Build Sliding Room Dividers in 5 Steps
Sliding room dividers can provide a variety of advantages for a homeowner. They are especially useful in a small home where space saving is a greater need. In a home where privacy or a quieter environment is needed for studying or entertainment, these doors are equally as useful. Pre-built doors that can be used for these dividers are usually available in hardware stores and home improvement centers, making the job of installing them even faster and more trouble free.
Things you'll need:
- Sliding door track
- Door rollers
- Door guides
- Room dividers
- Drill
- Drill bits
- Screwdrivers
- Pencil
- Notebook
- Chalk line
- Stud finder
Step 1 - Planning
Before buying your hardware or materials for your room dividers, use your tape measure to determine the length of the sliding door track you'll need to install. The length of this track will be determined, in part, by the quantity of door panels you'll be using on the track. Take these measurements and a tape measure with you to the store where you'll buy your track. Once there, find the panels you'll want to use, measure their individual width, and make a note of these measurements. Find the door tracks you prefer, check available lengths, and choose the track that will best fit the quantity of panels you plan to use.
Step 2 – Installing Your Ceiling Door Track
If you'll be installing your door track on a drywall ceiling, use a straightedge and pencil or a chalk line to mark a line on which you'll install your door track. Use a stud finder to locate ceiling joists into which you'll drive screws to attach your top track. Line up your track with the line you've made, then, attach it by driving screws through the track and into the ceiling.
Step 3 – Installing Your Floor Door Track
As you did with your ceiling track installation, mark a straight line on your floor directly below your ceiling track. To keep your doors from swinging freely when installed on your track, install a floor track or door guides. If you plan to install a track on a carpet floor, measure and cut out a narrow strip of carpet and pad of a width that will allow your track to fit between its edges. For installation on carpet, seal the cut edge of your carpet and install a tack strip beneath both edges. This will keep your carpet edge from fraying and coming loose from the floor. Now, lay your track out along your guideline.
For a wood floor installation, drive wood screws through your track and into the floor. For installation on concrete, use a drill and masonry bit to make anchor holes in the floor. Insert anchors in these holes, then, attach the track with screws driven through the track and into the anchors.
Step 4 – Install Door Rollers
On the top edge of your panels, screens, or doors, attach your door rollers. Use a screwdriver to attach and adjust the rollers to fit your doors.
Step 5 – Attaching Your Doors
Fit your door into the bottom track or guide. Then attach your door rollers to the top track so that when you slide your door it rolls freely across the top track.
