The Essential Closet Door Removal Guide

Whether you are planning to remove closet doors in your home so you can hang new ones or you’re opening-up your space permanently, the process of taking these doors down can be more challenging than homeowners expect in some cases. As you read this guide, you will find some helpful tips that will make it easier to remove any type of closet door you happen to have in your North Carolina or South Carolina residence. 

Removing rolling closet doors. 

To take down rolling closet doors, first look at how they are hung. The majority of doors that fall into this category are attached at the top with roller wheels to some type of bar. Currently, the “barn door” style is extremely popular due to the farmhouse trend. The vast majority of rolling closet doors are a set of two, although it is possible to have a single door. In either case, you will need to follow these steps to remove them:

1. Loosen the screws – Begin loosening the screws that attach the wheels to the door, but don’t remove them completely yet. The idea is to allow both doors to shift down, giving you more room to work between the doors and the track itself. 
2. Slide the front door – Slide the front closet door so that it hangs at an angle away from the side of the door frame. 
3. Lift up – Lift the front door in an upward direction so it comes out of the bottom track. Once you are holding it at about a 35-degree angle, the top wheels should also come out of their track and the door should be completely loose. 
4. Repeat these three steps to remove the back rolling closet door. 
5. Remove all screws – Using a screwdriver or a drill, remove all of the screws holding the tracks in place. This will allow you to easily remove the hardware. Fill-in any holes in your wall with putty. 

Removing bi-fold closet doors. 

To take down bi-fold closet doors, it is essential to first understand how they are put together. These types of doors have pins that attach them to tracks at both the top and the bottom. Generally, the top pins are spring loaded so they can be removed easily. One bi-fold door consists of two panels that fold outward into a given room when opened. Closets may have one bi-fold door or two (four total panels) depending on size. To remove your bi-fold closet doors, follow these steps:

1. Fold the door – First, put the door in the “open” position, folded with both panels together. Some bi-fold door models have a locking lever at the top that needs to be flipped. 
2. Lift up on the door – With panels still folded, lift the door up somewhere between ½-inch and 1-inch. No matter what bi-fold door model you have, this should be enough to dislodge it from the track. 
3. Angle the door if needed – If your closet door doesn’t immediately dislodge from its top track, angle it outward slightly at the bottom. This motion should pop the top loose. 
4. Remove the screws – As with sliding closet doors, you will need to remove all of the screws in order to take off the tracks themselves. Then, apply putty to any holes if needed. 
5. Repeat these four steps for the second bi-fold door, if needed. 

Once you’ve taken down your closet doors, no matter what style they are, you are free to do whatever home remodeling project you’ve been dreaming of! Here are a few ideas to inspire you as you figure out what to do with your newfound space. 

1. Create a reading nook – Closets often make for cozy reading nooks, whether or not they are walk-ins. Even a small closet space is likely to have room for a bench, some shelves, and cozy throws pillows and blankets. 
2. Add open shelving – This is an especially good idea for closets in kitchens. By opening up the space and adding open shelving, you have a built-in pantry. Plus, open shelves are extremely trendy and fun to style, making this option a win-win for modern Carolina homeowners!
3. Continue using it as a modified closet – Another option is to keep using your closet space as just that, but with design-savvy modifications. For example, invest in decorative hooks and only hang your most attractive coats. You can also line-up rain boots and other outdoor essentials on stylish rubber mats on the floor. 

Best of luck with your closet renovation, no matter what you decide to use your newfound space for!