How to install doors in a wardrobe

According to legend, the idea of a wardrobe belongs to Napoleon. It was he who, in order to avoid chaos, this constant companion of camp life, ordered her attributes and equipment to be hidden behind a sliding screen. The idea was further developed in America in the mid-twentieth century, when they began to use a door instead of a screen.

A wardrobe is always a stylish look

Advantages of sliding doors

Today, sliding doors are commonplace. They are used as entrances, as partitions, and for zoning rooms. They are especially popular as cabinet doors. Wardrobes with a sliding door opening mechanism are called wardrobes.

In our country, sliding wardrobes appeared at the end of the last century, but very quickly gained popularity because:

Save space. They do not require a platform for opening doors, which is especially important in small apartments.
Very roomy, you can use the entire volume - length, width and height - for storing things.
A sliding wardrobe can be installed in any room and it will suit almost any design style - it is universal furniture.

This wardrobe needs doors to be installed.

Free internal organization, that is, only you decide what to fill the closet with, how many shelves, drawers, rods you need, and you can store there anything from small accessories to sports equipment and household appliances.
With the help of such a cabinet it is easy to divide the room into functional zones. This is just a godsend for studio apartments.
These cabinets are reliable. The doors will not become loose or fall off, and they are very easy to care for.
Wide price range. They cost on average no more than regular ones, but are much more convenient.

The list of advantages can be continued further, but we believe that what has been said is enough.

Dimensions

There are no standards for the internal dimensions of sliding wardrobes.
Drawers, shelves, hooks and other elements allow you to effectively use any closet space. The large interior space makes it easy to organize. To effectively organize personal belongings, you should consider the design of the furniture, as well as the size of the storage systems.

Laundry storage

Intimate items of clothing should be stored in small, neat drawers.

Recommended box sizes:

Depth: from 150 to 300 mm.
Height: from 150 to 200 mm.

And the width of the drawers directly depends on the parameters of the section in which the specified piece of furniture is located. Men should place their underwear separately from their socks.

It is better for representatives of the fair half of humanity to allocate several drawers. Fold the top of the underwear set into one, and the bottom into the second.

Theoretically, the depth of the drawers can be increased by 300 mm. However, this will lead to the fact that it will not be very convenient to remove objects from a drawer that is too deep.

There are two types of retractable mechanisms on the market: ball and roller. Closers are installed on such a box at will.

Since underwear is always required, it is stored in the middle part.

Wrinkle-resistant things

Probably every person has clothes made from special materials that are protected from creasing.
These clothes are comfortable to wear and easy to store. For example, knitwear, which is convenient to store on shelves. Clothes are laid out in two rows on shelves. However, in some cases, only a narrow cabinet is available for storage. In this case, you can lay them out in one row.

The following shelf parameters are recommended:

Shelves for children's things . The minimum width is 350 mm, the maximum reaches 500 mm.
Shelves for women's things . The minimum width is 450 mm, the maximum reaches 600 mm.
Shelves for men's things . The minimum width is 500 mm, the maximum reaches 700 mm.

In all these cases, you should remember the maximum shelf height is 450 mm. The parameters presented above are given taking into account the analysis of the number of things, and also based on the fact that women, as a rule, are smaller than men.

Hangers

Most of our wardrobe consists of clothes that are made of easily deformable material.
Therefore, to store these clothes, it is necessary to use hangers, which are located on the rods, and these, in turn, are in certain sections of the closet. Types of departments:

Section for short items . The rod length is usually 900 mm with a depth of 600 mm. The height varies within a small range between 1,000 mm and 1,100 mm. Among such things, the most common are skirts, shirts, and blouses. Most often, short items of clothing are found on women.
Section for long items . These include some types of skirts, dresses, and outerwear. In this case, the minimum height level must be 1,500 mm. The depth usually reaches 600 mm. Proper placement ensures the safety of clothing from wrinkles and deformation.
Department for children's clothing . Most children's items for storage on hangers consist of school uniforms, blouses, sundresses, etc. The depth is most often 450 mm, and the height does not exceed 1,000 mm.

Telescopic hangers and other similar elements are located in the middle of the cabinet. It is possible to divide one section horizontally to create more convenient compartments.

Sliding mechanisms for sliding wardrobes

Sliding wardrobes vary in design: they can be built-in, semi-built-in, cabinet, corner, radius, and so on, as well as in the door opening mechanism.

Hanging wardrobe system

Of course, this is the main element of any wardrobe, and they gave it its name. Sliding wardrobe doors can be hung or rail-mounted.

For bags

A sliding wardrobe can also be used as a place to store bags and other similar things.
If we are talking about large travel suitcases, then it is better to store them in the upper zone. Other, smaller travel bags and suitcases are usually placed at the bottom. The parameters of both tiers are quite acceptable for storing such items. Small bags also have a place in the closet. They can be placed on hooks. Sometimes they make a separate shelf for bags, which is also quite convenient.

A spacious closet can accommodate the largest possible items without any difficulties. There are a huge number of ready-made models, as well as the ability to make a cabinet according to individual requests.

Features of the hanging system of sliding wardrobes

The difference between them is clear from the name. The suspension system has only an upper guide; the doors are suspended by mechanisms. The advantages are obvious:

The doors move silently.
Each door can withstand a load of up to 100 kilograms.
The room looks neat because all the contents are hidden by the doors

The top-hung system is more expensive than the bottom-hung system, since it is considered that its installation is more complicated. However, it is very popular, especially when creating partitions, since it does not require a lower threshold. But it is also used quite often in wardrobes, especially in built-in versions.

Filling

Each individual person has their own wardrobe content.
However, it is recommended not to forget about some rules. These are the so-called unspoken standards that emerged thanks to the accumulated experience of working with filling for sliding wardrobes. It is necessary to remember about the dead zones that exist in any, even the best closet. These are door frames that do not allow drawers to slide in and out freely. If we are talking about corner furniture, then it is the corner part that represents a giant dead zone.

Internal filling is usually divided into three main types, which we will get acquainted with later.

Mandatory content

Regardless of the dimensions and number of doors, any cabinet should have the following contents:

Spacious shelves . This is a truly necessary part of any wardrobe - a compartment.
Barbells on which clothes are placed. Most often the best ratio will be 1:1. One compartment with a rod must be attached to one shelf. However, deviations from the general rule are allowed. It happens that only one section with a rod will be attached to two shelves.
Drawers for storing small items.

Experts determine the desired ratio: 2 doors per 2 compartments. In this case, the first compartment must have rods. The second is filled with shelves and drawers.

However, there is an alternative approach. In particular, it is possible to fill the first compartment with two rods. You will definitely need to additionally separate the two compartments with a partition. The second section should be filled with shelves and drawers.

If the closet has three doors, then the content changes. The first compartment should be filled with shelves and a rod, the second part with drawers and shelves, and the third with two dimensional compartments.

Built-in content

In a wardrobe there is no need to limit yourself to only mandatory elements.
On the contrary, you should add as many additional elements as possible. In a tall closet it is extremely inconvenient to get things from the top section. Therefore, experts recommend adding pantographs to make this task easier. This element is mounted under the ceiling. As a result, a person is able to easily get the necessary items. The pantograph eliminates the need to use additional chairs or stepladders.

Pantographs are otherwise called furniture elevators. Technically, these are devices in the form of special metal devices that can lift things to the desired height. This device has weight restrictions. Pantographs should not be used to lift products over 15-18 kilograms. Technically, the element is simple. However, it should only be used in accordance with established rules.

There are also special inclined modules for shoes. Installed at the bottom and attached directly to the side elements. The fittings are very conveniently installed at an angle, making it possible to easily get the necessary shoes. This module also increases the number of pairs of shoes that can be installed in the closet.

To improve the quality of ventilation of things, special mesh baskets are installed. This is a retractable element that moves using a roller or ball mechanism along guides.

Additional filling

For more spacious cabinets, it is necessary to include in their design the maximum number of additional elements.
Especially if it is a really spacious closet, which includes 4 doors and the same number of meters wide. It is recommended to add:

Hangers . They must have hooks. Thus, home textiles will not wrinkle. This applies to both clothing and bathrobes, towels and other similar products.
Trousers . Already from the name it is clear that their main task is neat storage of trousers.
Ties . The main purpose of the device is to neatly store ties. From a purely external perspective, the device looks like a bar with hooks. There is also an alternative in the form of a box with cells.
Skirt girls . Item also known as tiered skirt hangers. It attaches to the side of the cabinet. There are clothespins that protect clothes from wrinkles.
Holders for vacuum cleaners . There are also holders for other household appliances. Only used in really spacious cabinets.

The tasks of a wardrobe go far beyond simply storing clothes. Additional options depend on where exactly the item is installed. For example, in the living room there can easily be a TV inside the closet, and in the children’s room there can be a bed. In the bedroom, the wardrobe can be combined with a chest of drawers.

Also, the number of additional pieces of furniture depends on the design, shape and other parameters of the wardrobe.

The nuances of assembling a hanging cabinet system

Scheme of the hanging system of wardrobes

Installing a suspended structure is indeed quite an expensive service, but it’s worth trying to do it yourself. This will require a set of rollers, profiles, support pads and stoppers.

So, in order.

Of course, we need to start with measurements. You will need to determine the height, width of the door leaf, profile size, and thickness of the leaves. The final result depends on how correctly you make the calculations.
Profile installation - it can be aluminum or steel. Steel ones are cheaper, but aluminum ones are more versatile and quiet.
Door assembly. The door leaf is pressed into the profile using a mallet. A seal is inserted into the profile groove. All this is adjusted tightly with a mallet or rubber hammer.
Installation of rollers. They are installed using screws.
Door hanging. A stopper is installed on the rollers of the rear door, and end stops are installed on the upper running profile. The door is installed in the internal grooves of the running and guide profile; all that remains is to close the latches and install the small extension.

Self-assembly of a wardrobe

If everything is done correctly, the door will not open spontaneously, there will be no cracks or extraneous sounds during operation. To avoid distortions, use a building level throughout the entire work.

Trousers

This element in filling the cabinet is considered additional.
But with its help, storing trousers is simplified many times over. Usually, trousers, in the absence of trousers, are hung on the back of a chair. Unfortunately, this method of storing clothes, at a minimum, entails the creation of disorder in the room. Thanks to the trousers, the trousers will always be in excellent condition - without wrinkles or deformations. You can hang your trousers on this element either at their full length or fold them in half.

Basic parameters of trousers for a sliding wardrobe:

Height . Parameters vary from 1,200 to 1,300 mm from the floor.
Quantity . On average, one to two devices are purchased.
Length . The unspoken standard varies from 450 to 600 mm.
Width . The upper limit is 350 mm. The lower one, as a rule, is not determined.

The trousers are attached to the back wall of the closet. The offset is 550 or 600 mm. Height is determined individually. It is recommended to navigate based on your own growth and comfort.

Lower support system: features and installation

With a rail sliding door system, the main load falls on the bottom guide

A rail, or bottom-support, sliding system means that the entire main load falls on the bottom guide.

Guide for wardrobe door

This system has its advantages:

rollers can withstand heavy loads, up to 100 kilograms and more;
wide scope of application, so you can equip cabinets of any size and configuration;
There are no restrictions on the number of doors.

The door leaf can be made of any material: chipboard, MDF, mirror, glass, rattan.

Installation of the lower guide is similar to the upper one, but has its own nuances. The main feature is that it is located inside the cabinet and here you need to accurately determine its distance from the edge of the cabinet. This distance is approximately 20 millimeters. If you have a built-in wardrobe, then one edge of the profile rests on the floor, the other on the wall. Secure it. Naturally, there should be no contamination in the profile. The blade must fit completely into the groove; a sealant is required for this. Make adjustments with a rubber hammer and do not knock on the profile, it may bend.

Install the top guide, do not forget about the clamps. The stopper is necessary so that the door can be locked in the closed position. We insert stoppers into the grooves and screw the lower guide. We hang the door - here you will need an assistant - one puts it into the upper guide, the other lifts the wheels and puts them into the lower guide. Do not part with the building level; the cabinet must be absolutely vertical.

Fastening guides for wardrobe doors

All that remains is to adjust the cabinet doors so that they fit evenly over the entire height. For this purpose, the lower wheels are equipped with an adjusting screw. With it, the corner of the door can be either lowered or raised.

The final touch is to apply the buffer tape. It is necessary to protect the inside of the cabinet from dust, and to prevent the cabinet doors from hitting the sides when closing. The tape is distinguished by the length of the pile; it can be either short or long. Ribbons with long pile are more comfortable to use. We select the color depending on the color of the cabinet, and the sticker will not be a problem at all: remove the protective film and glue it to the vertical end of the door.

In general, assembling the wardrobe will not be difficult, since each configuration is supplied with detailed instructions. Follow it and everything will be fine.

Corner options

There is a huge variety of appearance and filling of sliding wardrobes for a variety of rooms.
However, if there is not much free space in the apartment, it is recommended to use the corner option. This is a great way to save useful space. But there is also a downside to this advantage - fewer things that can be placed in a corner closet compared to straight options. Basic options for filling corner models:

Center. Location of hangers. Drawers and shelves are attached to the side. You can also choose radius shelves to increase storage capacity.
Division into two independent parts. There are shelves on the left, and rods on the right.
The center is equipped with two booms. Shelves are attached to the left, and drawers are attached to the right.

The difficulty of placing things in a corner closet is enhanced by the inability to fully use the corner. If the façade is convex or concave, the difficulty of placing internal content increases.

Sliding wardrobes are a great way to ensure your space is perfectly organized. The comfort of using such a piece of furniture increases significantly when the closet is designed taking into account the needs of all family members.

Calculations

To perform calculations correctly, it is convenient to use the diagrams and calculator offered on the RIAL.PRO website. To calculate the height of the door, an estimated additive is used, taking into account the distance from the top to the bottom of the cabinet. The finished system will not function if the calculations were performed incorrectly.

Using a calculator for sliding wardrobes, it is possible to correctly calculate all the details, taking into account the parameters of the niche and other measurements. Therefore, even a beginner can cope with the task.

Practical advice

Experienced specialists note that the lower support system is more common. This is what is used to create stand-alone sliding wardrobes, that is, those that have a bottom and a lid. This system is inexpensive and easy to install.

In this case, the door will slide along the lower guide using rollers, which are installed in the lower horizontal profile of the structure.

As for top-hung systems, they are used for cases where the cabinet is built-in. This system is also used when arranging interior partitions. Its main fundamental difference is that compartment doors are hung on the top rail. The latter is attached to the ceiling or to the cabinet lid. This guide takes on the weight of the entire structure.

Top-hung structures, although more difficult to install, have an important advantage. It consists in the absence of a lower guide. This is especially convenient when arranging partitions, when it is undesirable for there to be any obstacles on the floor. In this case, the upper guide must be fixed very securely.

In addition, the upper guide also needs additional decoration, since almost all manufacturers make it solely for the purpose of load-bearing function, but not decorative. As a result, the top-hung system is more expensive and more difficult to install. However, this does not mean at all that it is not popular. Top-hung systems are preferred by many manufacturers of built-in wardrobes.

We’ll talk in more detail about how exactly to attach compartment doors to a top-hung system a little later. First, let's look at what materials all sliding systems are made from. It could be:

steel;
aluminum;
tree;
combined materials.

Steel systems are distinguished by the fact that they are inexpensive and do not require special skills for installation. Recently, they are increasingly being replaced by aluminum models. Steel systems are also distinguished by the fact that they are tightly packed onto the doors with dense internal filling around the entire perimeter. Moreover, it does not matter what material the door is made of. It can be either a mirror or chipboard ten millimeters thick.

Aluminum systems are distinguished by a variety of assortments, which is the main advantage. Their production is not difficult. Aluminum is a fairly malleable material, so each manufacturer can produce profiles for wardrobes in any unusual shape. This is especially true for those cases when you need to take into account the interior of the room. In this case, the product will properly perform its main function.

In addition, profiles made of aluminum are painted in different colors. It can also have an anodized or film coating. The film can imitate, for example, the structure of wood or any other natural material.

As for the assembly method, aluminum structures are assembled into a frame, which is rigidly fixed using self-tapping screws. It is worth noting that the internal filling of the door does not play a role in this case, as is the case with steel systems. However, aluminum structures still provide rigidity to the door. A pleasant advantage is that aluminum sliding systems are affordable.

Wooden sliding systems are made only from natural material and in some cases decorated with baguettes or carvings. If we talk about combined type sliding systems, they are extremely rare on sale. As a rule, they are often made to order. At the same time, craftsmen can use a wide variety of materials. It all depends on the imagination and financial capabilities of the customer.

Now let's move on to how to properly hang doors on a top-hung system.

The best models of the hanging system

There are products from many manufacturers on the market. The best models are:

Aristo is a high-strength profile with a wide range of colors. Estimated service life up to 30 years;
Versal – perfect dimensional accuracy of profiles, easy installation. Estimated period of use is up to 18 years;
Komandor - with increased tensile strength and a more advanced design of the lower roller.

HfTTich, Hafle and Marbella profiles are also popular.

Thus, an atmosphere of comfort is created when using sliding wardrobes due to the silent movement of the doors.

Important! It is not recommended for specialists to buy cheap models. The design is not particularly reliable and can quickly fail. There will be more problems instead of convenience and efficiency of use.

Sliding wardrobes are compact, multi-functional, large capacity, and easy to use. They replace numerous cabinets with doors. The hanging system is an ideal solution for attaching door leaves. Convenient and aesthetically attractive conditions are created for access to the contents of the cabinet and for its smooth closing.