Sliding doors allow you divide two rooms without losing space in these. If you want to save space in the bathroom in the master bedroom, in the kitchen pantry or in the work space, this alternative is very interesting as well as economical.
If you contemplate the idea of place a sliding door at homeYou will like to know that you can do it yourself if you have basic DIY tools. This is a project that, in addition to saving, will allow you to personalize the door, adapting it to specific measurements and styles.
Advantages and disadvantages of a sliding door
Sliding doors slide along a rail placed in the upper part of the partition, above the doorway. They move parallel to the wall, making them a great alternative to provide privacy to rooms that are not large in size. But are they all advantages? No, these doors have advantages and disadvantages and it is important to know them.
- Advantage. In small rooms and openings where a traditional door would hinder or prevent the placement of certain furniture, sliding doors are a great option. Their installation is simple and you can easily integrate them into the style of your home. Not only is there a wide range of sliding doors on the market, but you can also make and customize them yourself to achieve a unique design.
- Disadvantages Although they allow us to visually divide two spaces, this type of door does not isolate as a swing would. Therefore, they do not provide the privacy that we sometimes seek. In addition, even if they do not steal space from a certain room if they cancel a piece of wall; the one who occupies the door when it is open.
Step by step to make a sliding door
Sliding doors, as we have already explained above, slide through a rail that will not be difficult to find in DIY stores. It will not cost you to find the materials to create your own door. The most popular ones, the wooden ones, you can make them from a solid plank or a series of attached boards. But let's go step by step
Measure, cut and assemble
The first step will be to take action and do it at least twice so as not to make a mistake. The sliding door has to adapt to the width and height of the gap that you have to cover. Take a meter, take the measurements and write them down in a notebook. Now that you have more measurements, you have two options:
- Start from a plank, in which case it must be a plank of the annotated measurements. You can go to a department store like Leroy Merlin and ask to have it cut to size or take a larger standard plank and cut it with a jigsaw at home.
- Make the door from wooden boards or slats. If you like this option more, you will not only have to buy enough boards and slats to cover the width and length of those measurements that you have written down. In addition, you will need some thin slats that serve to create a frame with which to join them from the back as you see in the image below.
Add details
What style of door do you want? If you are looking for a rustic barn door you may want to add a wooden door frame and slats forming squares and / or blades. You can also get a rustic look, although more refined, adding horizontal metal fittings as in the image below.
Looking for more modern alternatives? Create intricate oblique patterns With slats up to the frame, combining slats in different directions is a trend option. So is betting on curved patterns or subtle ribbing. Once these details have been added, you will only have to add a suitable handle or decide to do without it.
Varnish, stain or paint
If you use noble wood, leaving it natural is always a great alternative in both rustic and contemporary spaces. But you have other options. If you want the wood to look natural but to acquire color, walnut it can become a great ally. Similar in tone to walnut, it is used to stain wood and achieve an aged effect. There is it in liquid format, ready to use, or in powder format, which is diluted in water in the quantity that is preferred according to the desired tone. Another similar alternative to tint the color and protect the door at the same time is varnish.
You can also paint the door. To do this, sand it down first and then apply a sealer primer with a foam roller or brush. Then when it has dried, apply two coats of a water-based acrylic enamel, respecting the drying and repainting times recommended by the manufacturer.
Choose the color well. Black and dark gray are ideal to give an elegant atmosphere to the space. Light grays are very popular today, because of how well they adapt to modern and contemporary spaces. Dark blue is perfect for relaxed, family spaces. Green and pastel blues with the most appropriate for Provencal style environments. The creams provide luminosity and warmth. And the whites? The whites fit any style.
Install guide
Finally, you will have to take the subway again to place the same distance from each end of the anchors that will join the door to the sliding guide. Mark, drill and fix the anchors with some screws. To finish you will only have to install the guide on the wall and mount the door.
Making a wooden sliding door at home is simple; you just have to have the necessary tools and material for it. Creativity is not essential, since on the web you will be able to find many more examples than we have already shown you. You just have to choose the one you like the most and reproduce it or be inspired by it.
Will you dare to make your own sliding door this Fall? Now that you know how to make a sliding door, it's all about wearing.