Why it's a Good Idea to Replace Standard Doors with Sliding Doors
There are quite a few good reasons why it is a good idea to replace standard interior doors with sliding doors.
08/11/2023
It is not generally on a homeowner's 'To Do' list as a home improvement project but replacing standard interior doors with sliding doors is definitely something you should consider. It may not be for every room but you probably have those rooms where space is limited or the door makes it awkward to arrange furniture or even a room where you could do so much more with the space if the door were missing.
In this article, we look at 5 different reasons why replacing a standard door with a sliding door is a good idea:
1. Frees up valuable floor space
Not all rooms are the same size and not all have the same layout. Designing the room layout is mostly left up to Developers who are building the houses or townhouse developments and their only focus is only making the most of the space to achieve the highest price which means value comes before common sense in many instances.
Replacing a standard open and close door with a sliding door does away with having to find extra space. Since the door is removed by fitting a sliding door, much more floor space is available to move around.
Doors are a way of getting from one point to another in the house or moving in and out of a particular room. In a bedroom, the bed takes up the majority of space and you have to plan around this for fitting extra furniture and accessories. But planners often tend to overlook the position of a door and how this can intrude on a space and swallow up valuable floor space, meaning that you have to struggle to get everything you need into the room AND still be able to move around. Having a sliding door installed as opposed to a standard door that opens and closes, remove the inconvenience of having to allow for this in the room.
2. Easy flow through rooms
Getting from room to room either means that you have to leave doors open or go through the process of opening and closing doors all the time. With standard doors, leaving them open means that they take up unnecessary space. Sliding doors do away with this and you can leave them open all the time for an easy flow throughout the house. During the colder months of the year, you can maintain the temperature inside the home with sliding doors and professionally fitted doors that not only add insulation but also act as soundproofing.
Installing sliding doors on an open doorway allows to you close off a room when privacy is required - as in a kitchen when you are preparing meals - and have them open when entertaining.
Replacing standard doors with sliding doors in a modern home allows for the free flow of air, energy and light throughout the space. Sliding doors with glass panels - clear or frosted - do not hinder the path of natural light and rooms feel brighter even when doors are closed.
3. Sliding doors are not intrusive
When adding on to a house to increase the floor space or add a much-needed room, you may need to close off certain areas without removing functionality and floor space. Sliding doors allow this to be done easily, reducing the need for brick-and-mortar walls that would incorporate a standard frame and door.
4. Ideal for partitioning off open spaces
It is normally difficult to close off open living spaces, especially if you don't want them to appear closed off or lose the open vibe of the space. An easy and affordable way to partition off these types of open-plan living arrangements is to use sliding doors with glass panels. These are best professionally installed so that the frames can be fitted within the space and the panels properly aligned.
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5. Easy do-it-yourself solution
Replacing standard interior doors with sliding doors is an easy DIY solution. Most larger hardware stores stock aluminium hardware for hanging or floor-mounted sliding doors for both indoors and outdoor solution.
For DIY enthusiasts, fitting panel or wood sliding doors has become a popular choice and there are companies that now offer sliding barn door hardware and doors if you like that style. Alternatively, you can purchase the sliding door hardware to hang your own doors, readymade hollow-core or solid wood doors or arrange to have clear or frosted safety glass panel doors cut and fit to cover existing door openings or archways.
A combination wood frame and glass panels allow a DIY enthusiast to fit a sliding door to an opening that still allows natural light to flow through the home.
