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Good Questions: How Can I Install Sliding Doors?

8.21door.jpgHello AT,

My husband and I are moving into a new apartment soon, and want to replace the swinging doors with sliding doors. We wanted to do a floor to ceiling door as seen in the picture to the left, with the top-rail hidden in the ceiling, but have no idea how to do this, or what kind of hardware or installation is required.

Can anyone help?

Thanks! Reshma

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Comments (10)

try barn door tracks...though often the hardware is visible, it's still pretty sweet looking.

posted by kdkaboom on August 28th 2007 at 5:54am
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If you search the AT archives, there have been many discussions regarding resources for sliding doors.

posted by JenDC on August 28th 2007 at 6:15am
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Sounds like sliding closet doors or sliding room dividers would fit the bill. However, if you have a funky ceiling height, like, say 8'7", you're probably looking at a costly custom fabrication.

posted by hejiranyc on August 28th 2007 at 6:23am
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for sliding closet doors, don't you need hardware installed on the floor, too?

i'd check out shoji screens, like this:

http://www.shojidesigns.com/portfolio/ellison.html

posted by kdkaboom on August 28th 2007 at 6:31am
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You would use normal sliding door hardware, but you would need to install a new gyp bd ceiling at a lower height around the door area in order to make the track appear recessed.

posted by Fingernail on August 28th 2007 at 6:44am
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I don't think barn door hardware would require a bottom track. But yes, the sliding stuff definitely needs a bottom rail as well as a top rail.

Alternatively, you could potentially reframe the walls and insert pocket doors.

In any case, it sounds like mucho $$$ to achieve the look that you want...

posted by hejiranyc on August 28th 2007 at 6:49am
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Sliding doors with recessed tracks usually must be installed at the time the ceiling is hung in order to recess the track. Retrofitting a recessed track in the ceiling would likely require removal of a section of ceiling drywall or plaster along the path of the track, then installing the track and hanging new drywall or plaster to either side. If you really want the recessed look, you'll have to weigh whether you're willing to put up with the potential construction headaches to get it.

posted by John H on August 28th 2007 at 7:23am
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Definitely not sure i want to deal with contruction headaches, I was wondering if i could put up a faux section of wall right below the ceiling, and build the top railings into that, has anyone done work like that before? Also, don't want to have bottom rails, I see those as an accident waiting to happen. Does anyone have any idea how much this might cost?

posted by reshma on August 28th 2007 at 8:37am
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Just checked with the sales office from the building.
The ceilings will be about 9'4" and we won't have a recessed ceiling, it will be the concrete between the floors.

posted by RJ on August 28th 2007 at 9:45am
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Reshma, it all depends on how you want these doors and tracks to look and the money you want to spend. If your ceilings are concrete you can just about forget recessed tracks unless you are willing to pay a likely substantial sum to have your builder install thicker plaster or drywall the ceilings of both rooms to accommodate the recessed track. Even a faux beam or header over the doorway with the track inside could prove an expensive proposition due to the plaster and drywall work and must be designed properly to avoid it looking as though you just slapped it up there.

If you really want these sliding doors and you aren't willing to spend the cost and effort of recessing the tracks. You may have to get used to the idea of a track on the ceiling.

posted by John H on August 30th 2007 at 6:31am
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