Interior Sliding Doors on Rails and Rollers with Photos

To fulfill their function, doors no longer have to "wide open" or "slam shut". Modern door designs can also "slide" or "separate". When it makes sense to prefer roller doors, whether it's possible to install them yourself, and how to integrate doors into interior design - all of this is covered in our article.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Sliding Constructions

Design: Pavel Alekseev

Roller doors and doors on rails have pros and cons.

The first thing to mention in the advantages section is space savings: a sliding door construction does not "cut off" a corner of the room area.

Moreover, models on guides:

• open effortlessly;
  
• slide silently;
  
• fit various door openings;
  
• diversify interior design;
  
• easily installed;
  
• do not slam shut by themselves;
  
• do not scratch walls with handles;
  
• help zone rooms.
  

There are fewer disadvantages, but for objectivity's sake, they should be noted. Roller doors:

• allow sounds and smells to pass through easily;
  
• are easily damaged when small objects fall into the rails;
  
• require expensive hardware.
  
  

The reliability category of roller doors cannot be unambiguously attributed to either advantages or disadvantages. On one hand, installing a solid, durable door panel promises many years of flawless service. But the determining factor is the quality of the mechanism and its professional installation.

Where Models on Rails Are Used

Design: Ekaterina Stepanova, Yes-Designs Studio

Sliding rail or roller constructions are expectedly used as interior doors. Their mission is to save space in small apartments, narrow corridors, and room pantries. This is accomplished through the ability of roller doors to move parallel to the wall.

But it would be unfair to highlight only their "space-saving" function. Stylishly designed interior doors on rails also look great in spacious rooms. Unlike bulky swing constructions, which would require a large hall or living room, sliding doors do not clutter the space, leaving a sense of light and air. For this purpose, they are appreciated by architects and designers of shopping centers, sports complexes, restaurants, and public institutions.

Today roller solutions attract attention with their innovation, though growing popularity may soon elevate them to the status of recognized classics.

Types of Mechanism Installation: Along and Inside the Wall

Installing interior doors on rollers can be done in two ways.

When installing "along the wall," a guide rail is mounted on the wall panel to move the rollers. After completing work with the mechanism, the door opening is finished off with door casings.

When installing "inside the wall," the mountings go into the depth of the panel (or its gypsum board imitation). Installing inside the wall requires a renovation (if not done during construction). The door panel must enter into some kind of "garage" (pantry or cassette), which requires a false wall. It's important to plan the handle placement, clearly noting that it cannot be in the same position as on a traditional door. Doors that enter inside the wall provide greater air tightness than the method described above.

Types of Doors: Wardrobe, Book, Rotary

Design: Evgenia Razuvayeva

Interior doors on rails or rollers, having similar characteristics, differ in their construction. Let's list them:

• wardrobe
  
• book
  
• rotor door
  

Wardrobe doors should not be confused with wardrobe units, where the door panel is lighter and thinner. The construction allows movement both inside and on the surface of the wall. The handle and closing hardware differ from traditional ones. Interior doors of the wardrobe type can have one or two panels, with a common or separate grooves. The roller can move along the top or bottom rail.

This group also includes accordion doors, which consist of at least three elements. The feature of the "accordion" is its ability to visually expand the room through "hinges". Both "book" and "accordion" doors are perfect for dividing space inside the house and can be installed in wardrobes and storage rooms. The construction is reasonably reliable, provided it is not placed at busy intersections (multi-component mechanisms are vulnerable in connecting nodes).

Rotary doors represent a hybrid of roller and traditional hinged doors. They are based on a rotating mechanism, so they can open both inward and outward, which is convenient for families with children or mobility-impaired individuals. In the open position, a rotary (also called swing) door requires less space. The door panel is equipped with reliable seals all around, giving rotary doors an advantage over other structural solutions.

Mounting Method: Top and Bottom

Design: Maria Pilypenko and Ekaterina Fedorova

In terms of mounting, two methods are practiced for roller doors: top and bottom (also called suspended and rail-mounted). Each of them has its own advantages but also disadvantages. Before making a decision about installing one of these options, it's worth studying their pros and cons.

Interior doors on top-mounted rollers are simple to install. The guide rail is mounted to the load-bearing beam, into which the rollers are inserted, and the door panel is attached to them. Essentially, this is a suspended door, allowing you to preserve the floor covering in its pristine condition. The absence of a bottom groove excludes clogging and jamming of the door. It should be noted that when mounted from above, the panel may sway. Another drawback is the zero level of thermal and sound insulation.

Sliding doors on bottom rails represent a rigid construction, without "sail" or play. (Clarify that in this case, the top roller is also provided). The only problem with this reliable and tested system is the need to constantly monitor the groove's condition to prevent clogging. Interior sliding doors on rails are often used to separate wardrobes.

Material: Wood, Glass, Metal

Design: Anastasia Rykova and Anastasia Bozhinskaya

There are almost no restrictions on the use of materials for roller doors. But there are some specificities.

Sliding doors can be panel, latticed, or composite... The door panel is made from particle board (laminated and coated), fiberboard, solid wood, laminate, glass, plastic, or metal.

Let's list the most common materials for doors and their combinations:

• Solid wood;
  
• Composite;
  
• Wood with glazing;
  
• Glass with profile.
  

Solid wood constructions are made from valuable wood species and are characterized by greater weight and higher cost. They are usually installed on both upper and lower rails simultaneously.

Composite door panels consist of a frame made from inexpensive (often coniferous) wood species, with the inclusion of particleboard or fiberboard. The decor is provided by veneer from natural wood - oak, walnut, Karelian birch.

Wooden products with glazing are manufactured by combining glass panels with particleboard, fiberboard, or MDF.

Glass door panels are usually framed with elements made from metal profiles (usually lightweight aluminum).

Mirror panels in plastic frames can be seen in interior doors of the wardrobe type.

Doors in Interiors: Classic, Hi-Tech, Baroque

The appearance of sliding doors in interiors is attributed to Asian craftsmen. Chinese and Japanese had been using similar constructions for centuries, differing from what we know only in materials (light wooden frames were covered with handmade paper). This was authentic, aesthetic, and space-saving for modestly-sized dwellings.

Today, roller doors have ceased to be the exclusive domain of Eastern fantasy and are found all over the world, fitting into interiors in all known styles.

For example, wood is preferred for classic style. Strict geometry, lack of ostentation, natural beauty of wood distinguish solid wood or veneer door panels.

Everything is different in hi-tech. Glass, metal, plastic, appropriate hardware, and proper ergonomics are the hallmarks of sliding doors in hi-tech style.

Wooden panels, plastic, glass, decorated with a marine or forest palette - such doors will fit perfectly into an interior in modern style.

Those who appreciate convex luxury will find the baroque style suitable. Carving, stained glass, gilding can be complemented by decorated door frames in the form of an arch.

Installing doors of any of the above types can be done by yourself. It will require willingness, patience, and a video tutorial on installing doors on rollers and rails.

Do you dream of changes but don't know where to start? Increase living space, improve quality of life, and diversify interior design - all three goals can be achieved by installing roller doors in an apartment.

Design: Arch. Subject

Design: CO:interior

Design: Pavel Alekseev