a partition).
With one rail
Such systems are called suspended, non-threshold, upper. They are the easiest to install, and therefore are often installed in apartments. This is explained by standard openings, therefore, the door sizes are chosen relatively small. The disadvantage is that there are only limiters at the bottom, and there is no fixation of the position of the canvas. Therefore, there is some difficulty in determining it optimal thickness, that is, masses. Too much light door will begin to sway in the draft. This will not particularly affect the design itself, but in terms of comfort, such a prospect is unlikely to suit anyone; periodic “tapping” will cause irritation in any person.
There is one more negative point - you can forget about soundproofing the room. Therefore, the installation of such a system has a number of limitations. For example, if we're talking about about the opening leading to the office or bedroom - not the best option sliding door. But here you can find positive point– hanging canvases do not interfere with the natural circulation of air flows.
It is worth noting that in such systems, not only profiles are used as a guide, but also metal rods and pipes. And this diversifies the choice of installation options.
With two guides
Such systems are called floor-standing. The difference is that the rails are fastened both at the top and at the bottom. Accordingly, the number of roller mechanisms increases. Despite a certain installation complexity (for example, the accuracy of projecting the guide axis from the ceiling to the floor when marking), such a sliding mechanism provides a number of advantages.
- It can withstand significant load. That is, it allows you to install massive panels in the opening without any special restrictions.
- Sliding doors are always static. If the lock is installed, the canvas will not “knock” even in a strong draft.
Closed type
Such systems are installed much less frequently. Their difference is that the doors “go” into the wall, that is, after opening, the door is partially or completely hidden in it. But this is only possible in the case of interior partition, and frame type. It is hollow inside, and therefore there are no obstacles to moving the door.
- Originality of the system.
- Ease of use. There are no guides on the floor or ceiling, therefore, they effective area does not decrease.
- Low maintainability. If problems arise with the limiter or sash, you will have to remove part of the cladding from the partition. Replacing the roller mechanism will also be quite difficult. Especially if the sliding door closes with overlapping panels. Their dimensions in width exceed half of the same parameter of the opening, and therefore here it is impossible to do without removing part of the cladding from the wall.
- Difficulty of care. No matter how clean the owners are, dust will gradually accumulate in the profiles. As a result, incorrect operation of the sliding system, jamming of doors, and so on. How to remove contamination is a separate question, but it should be taken into account.
The design of the hidden mechanism for sliding doors is not much different from that used in structures open type; its composition is completely identical. It is so called because various decorative strips are placed on top, which cover the structural elements.
There is also combined option systems with two guides. It is mounted if heavy blades are selected that create a large load on the rollers. It is not always possible (or advisable) to increase their number. Therefore, the solution is the following - use both the lower and upper wheels as supporting elements. This allows the weight of the sliding door to be evenly distributed over the entire area. The convenience is obvious - the control of the shutters is greatly simplified. They move even with a light touch on the handle. For families with small children – best option systems.
When choosing (or making your own) a mechanism for sliding interior doors, first of all you need to take into account such characteristics as load capacity. All other factors - the specifics of installation in place, opening / closing - should fade into the background. Otherwise, even if the system is professionally installed, it will have to be repaired within a couple of months.
Our apartments are mostly equipped with standard swing doors. For owners of small-sized homes, such doors cause many problems, since they take up a decent amount of usable space, which can and should be used more efficiently. The way out of this situation is to install sliding doors. In them, the door leaf moves along the wall, thus freeing up usable space.
Types of sliding door mechanisms
Sliding mechanisms for interior doors are presented today in two types.
- The first type of such a mechanism includes two guides - both upper and lower. Sliding doors with this mechanism are free from distortions, and two pairs of rollers ensure quiet operation.
- The second type of mechanism has a special stop at the bottom guide. This option is not particularly reliable, since the door appears to be suspended in the air and closing it is not very convenient.
Rollers play an important role in the sliding mechanism. The entire process of using doors in the future depends on their type and quality. Cheap sliding door mechanisms are usually equipped with plastic wheels without bearings. Is not in the best possible way affects both the service life of the door and its performance.
The best option today is rollers with silicone bearings or equipped with rubber tires on top .
When choosing a sliding mechanism, you must keep in mind the weight of the entire structure: for a door weighing 40-75 kg, a mechanism with two rollers is quite suitable. If the door is more massive (weighing 75-120 kg), then a mechanism with four wheels will be required. It must be remembered that there is no need to skimp on the sliding door mechanism. A good expensive design needs a good, reliable sliding mechanism.
For different types sliding doors needed different kinds sliding mechanisms and guides:
- when installing a cascade door, 2 roller mechanisms are installed on each door leaf, and the guides must, of course, have two gutters;
- for glass sliding doors, guides are installed both above and below;
Tools and materials
To install the sliding door mechanism, the following materials are required:
- door leaf (this is the main element);
- wooden beam 40x40 mm. The length of the beam must be equal to the guide rail;
- aluminum profile;
- a set of rollers - suspended or support;
- limiters;
- mounting kit;
- aluminum profile – 2 m.
For work you should prepare the following tools:
- screwdriver;
- drill;
- building level;
- roulette;
- chisel;
- hammer.
Useful. Interesting solution can be . Read about this in our separate review.
Installation instructions for sliding door mechanisms
- You need to attach a sliding door to the wall near the doorway and mark it on the wall (necessarily both in closed and in open position) its upper edge.
- From the measured edge you need to mark 70 mm upward and draw a horizontal line. This is the level of the top edge of the guide mechanism.
- A wooden block is attached to the wall. Its bottom edge should follow the line as accurately as possible. The middle of this block should be above the upper corner of the door opening on the side where the door will slide.
- The edge of the upper guide is applied from below, to the end of the bar. The outermost hole is marked at a distance equal to half door thickness+3-5 mm. The guide is secured with a self-tapping screw, the second screw secures the other edge of the guide. The distance from the guide to the wall should allow the door leaf to move.
- Support carriages are assembled onto the sliding door mechanism.
- The assembled carriages are inserted inside the upper guide. Then you need to check if they move easily.
- Travel limiters with rubber shock absorbers are installed on the edges of the guide. The plate without thread is placed outside the profile, and the plate with thread is placed inside it.
- Next, a longitudinal groove is made - at the bottom of the door leaf, 15-18 mm deep and 1-2 mm wider than the lower guide flag. There is no need to lubricate this groove with grease.
Along the edges of the aluminum guide, travel stops equipped with rubber shock absorbers should be inserted.
Important. When installing round shock absorbers without a retainer, metal plate with a thread is placed inside the profile, and a plate without a thread is placed outside.
- Next, a longitudinal groove is made in the lower part of the door leaf. This groove can be lubricated with any suitable lubricant.
- Stepping back about 2 cm from the edge, fastening brackets are mounted on the door - in the middle of the door thickness, at the upper end. The semicircular cutouts of the brackets should face the wall.
- The door leaf is hung.
- The lower guide roller (or knife, or flag) is installed.
- The door is adjusted vertically.
- A decorative strip is mounted, it covers the sliding mechanism and 5-10 mm of the upper edge of the door. It can be either fixed or folding. It can be covered with wallpaper - the same as the wall, or you can immediately purchase it to match the desired color of the door.
The installation process of the sliding door mechanism is almost complete. All that remains is to make sure that the design is working properly.
Mechanisms for sliding doors are used in interior doors, sliding wardrobes, and doors with a pencil case. The design can be sliding, folding (folding door), radial. Mechanisms hold and guide door leaves made of wood, glass, and plastic.
Buy sliding systems and kits for interior doors in our online store!
We offer sliding systems and kits for interior doors at the best prices!
Qualitative sliding door kit ensures easy and smooth movement of the door leaf, eliminates the occurrence of extraneous sounds. Modern sliding systems for doors very effective, durable, do not require frequent and complex care.
For the manufacture of mechanisms they are used best materials- stainless alloys, durable wear-resistant plastic. The kits are easy to install, their design is well thought out, sliding system for interior doors provides them flawless operation for many years.
The mechanisms are based on rollers, with the help of which the door leaf moves along the guides. The quality of their production is given Special attention, and a set from famous manufacturer even visually different from various fakes. The kits also include mounting strips and other accessories.
There are mechanisms with a closer that eliminate the need to close the door tightly manually; it will close automatically.
Correct installation door mechanisms- quite a complex and responsible task. Experienced specialists should be involved in this matter. When purchasing a mechanism, you should immediately take care of its professional installation.
Sliding opening systems are convenient and safe. They save space in the room and look attractive. Therefore, hinged interior doors are increasingly being replaced by sliding and folding ones, and sliding wardrobes are very popular in small apartments.
The key to quiet and smooth operation of sliding interior doors is high-quality fittings. Roller structures have a complex structure and require the use of an expanded set of elements.
The set includes:
- guides. Typically modern door systems have a mounted design. Large and heavy sliding curtains are often equipped with a floor rail. Guides are made of steel and aluminum;
- rollers equipped with bearings. Elements often have a rubberized shell for soft movement;
- components for rotary models. The functioning of these original products is ensured by a rotating mechanism;
- pencil cases. Metal constructions built into the wall, only the sash remains visible;
- special handles.
The main criterion is the weight of the sashes. For heavy sliding doors made of solid wood or glass, it is better to purchase reinforced rollers. Also pay attention to the following nuances:
- the rail should be twice as long as the interior panel;
- the floor track should ideally have a seal that prevents clogging;
- aluminum profile is quieter than steel;
- the number of accessories is selected based on the size and number of sections.
You can personally evaluate the entire range at exhibition hall in Moscow.
