In choosing closet doors you may sometimes have
to sacrifice decorative considerations to achieve functionality. However,
if you talk to a design consultant, they will generally recommend that
you match your closet door to what is going on in your bedroom. For
example, if you have a contemporary
theme in your bedroom design, stick with mirrored doors rather than
rustic bifold doors.
To get a better understanding of what your options are for closet doors
consider the following:
- Closet door types
- Price/materials
- Hardware
- Custom versus standard sized doors
- How to measure the opening
Here are the four most popular types of closet doors:
- 1. Standard swinging
These closet doors have traditionally been the most common, especially
for walk-in closets. One often underutilized advantage of swinging
doors is that you can have shelves attached to the inside of the door
to create more storage space. Shoes can be hung from canvas cubbyholes,
for instance, to give you instant access to the shoes once the door
has swung open.
- 2. Sliding (Bypass)
Often found in apartments and condominiums, these doors are considered
to be inefficient by many design consultants. Usually one door slides
over another door, giving you access to only half of your closet at
a time. Ideally, a sliding door will slide into an adjoining wall
and completely out of view.
- 3. Bifold
Usually two in number, they fold to the right and left of the closet
entrance. For full unencumbered access to your closet, you may want
to consider replacing the bifold with a hinged door. You can custom
make mirrored bifold doors to enhance their usefulness. Another option
to create a more stylish look is slatted bifold doors, raised panels
that resemble a cabinet door. These can be stained or painted or even
covered with rice paper. Note: Any type of folding door unit
will require the proper track and hardware for the doors to fold smoothly
and quietly. In order to purchase, measure the height and width of
your door opening.
- 4. Mirrored
Closet doors with mirrors can make your bedroom look bigger, but these
mirrors
should not be a substitute for a wall mirror or vanity mirror. A full-length
mirror can also work well inside a walk-in closet if the lighting
is bright enough.
What about price and materials?
If you want the best and your budget allows, consider going with high
quality solid hardwood doors. These doors feel substantial and a number
of door companies will custom manufacture for you wood choices like
alder, cherry, ash, mahogany, red oak, white oak and walnut, which can
create a beautiful finished product. Walnut is typically more expensive
whereas poplar and red oak is cheaper. You can expect to pay $200 and
up per closet door and much depends upon whether you buy a standard
door compared to one that is customized. Choice of wood type can also
affect price.
If you are looking for a a low cost option, a hollow core closet doors
is a good consideration. To get better soundproofing, look into buying
a hollow core closet door with solid wood fill. The core is made from
engineered wood and serves the soundproof purpose.
What about closet door hardware?
Hanging your closet door, no matter what type you choose, will require
specific hardware. For example, here is a list of specific hardware
for bifold closet doors:
1. wheel trolleys
2. bi-fold brackets
3. closet door aprons
4. door sheaves
5. floor guides
6. pivots and aligners
7. hangars
8. door pulls/knobs
Closet hardware door kits from Johnson Hardware provides you with
all of the necessary pieces to install many different types of door.
These kits can be purchased for sliding, bi-fold and by-pass doors.
To buy, visit your local home improvement store or a hardware store.
You can also order all kinds of closet door hardware online.
Should you buy a custom or standard-sized closet door?
If budget is an issue, you will certainly spend less money on a standard
sized closet door over one that needs to be cut or sized to your specific
measurements. However, either choice is available. Note: If you buy
a custom door online, expect to wait at least 3 to 5 weeks for your
order to arrive.
How to measure the door opening?
Wondering what size is a standard interior door? 80" tall. However,
even though that number is "standard door height" there can
be variation from company to company. To measure your door opening here's
what to do:
1. Measure horizontally across both the top and bottom of the opening
2. Measure vertically on each side of the opening
3. For both your horizontal and vertical measurement, (because you
have 2 measurements for each one) write down the smallest measurement,
if they are not the same.
To learn more about bedroom closets please
read our report.