How to choose the right sliding door gear for your project

Sliding door gear is a neat and attractive variation to the pocket door and provides many of the same benefits. Most people choose sliding door gear where they don’t have the wall space to create a ‘pocket’ cavity, but they still want the space saving capability and the option to open and close flexible spaces as and when they are needed.

The key difference between sliding door gear and pocket doors is that, with sliding doors, the door opens along an overhead rail but remains exposed and visible when open, by resting adjacent to the wall rather than disappearing from view into the pocket wall cavity. Other than this, sliding door gear is much the same as the pocket door, so how do you choose the right product for you?

What are the different types of sliding door gear?

Sliding doors provide a wealth of options in terms of design and functionality. You can choose from:

• Single doors – Simple designs for small spaces.
• Double doors – Larger room dividers for bigger rooms, such as between a living room and a kitchen or dining room.
• Finish – You can choose from installing a wooden pelmet to cover up the overhead rail mechanism, which is neat and attractive, or leaving the rail exposed, which is a more industrial feel for modern buildings.
• Materials – Sliding doors can be provided in various different materials, such as rustic wood, glass or a very contemporary finish for modern homes or businesses.

Considerations when choosing the right sliding door gear for you

So sliding door gear can help create space, can enable flexible spaces with multiple uses and can also provide extra natural light in a room. But how do you choose the right style for you? Your project may have a range of different objectives in terms of the home or workplace, and these can be both aesthetic and practical. So here we have outlined the main considerations.

• What type of track?

The type of track you choose can be important as it has to be functional for the type of traffic and usage the doors will experience, but it has to work visually also. In a bedroom, for example, you may want a pelmet installed to cover the overhead rail and to provide a neat and calming design solution. In a commercial space, or in some contemporary homes, this may not be as important and therefore you can opt for a rail that is exposed.

• The size of the door

It is important that you choose a door size that is suitable for the environment and the type of use the door will experience. Internal doors can undergo thousands of opening and closing cycles in their lifetime, so they have to be robust and sufficient to withstand this usage. The track size and accompanying hardware has to be sufficient to accommodate the type of door you want and need.

• Space availability

Put simply, the more space you have available, the more options you have, but it is important to take accurate measurements to ensure the operation of the sliding doors will not be hampered by furniture, walls or other doors. This is where the pocket door offers great benefits, but with some small adjustments in a room, sliding doors can easily be accommodated.

• Type of material finish

Visually, sliding doors have to be compatible with your interior design, so think about materials such as glass, wood and composite doors and ensure you pick a design that suits your interior scheme. Unlike the pocket door, your sliding doors will still be on show when they are open, so their design is even more important. You can also consider issues such as natural light. With glass sliding doors you have the option of enabling light to flow between rooms, or into a corridor. In a small space this could have a dramatic impact. While light coloured materials are also ideal for brightening an area and creating a more pleasant atmosphere and vibe for a room.

• Accessories and furniture

Unlike the pocket door, sliding doors can be fitted with normal door handles, as they won’t cause an obstruction when opening the door into a wall pocket. So you have many more options. You can also opt for practical accessories for your sliding door, such as a soft close feature. This could be helpful if your project needs some health and safety, security or noise control considerations, or if you simply want to improve the door’s operation by making it smoother.

You can check out our range of sliding door gear at Pocket Door Shop and see what options are available and what might suit your project best.