One of the most common types of furniture in our apartments is wardrobes, which are installed in the hallway, bedroom, children's room, and sometimes in the living rooms. Roomy and practical furniture with a sliding mechanism is optimal for the entrance hall of a country cottage and a narrow corridor in the apartment.
Varieties of the sliding system
The most popular among consumers are suspension and roller systems. The roller mechanism consists of an upper and lower profile, which are fixed on the frame with self-tapping screws. Door rails on special rollers move along these rails. The biggest load in the system falls on the lower profile. Its installation must be performed with high quality and with utmost precision.
In outboard models, the main load is carried by the upper rails. They are used for doors whose weight does not exceed 45 kilograms. Instead of the lower guide, plastic corners are installed to prevent the door from swinging. Furniture without a bottom rail is ideal for a dressing room, as it provides a simple and unobstructed passage.
Features and Benefits
The sliding mechanism for the sliding wardrobe will last longer if quality materials were used in its manufacture. Thanks to the installation of this system, the door leaf will not make noise when opening and closing.
The sliding mechanism ensures smooth sliding of the shutters on the rollers with which these models are equipped. Therefore, it is these cabinets that are preferred to be installed in the children's room, where noise figures are extremely important.
Another advantage of using these models of sliding wardrobes in the children's room is that they are equipped with a special lock for sliding sashes. It does not allow the door to hit the side of the cabinet. This feature is very important for the safety of the child.
Using the interroom sliding mechanism of the sliding wardrobe, you can zone the room, dividing it into a working area and a corner for sleeping and relaxing. For heterosexual children, you can use the closet to divide the children's room and create comfortable conditions for them.
Profile Materials
When choosing furniture, it is important to pay attention to what material the profiles for the sliding door mechanism of the sliding wardrobes are made of. If they are made of low quality material, then such furniture will not last long. For the manufacture of profiles, the following materials are used:
- Steel. Guides for economy class furniture are made from this material. Reliable and practical steel rails will last for many years with a careful attitude. These slide rails are cheaper than aluminum products.
- Aluminum. Guides from this material are in great demand, despite the fact that they are more expensive than steel models. Aluminum profiles are wear-resistant, corrosion resistant. They are made by extrusion followed by anodizing (applying a layer of protective film of high strength). Aluminum guides provide smooth and silent sliding of the door leaf. These rails are used in luxury furniture.
Hardware
Sliding wardrobes are built into niches and this saves the area of a small apartment. They are installed on the entire height of the room, and the width and depth are selected individually for the size of the room. For different models, the corresponding fittings are selected, its choice depends on what material the doors are made of, as well as on their shape. Further about the main applied elements of interior sliding mechanisms.
Rollers
Without these elements, it is impossible to imagine a sliding wardrobe mechanism. They are responsible for the smooth sliding of the door leaf along the guides. The noiselessness and softness of the door movement depends on what material they are made of. Expensive models are complemented by high-quality bearings that reduce noise during door movement. There are two types of videos:
- Symmetric. Used for furniture with closed handles mounted behind the facade. This variety is more reliable in operation.
- Asymmetrical. These models are designed for cabinets where the lower roller is the main one, and the upper wheel only supports the door. Used in furniture with open handles.
Guides
Paired rails that fasten the top and bottom of the cabinet. Serve for movement of a door leaf. The guides are made of various materials: steel, aluminum, plastic, and are attached to furniture using self-tapping screws. In shape, they are straight, rounded and curved. The latest model is installed on radius sliding wardrobes.
Door lock
The sliding door mechanism has several locks; they are always included in the set of accessories that comes with the furniture. Their number is always equal to the number of paintings. The stoppers are designed to lock the doors in the right place when opened. They are made in the form of a curved bar with rounded tips. When the door is opened, the roller moves along the rails and, reaching the stopper, is clamped between its ends. The door stops and locks in place.
Selection tips
When using the cabinet, most of the load falls on the sliding mechanism, so you need to choose high-quality and reliable elements. It is better to choose aluminum profiles, they are durable and withstand high loads.
When choosing bedroom furniture, it is important that it has a latch and does not move away with noise to the opposite side. This also applies to children's rooms.
When buying, you must ask for a quality certificate for the selected cabinet model. Some unscrupulous manufacturers use low-quality elements for the manufacture of the system to reduce the cost of the finished product.