DOORS & JOINERY

Fit a sliding wardrobe door kit

Fit a sliding wardrobe door kit safely, checking your wall type first so the track is secure and doors run smoothly.

SW-01Prepare the room and check the kitClear the space in front of the wardrobe opening and lay down a dust sheet. Unpack the kit and lay all parts out, checking them against the instruction sheet. Measure your opening width and height and confirm they fall within the kit's stated range before you start.
1 each · Sliding wardrobe door kit
1 each · Dust sheet
SW-02Measure and mark the top track lineFind the centre of the opening and mark it. Hold the top track in place and use a spirit level to draw a level pencil line for its top edge, even if the ceiling or floor isn't quite level. Mark screw hole positions along this line.
1 each · Tape measure
1 each · Spirit level
1 each · Pencil
SW-03Work out what's behind the wall or ceilingRun a stud detector or a magnet along the marked line to find studs or screw heads under plasterboard. A hollow sound between find points suggests plasterboard on studs; a dull, solid knock suggests brick, block, or dot-and-dab over masonry. Drill one small pilot hole at a marked point: fine pale dust means timber, grey dust and grit means masonry, and bright metal swarf means a metal stud. Lath and plaster feels slightly springy and often has a rough, uneven surface under the paint.
1 each · Stud detector
1 each · Small magnet
SW-04Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere, not just in the usual safe zones. Use a cable and pipe detector along the whole line, but still assume something could be there even after a clear reading — detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or hidden by a metal stud frame. Before drilling, find your stopcock (usually under the kitchen sink) and check it turns freely. If you have any doubt at all, turn off the relevant circuit at the consumer unit and the water off at the stopcock before you start.
1 each · Cable and pipe detector
SW-05Fix the top track — method depends on your wall or ceilingThe top track carries the full weight of both doors, so this fixing matters most. Solid brick or block: drill 6mm-8mm holes to the depth stated on the plug packet, insert wall plugs, and drive in the supplied screws. Plasterboard on timber studs: drive a wood screw into the centre of each stud along the line; if a fixing point falls between studs, add a short timber noggin behind the board first, screwed to the studs either side. Plasterboard on metal studs: never use a plain plastic plug or a wood screw, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel; use self-drilling metal-stud fixings, but because a sliding door track is heavy and constantly loaded, fit a timber noggin between the studs wherever possible and screw into that instead. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use fixings long enough to pass through the board and dab layer into the solid masonry behind, typically 60-75mm, with a wall plug in the masonry. Lath and plaster: locate the timber studs behind the laths with your pilot holes and screw into solid timber, not just the old lime plaster, which will crumble under load.
1 pack · Wall plugs (assorted)
1 pack · Metal-stud toggle fixings
1 length · Timber noggin (50x50mm)
1 pack · Wood screws (assorted)
1 each · Drill and bits
SW-06Fix the bottom trackCheck the bottom track lines up directly under the top track using a plumb line or spirit level. On a timber or chipboard floor, screw straight into the boards. On a solid concrete floor, drill and plug it in the same way as masonry. This track guides the doors rather than carrying their weight, but it still needs to be firmly fixed and dead straight.
1 pack · Wood screws
1 pack · Wall plugs
SW-07Hang the doors and fit the end stopsLift the first door so its top rollers hook into the top track, then swing the base in to sit in the bottom guide. Repeat for the second door. Fit the end stops at each side of the top track so the doors can't slide off.
2 each · End stop caps
SW-08Adjust the rollers and check the fitSlide each door across and check it runs smoothly without catching or scraping the floor. Most kits have adjustable roller screws on top of each door — turn these to raise or lower the door slightly until the gaps are even and both doors overlap correctly in the middle.
1 each · Screwdriver or Allen key (usually supplied)
SW-09Fit handles and trimsScrew the handles onto each door at a comfortable height, following the kit's marked positions. Fit any side infill panels or top pelmet supplied with the kit to close off gaps around the frame.
2 each · Door handles (supplied with kit)
SW-10Tidy up and testVacuum dust and swarf out of the top and bottom track channels, as debris here causes sticking. Slide both doors fully open and closed several times to check smooth running. Fold away the dust sheet and check all visible screws are tight.
1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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