How to Install Sliding Closet Doors

Co-authored by James Mansfield and Kyle Hall

Last Updated: March 5, 2023 References

Sliding doors are a stylish, modern way to finish your closet. With the right hardware, installing sliding closet doors on your own is simple. The key to professional-looking doors is taking the right measurements before your installation.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing and Measuring Your Closet

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Use a drill to unscrew any hinges or tracks from your closet opening, and take off the old doors and set them aside. When you’re finished, the opening to your closet should be free of any obstructions.
2
Measure the height of your closet opening. Use a tape measure to measure the distance between the floor and the top of your closet opening to get the height. Measure the height several times so you know your measurement is accurate.^{[1]
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- Write down the height somewhere so you have it for later.
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Take the tape measure and measure from one side of your closet opening to the other. Measure the width multiple times to ensure accuracy. When you're finished, write down the width so you can refer to it later.^{[2]
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4
Buy sliding closet doors and tracks that will fit your closet opening. Sliding closet doors and tracks come in a variety of sizes. You’ll want to compare the measurements you took to the product specifications for the doors and tracks you're looking at so you know they'll fit in your closet opening. Look for a set of 2 sliding doors that comes with a pair of tracks.
- Look for doors that are slightly shorter than the height of your closet opening.^{[3]
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  Expert Source
  
  James Mansfield
  Construction & Design Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.}
- It’s OK if the tracks you buy are longer than the width of your closet. You can cut them to size later on. Just make sure the tracks aren’t shorter than the width of your closet or they’ll be too small.
- If you have a particularly wide closet, you may need to buy more than 2 doors. If you do, look for tracks that can hold 3 or more doors.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Installing the Tracks

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1
Cut your tracks to size with a hacksaw if needed. First, subtract 1–2 millimetres (0.039–0.079 in) from the width of your closet opening using the measurement you took earlier. Then, cut the top and bottom tracks to that length. Mark where you need to cut the tracks with pencil and then carefully saw along the line with the hacksaw.^{[4]
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- When you’re finished, position the tracks in your closet opening to see if they fit. If they’re still to big, measure the width of the closet opening again and cut more of the tracks off.
The top of the track should be facing down toward the floor. You may want to have someone help you hold the track in place.
Locate the screw holes along the track. Then, drill the screws that came with the sliding door set into these holes. Make sure you screw them in all the way so the track is secure.^{[5]
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To line the bottom track up with the top track, measure the distance between the side of the top track and the front edge of your closet opening. Then, position the bottom track so there's an equal amount of distance between the side of it and the front edge of the closet opening.^{[6]
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5
Screw the bottom track into place. Just like you did with the top track, drill the screws that came with the set into the screw holes along the bottom track. When you're finished, the top and bottom track should be securely in place and lined up with each other.^{[7]
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- If you’re floor is made out of concrete or tile, you’ll need to glue the bottom track down instead of using screws.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Putting on the Doors

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Hold the door so the top is tilted backward. Then, latch the wheels on top of the door onto the back runner of the top track. The runner is what the wheels roll along so the door can slide back and forth. Each track has 2 runners — 1 in the front and 1 in the back. The first door will go on the back runners, and the second door will go on the runners in the front of the tracks.^{[8]
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Line the bottom wheels up with the back runner on the bottom track and then drop them into place.^{[9]
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Expert Source

James Mansfield
Construction & Design Specialist

Expert Interview. 11 June 2021.} Don't accidentally drop them into the front runner on the track or the door will be slanted.^{[10]
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Do the same thing you did with the first door, but this time use the front runners on the tracks. When you’re finished, both doors should slide back and forth along the tracks without interfering with each other.^{[11]
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4
Adjust the doors as needed. Many sliding closet doors can be adjusted using the top and bottom rollers. Use the adjusters to slightly lower or raise your closet doors, or to make them flush with the wall.^{[12]
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- If you're not sure how to adjust your doors, refer to the instruction manual that came with them.

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Question

Do sliding closet doors need a bottom track?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Not necessarily. The bottom track can be useful for guiding the doors when you slide them and for keeping them from swinging back and forth if someone or something bumps into the door. However, bottom tracks don’t actually support the weight of the doors and aren’t necessary for them to function.

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How much should sliding closet doors overlap?

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They should overlap in the middle by 2-3 inches (5.1-7.6 cm). Without any overlap, you’ll see a gap between the doors and they won’t stay on the track properly.

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What is a standard sliding closet door size?

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Some standard widths are 24, 28, 30, or 32 inches wide (60.96, 71.12, 76.2, or 81.28 cm). Most closet doors are 80 inches (203.2 cm) tall.

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