Sliding doors are a great way to save space in a bedroom while also providing a touch of style. However, sometimes you can end up with a stuck door, a door that hangs awkwardly, or a whole host of other issues. So how do you rehang sliding closet doors?
You can fix sliding closet doors by replacing the guides, fixing the wheels, or using the alignment screws. These are simple fixes in most situations and can bring your doors back to good as new.
I’ll take you through the common issues associated with sliding closet doors and the solutions to the most common issues. We’ll also look at some techniques that you can perform at home to fix the closet without having to buy new materials. The most important thing to remember is that closet doors can be fixed in most cases so don’t put up with annoying stuck doors anymore.
Why Does My Sliding Closet Door Keep Falling Off?
Closet doors can fall off because the sliding mechanism has some issues. The panels or doors may not budge at all because they’re jammed or have completely come off their tracks. The rails may be bent or full of dirt which prevents the door from running along with them properly and may cause the door to jump out of the rail.
First, you will want to check the alignment of the doors. Looking at the doors while standing a few paces back and using a straight piece of material will help to highlight any uneven gaps on the top and bottom. Once you’ve identified the issue you can start to fix the guide rails or look at the sliding mechanism which will stop the doors from falling off.
Dirty or bent tracks cause so many issues with sliding closet doors. Inspect the closet door track, particularly the bottom track if you have that style. Vacuum or brush any foreign objects out of there. A buildup of dust and other material from your clothes is the most common.
Tracks can get bent over time if you are walking into the closet space or moving heavy objects in and out of the closet. This causes the track to get warped or damaged. Even little disruptions can cause issues with the sliding mechanism.
Minor damage can usually be shaped back to normal. One method is to use a length of wood and line it up against the bend. Then, use a hammer or mallet to reshape it to be straighter while standing on the wood to hold it in place.
The wheels shouldn’t need to be lubricated but can accumulate junk inside them. Taking them apart and removing fibers can help make the wheel move smoother, but it may be easier just to buy new wheels.
How To Put Sliding Door Back On Track?
When talking about closets with sliding doors, there are several different types that require different methods to fix. Have a close look at the system your sliding closet door uses to work out which type it is.
The first type is a hanging rail system. If the doors hang from a top rail and there is no track on the floor, then the issue is most likely with the floor guides. The fix for this requires either replacing or tightening the floor guides.
One common culprit is the screws holding the guides down. The screw may have come loose over time and needs to be secured. This is particularly the case if the screw has stripped the screw hole. It is much easier just to move the floor guide over slightly and drill in a new hole.
The door guides are taking a lot of wear and tear over the life of the closet. They can sometimes break or bend with use. This means that they no longer guide the closet doors properly.
Obvious defects with the door guide mean that it’s easiest to just buy a new floor guide part from a hardware store and replace the old one. To make sure you get the right one, take out the old part and bring it with you to match it at the store.
How Do You Fix A Sliding Closet Door That Fell Off?
If a door has fallen off it could be the track or the sliding mechanism of the door itself. Both of these will need to be inspected closely to determine what is causing the issue.
This is particularly the case if only one side of the closet’s doors is loose. Look at the wheel or wheel brace to inspect for damage. The entire wheel should be in one piece and properly seated guides or tracks.
A door will come off if it cannot move along the tracks or guides smoothly. There should be a uniform gap all the way along both the top and bottom of the closet doors. An uneven gap will be a hint that either the wheel or track is faulty.
The wheels may not be in the correct place to allow free movement. Depending on the closet design, locate the brace or fixture point that holds the wheel on the door that is having issues. Adjustments using a screwdriver to the mounting screw can help bring it back into line. Otherwise, you may need to realign the wheel by drilling new holes.
If you can’t seem to fix the alignment or door hopping off the track with these tips, then you may have to just replace the wheel mechanism with a brand new one. In the situation where there is visible damage to the wheel or clear issues with the mounting, this is a sign that you need a new part.