Interior Sliding Doors: A Smooth Move

While homeowners are probably most used to seeing sliding doors on patios or balconies, an increasing number of interior sliding doors are popping up in places once dominated by their swinging cousins.

Closets
The most likely place to find an interior sliding door is, of course, a closet. This door's ability to showcase what's behind it makes this door a practical and attractive choice. It allows easy access to all of the space behind it, and if mirrored, can add depth to the space surrounding it. An interior glass door on a closet can not only be an accent to the room, it can tell you the contents of said closet at a glance. There's something a hinged door could never do.

Bathrooms
In many new houses, interior glass doors are replacing the shower curtain. They are easy to clean and look modern and sharp. An interior sliding door on your shower also means an end to replacing (and hanging) the liner and curtain.

Pocket Doors
Most of us have seen a pocket door. It is basically a single panel interior sliding door that is built into a normal doorway. It is pulled right out of the wall, and can go right back in when not in use. A pocket door is often found off of a high traffic room, such as a kitchen. They save space and eliminate the problems of a swinging door when bringing large amounts of food out or dishes in. They have a bit more flare than a hinged door, and kids love them. They are more difficult to install, however; and if a problem occurs inside the wall, the accessibility becomes an issue.

Room Dividers
The Japanese have been using interior sliding doors to separate rooms for centuries. While an interior glass door seems to be more appealing to the American pallet than the traditional rice paper, the concept is catching on. A room dividing door can take a large open space, such as a loft, and create a more complete look. It can also provide privacy in a place where it is lacking.

Drawbacks?
The mention of any sliding door, interior or exterior, usually brings a few drawbacks to mind. What if it sticks? Will it fall off the rollers? Today's sliding doors are light years ahead of their predecessors. A properly installed, high quality, modern sliding door should have none of the problems of one installed a few decades ago.

The available styles of sliding doors are more limited than those of hinged doors. However, they can easily be found with clear, frosted, or mirrored glass, as well as a few wood or wood like finishes. If you are thinking of a sliding door, more often than not, there is a style that can fit your needs.