Replace a normal interior by converting it into a sliding door!!!

Jman316

Hi,

My problem:

Bought a house and bought some sofas. Turns out I got my measurements are wrong and now the door to the kitchen wont fully open.

The solution i think would be to install a sliding door. I want to use the same door though and not buy a new one as it wouldnt look entirely the same as the old ones.

So i want to use the same door. For this i want to cover up the door hinges (both on the door and the door frame), Cover the area where the handle used to be, installing a sliding track and then attach the door.

Your help and support would be greatly appreciated...in solving this....

Jman316

Not a single reply? i sure hope this is the right thread!

sillywilly

Jman316 wrote: »

Not a single reply? i sure hope this is the right thread!

No it's not - you have to go to the sliding door to fit in a sofa as you measured up wrong thread.

Mojisola

It's probably not something others have experience of! Have you tried some of the DIY forums - someone must have some ideas about how to do it.

ormus

my father did it yrs ago now. he bought the metal kit complete that actually used the old door.
ive no idea if you can still buy them though.

iamcornholio

You can get sliding door gear for about £30, and you just fit the existing door to it.

Some of them look a bit crap by the time you've fitted the pelmet to cover the track, and there may be issues with draughts due to the big gaps you may get around the door with retrospective conversions.

Some makes are quieter than others, and less prone to come flying off the track too.

Could you not rehang the door to the other jamb, or reverse the opening?

Greg6721

Jman316 wrote: »

Hi,

My problem:

Bought a house and bought some sofas. Turns out I got my measurements are wrong and now the door to the kitchen wont fully open.

The solution i think would be to install a sliding door. I want to use the same door though and not buy a new one as it wouldnt look entirely the same as the old ones.

So i want to use the same door. For this i want to cover up the door hinges (both on the door and the door frame), Cover the area where the handle used to be, installing a sliding track and then attach the door.

Your help and support would be greatly appreciated...in solving this....

im a joiner and there are a few factors you would need to look at before you start looing into this too greatly.

is the wall that the current door on timber/stud partition or brick?

i think the only way to do this to look anyway near decent is to have the door sliding into the partition so if its brick or load bearing then you are gubbed.

if its timber then how wide is the wall- check at the door frame. is there going to be enough room to get a track in there as well as the door and gyproc and framing material? there is a good 2 days work in that even if its do-able so thats £180-£200 not including the new door(you will need a new door by the way a repair on the old face wont work), track for sliding door, gyproc, timber....

iamcornholio

An existing door can be used and the hinge cuts and latch/lever holes filled. Add a timber piece to the head or bottom of the door if it needs it.

The door can then be just hung on the face of the wall with no need for a lining or plasterwork.

£24 for the track from Screwfix, then add some timber or MDF for the pelmet, and a couple of recessed pull handles. £50 tops for materials and a no more than 1/2 days work

Where did you get 2 days from?

Greg6721

iamcornholio wrote: »

An existing door can be used and the hinge cuts and latch/lever holes filled. Add a timber piece to the head or bottom of the door if it needs it.

The door can then be just hung on the face of the wall with no need for a lining or plasterwork.

£24 for the track from Screwfix, then add some timber or MDF for the pelmet, and a couple of recessed pull handles. £50 tops for materials and a no more than 1/2 days work

Where did you get 2 days from?

have you ever seen or done what you are talking about?

if you have i wouldnt employ you!

to put a sliding door over a door opening, patch what is probably a hollow door will look !!!!!!! awfull.

the only way to get a decent finish on a job like that is to strip out the partition and build the track/runner system inside the wall. by the time you frame it, gyproc it, skim it, paint it and finish it it would be 2 days work

ormus

or build a simple box structure, covering with PB, that the door can slide into.
no need to rip out walls for major works.

Greg6721

ormus wrote: »

or build a simple box structure, covering with PB, that the door can slide into.
no need to rip out walls for major works.

depends on where the door is in relation to the walls.

im a perfectionist so would need to have the door sliding into the partition. anything else will look wrong imo

i just finished a job in an old folks home where i had to do this- another company was thrown off the job for doing something like the fella above talked about and it looked just like a door that was stuck to the outside of the partition. for a wardbrobe possibly however its just not right. (i would also like to apologise to the fella above for snapping at him in my reply. it was more at that job than him!)

i think boxing it in like you suggest would be too obtrusive in the room and probably relatively costly to have done.(£50 vs £200) get it done properly first time round get the finish you want