Some time again we did plenty of work on our teen boy’s bed room closet which included widening the doorway to permit for a big, built-in storage unit. His room is not all that enormous or “roomy”, so maximizing his closet to permit for each drawer and hanging storage was extraordinarily necessary and has confirmed to be a good way to present him extra space for studying, engaged on initiatives, having sleepovers, and doing his homework.
We knew there have been so many advantages to widening the doorway to his closet, however then the issue fixing started when it comes to easy methods to cowl all of it again up.
There was a little bit of planning and troubleshooting and determination making that went on with this undertaking. Listed here are a number of of the issues we needed to work by:
To maintain the trim or not? That was the query. I made a decision that if we stored the trim across the door, that it finally needs to be utterly coated by the door when it was pulled closed. However that may additionally improve the scale of the door by about 4-5 inches in width, and the door was already measuring fairly massive. The choice was to take away the trim, however that may require extra drywall work and a few fussy refinishing.
Earlier than making a fast determination, we thought we might set up the rail to get a good suggestion of how distant from the wall the door would cling, and if the trim would intrude with it in any respect. Bryan simply had the rail put in in lower than an hour and did not even name me in to assist (utilizing the included set up directions). Yay Bryan! Besides I used to be immediately confused by the position of the rail. He used the massive bolts that got here with the rail equipment and put in them straight into the wall studs. Which made full sense. However, this meant that the rail did not go all the way in which to the nook of the room (it was simply an inch or two quick). If you wish to be extraordinarily particular concerning the rail placement, then you definately really need to put in a ledger board into the studs first, after which the rail will be put in wherever into the ledger. Bryan knew I did not need to use a ledger board if I may assist it, so he simply assumed going into the studs was the reply. However then I wasn’t positive if I cherished that the {hardware} did not land precisely into the nook. And that led to a different determination to make.
We now knew that the door would hang around sufficient to clear the trim, so the trim was going to remain. However earlier than making any extra selections concerning the rail placement/ledger board, I needed to assemble the door and see it on the rail. The benefit of a ledger board is that it provides you the pliability to put in the rail {hardware} wherever you desire to. It additionally permits the door to hold even additional away from the wall/trim. The drawback is that it’s one other distracting component that provides to your complete setup (though portray the board the colour of the wall would decrease that).
When arising with the design for the door, I had a few inspiration footage saved that I constantly referenced. This one and this one have been my prime two favorites. They each had a diagonal design that was trimmed out in a traditional model. My son additionally actually favored the design and gave me the thumbs up. With the {hardware} put in, we now knew how the rail system labored, the place we needed the wheel {hardware} to connect to the door, and the utmost thickness the door needs to be.
Fast Tip: We taped a few items of paper collectively that have been scaled to the precise width of the door that we had deliberate to construct. Then we drew the highest trim boards based mostly on our measurements and “put in” the paper on the rail with the {hardware}. This was a GREAT approach to visualize how the door would cowl the closet door casing and in addition allowed us to verify that the boards we have been planning on utilizing to trim the face of the door would line up properly with the hanging {hardware}. I like to visualise issues earlier than utterly committing each time doable.
Lastly, my final however largest concern that I had was that the massive door could be too overwhelming as a result of smaller measurement of his room. The door was going to be simply over 4′ x 7′ and I simply did not know of another choices when it comes to closing off that fantastic opening we created. I instructed myself that typically bigger issues work finest in small rooms to create extra visible curiosity and to assist stability a number of the smaller equipment and knick-knacks. I additionally figured I may paint the door the same shade to the partitions in order that the sample could possibly be the main target, and the colour would roughly fade away.
Now that we had labored by all of these factors, it was lastly time to begin constructing that dang door!
As a result of our opening plus trim was over 4 toes, we talked by a number of methods to realize that width with as little wooden as doable (to maintain the door from getting too heavy). We started with a 4′ x 8′ piece of half of” thick MDF as a result of the precise dimensions are 49″ x 97″. If we have been to trim out the perimeters with 1″ x 2″ boards, then we might be precisely the place we wanted to be. With that in thoughts, we thought we might assemble one thing much like our son’s DIY headboard undertaking.
The rail was already put in so we had the precise measurements we wanted so we started by reducing the peak of the door accordingly.
Then I acquired to portray. I made a decision it will be simpler to color the again of the board, and the perimeters of the highest boards, earlier than meeting. I’m telling you, doing this primary was a significant sanity saver afterward! It made placing that remaining coat of paint on the completed door SO MUCH EASIER not having to get my brush down inside of each final groove.
For the diagonal sample we used 1″ x 4″ primed boards that we reduce to size. What is difficult to see is that we drew a few sample strains flippantly in pencil to make sure our first few items went in precisely the place we needed, as these items would set the stage for all the remaining cuts.
To affix the boards to the MDF, we coated the again of every board in wooden glue and used our brad nailer and 1″ brad nails.
We used a pace sq. alongside the sting to attract our reduce line, all the pieces was reduce at a 45-degree angle with our miter noticed.
Whereas buying materials and paint, we observed some extra-large paint stir sticks and thought that they might make for the right spacers. And so they did!
After we acquired going, we reduce, nailed, reduce, nailed, reduce, and nailed… All the way in which till your complete door was coated in diagonal planks.
You could discover a few remaining items the place the spacing would not look proper, and that’s as a result of these areas have been going to be coated by the ornamental trim on the face anyway, we simply popped boards in for backing.
Additionally above you possibly can see how we trimmed the perimeter of the door with the 1″ x 2″ boards we bought. Bryan ended up ripping each to be precisely flush with the depth of the mdf board plus the diagonal items. Once more, we added these boards to get the door simply vast sufficient to cowl each the closet opening and the closet door casing. This additionally added a properly completed edge on either side of the door.
To complete off the design, I discovered some lightweight pine lattice moulding at Dwelling Depot. It was the right width to border out the door and hit the rail wheel {hardware} juuuuust proper.
I do know, I do know… That is that awkward center stage the place it’s exhausting to see simply how wonderful it’s going to look till it’s all painted in the identical cohesive shade. However first, I needed to fill each final nail gap with putty. After which I went over your complete door a second time simply to make sure there have been no pits. After which plenty of sanding all the pieces good and easy.
This step was price each little bit of time it took to actually obtain the perfect end doable.
The colour I went with is Benjamin Moore Wales Grey. I felt prefer it was simply completely different sufficient from the partitions (Sherwin Williams Nebulous Cloud), and complimented the ceiling (Benjamin Moore Blue Nightfall).
As soon as the door was up, I made a decision it wasn’t price it to maneuver the rail to the nook of the wall and add a ledger board behind it. The actual fact the rail stops an inch quick is not all that apparent as a result of the sting of the door goes proper into the nook. Plus, the small print on the door steal the present!
The rail is ready to assist as much as 225 kilos, and our door got here in beneath that so we may scratch that fear off of the record, and the stoppers on every finish are utterly adjustable.
Though the door nonetheless cleared the trim with out a ledger board, we ended up having to inset the underside bolt of the door hanging {hardware} into the again of the door to stop it from rubbing in opposition to the white closet door casing.
I discovered the deal with {hardware} on Amazon right here. I like that it’s substantial and coordinates with all the different matte black {hardware} all through his room.
I put collectively slightly movement shot of the brand new door opening and shutting as a result of we’re simply so excited to lastly have this undertaking checked off of our record!
So far as the group goes, you possibly can see that it’s sustaining properly! The one change is that every one of his garments have principally doubled in measurement. Oh! And we really swapped the underside shoe tray with a drawer we took out of our pantry cupboard (hoping to share extra about that quickly). We like that the drawer hides the footwear (but they will nonetheless breathe), and that it could actually serve a unique goal all collectively down the highway. You’ll be able to learn each final element about his closet group right here.
Here’s a shot of the door closed. It does go away a clean area to the left and I have never determined if I need to do something there but (we may add one thing as much as the thickness of the door trim with none points, however are OK simply leaving it for now). The colour of the door works actually nice with all the pieces else he has occurring, and though the door is sort of massive, all of us love the addition and curiosity it has added to the room.
I’ve yet one more massive undertaking I need to tackle on this room (a DIY headboard), after which it will likely be FINISHED. Oh, what a sense!
You’ll be able to atone for our earlier teen bed room posts under:
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