How to Put a Closet Door Back on the Track

Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle

Last Updated: October 17, 2024 References

Putting your closet door back on track can be frustrating. Although sometimes the fix is quick and easy, other times—especially if it keeps coming off its tracks—it's a sign that your doors or tracks need a bit of care or adjustment. Your best bet is to remove the door completely, do some adjusting and cleaning, and then reattach it.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Removing the Door

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1
Remove the floor keeper from your sliding door using a screwdriver. These flush bolt floor keepers are typically located on the bottom of the door in the center and prevent them from swinging at 15- to 30-degree angles. If your closet door has one, you need to remove it before you can put your door back on the track.
- Floor keepers are typically fastened to sliding doors by two screws.
2
Grab the door from both sides and lift it off the track. Whether your door is unhinged from the top or bottom, angle it at 15 to 30 degrees away from the unhinged track and slowly pull it outwards from the closet.^{[1]
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- Place a blanket or rug onto the floor and lay the door onto it for a safe spot.
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3
Wipe the track clean using a damp cloth. Look out for any debris or paint on the track and wipe it off. Spray the dirty areas with cleaning solution for best results. Dirt buildup can make it difficult to put your door back on the track, and make it easier to become unhinged.^{[2]
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- Use a hand vacuum or scrub the tracks with a toothbrush to clear away dust.
4
Lubricate the tracks using a dry cloth or grease gun. Olive oil, fish oil, mineral oil, or petroleum jelly are all good choices. Dab the towel with 2 to 3 drops of your choice of lubricant and gently rub the tracks until its shiny. You can also use a grease gun for even easier application.^{[3]
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- Look for any splotches of oil and wipe it over the surface of the tracks evenly.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Adjusting and Cleaning the Tracks

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1
Adjust the roller height if the door is rubbing against the floor. If you just had new flooring installed, it's possible that your door came unhinged from the track due to friction. If this is the case, adjust the knobs or screws on the door's roller by turning them to the right to move the roller height upwards. Turning to the left moves the roller height downwards, but if the door is hitting the floor, you will likely need to move it up.^{[4]
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- Keep adjusting the door's roller height until there's enough space between the door and track that it can glide across it uninterrupted.
2
Straighten the track with a block of wood if it's bent. If you notice the track is uneven with the floor, place a block of wood into the left or right side of the track parallel to the its direction. Afterwards, place another block of wood onto the track perpendicular to the first block, and use a hammer to hit the top of the second piece of wood. Continue hammering until the track is straight.^{[5]
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- A standard hammer or rubber mallet works best.
3
Pry off any tack nails along the bottom of the door with a hammer. After removing these nails, you can sand the bottom of the door with a piece of sand paper. This prevents the door from rubbing against the track and creating friction that hinders movement.^{[6]
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- Attach a piece of oak strip wood to the bottom of the door using standard glue if you want to make sure the bottom surface is completely level.
4
Tighten the screws on the bottom and overhead tracks as needed. Roller tracks can come loose due to screws coming undone. Use a screwdriver to tighten any screws on the bottom and top track to fasten them securely into place.^{[7]
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- If your tracks look broken or old, loosen the screws to remove them and swap in some new ones.
5
Replace your rollers if you find any flat surfaces on them. With time, rollers can become worn with flat spots, which increases the likelihood that the doors will stick to them. Keep an eye out for any damaged rollers and replace them as needed.^{[8]
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- Use a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the 2 screws holding the roller in place
- Most rollers have 2 settings: lower and raised. If it's set to raised and still getting stuck, you need to replace the roller.
- Rollers can be purchased for $5 to $10 each at hardware stores.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Reattaching the Closet Door

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1
Grab the door by both sides and angle it 15 to 30 degrees from the top track. Carefully pick it up off the floor and place it into position. The top of the door should be leaning against the top track and the bottom of the door on the floor.
- Be careful not to lean the door more than 15 to 30 degrees from the top track—this will put it at risk of falling.
2
Push the top roller upwards over the top track.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.} Angle the door at 15 to 30 degrees as you push it upwards. At this point, the rollers should be directly above the top track, but not hooked onto it properly. Straighten the door by pushing the bottom part forward until it's no longer at an angle to your body, and pull the door downward. Make sure that the top roller properly hinges itself onto the top track, and the bottom fits into the bottom track.^{[10]
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- Pushing the door upward into the top track gives the door enough space to fit into the bottom track.
- Remember to make sure that the top rollers are directly above the top track's hinge when pulling the door downward. Successfully attaching your door requires you to do this while at the same time angling the door so that the bottom of the door fits into the bottom track.^{[11]
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  Expert Source
  
  Ryaan Tuttle
  Home Improvement Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 24 September 2021.}
3
Attach bifold closet doors by placing the upper pivot pins into upper bracket holes. For example, place the right door's upper pivot pin into the upper-right bracket. Afterwards, lift the door slightly, and then drop the lower pin into the lower bracket slot. Verify that there is at least ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) clearance between the pivot door and the jam (the vertical part of the door frame that the door attaches to).^{[12]
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- For horizontal adjustment on the top track, begin by loosening the screw in the top pivot bracket. Then, move the door toward or away from the jam until there is ¹⁄₄ inch (0.64 cm) clearance, and then retighten the screw.
- For horizontal adjustment on the bottom track, lift the door from the bottom and move the adjusting wheel toward or away from the jam until the doors are plumb with the jam. Lower the door back into the bracket when you're done.
- For vertical adjustment, lift the door slightly until the adjustment wheel clears the slot in the lower bracket. Rotate the adjustment wheel to the left to raise the door, and to the right to lower it. When you're done, gently lower the teeth of the adjustment wheel into the bracket and be sure to lock it firmly in place.

Expert Q&A

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Question

How do you fix a sliding closet door track?

Ryaan Tuttle
Home Improvement Specialist
Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses.

Ryaan Tuttle

Home Improvement Specialist

Expert Answer

Take the door and push it up as tight as you can into the top of the frame. Then, push the bottom until it sets on the track.

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Question

Do sliding closet doors need a bottom track?

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

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Not necessarily. In most cases, the top track will support the weight of the door and allow it to slide. A bottom track will help keep the doors stable and make them easier to guide along the track, but it isn’t needed for the door to function.

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Question

How do you remove a sliding closet door without the bottom track?

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

wikiHow Staff Editor

Staff Answer

Open the door about halfway, then lift it up into the groove on the top track. Pull the bottom part of the door out towards you, then lower it down to disengage it from the top track.

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