Sliding Wardrobe vs. Hinged Wardrobe- Which is perfect for your home?

Whether one is going in for a new wardrobe or is looking to renovate the existing one, the choice of the kind of door makes for an imperative decision. These days doors are available across a large variety, based on material, finish, color, mechanism, so on and so forth. The decision should be taken seriously and totally makes sense, as any investments relating to the wardrobe are – one, heavy on the pocket; second, are for long period of time. Making that call can be a tough one. So to make the decision making a little easier, the following article discusses sliding and hinged wardrobe doors –:

Comparative features of Sliding Wardrobe vs. Hinged Wardrobe

#1. Space Clearance for the Door

Hinged doors tend to demand quite a space clearance to open completely, as they open outwards. If there is a dearth of space clearance for the doors then they tend to warp or de-shape with the passage of time.

Sliding doors do not require any space clearance to open up owing to the sliding mechanism. These, therefore, omit the space limitations completely.

Tip – Apart from the aesthetics that one wants for their space, they should evaluate the space properly prior to deciding the type of mechanism for their wardrobe door. Hinged doors serve well when the rooms are big or there is apt space clearance, while, sliding doors serve well even in confined and compact spaces.

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#2. Door Width Limits

Since the hinged doors are supported on the vertical axis with the help of hinges, the maximum limit for the door width is 600 mm. Beyond this dimension, the doors tend to strain the hinges, resulting in the failure of doors. Therefore, these should be avoided when the longer span is preferred or can be divided into two shutters to solve the purpose.

The sliding doors run on the horizontal axis on both the sides, therefore, securing the door from warping or incomplete shutting of the shutters. The door widths can be way beyond 600 mm and one can still get a stable door. These can be customized to desired widths.

#3. Plinth Clearance

Hinged doors are generally mounted above the skirting level; this is for the reason that the door gets a proper support from the frame all around.

Sliding doors do not require a plinth clearance and can run on the floor itself. Thus making an addition 100 mm or so of space in the wardrobe.

#4. Angular Shutters

Hinged doors can be made to open at any angle and can be made for any angle, thus increasing the flexibility and opportunity to utilize every nook and corner.

Sliding doors limit the usage to a single plane as these cannot be made angular.

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#5. Degree of visual grasp

With both the shutters being openable in hinged type, it makes for a 100% visual grasp of the entire wardrobe.

Sliding doors limit the degree to at least 50% as the shutter remains on the plane and is not free to rotate to give visual access to the entire wardrobe at one go.

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#6. Cost Effectiveness

Hinged doors are small and are therefore required in larger numbers, the material and the hardware cost can actually make these traditionally acclaimed hinged doors to fall a little over the curve.

Sliding doors have larger widths which point to the fact these are required in lesser number, thus, reducing the material and labor effort. These factors can help in reducing the cost of the doors.

Tip – Though the sliding doors might fall a little cheaper than the hinged ones, a lot depends on the materials, hardware fittings and finishes that one chooses for their doors.

#7. Use of Mirrors / Glass on the shutters

When it comes to installing a mirror or a glass accent to the hinged doors, it can pose a problem. The hinges might not be able to withstand the additional weight of the material.

Tip – If one intends to go in for a glass or mirror then they should put the hinges according to the requisite weight of the materials combined. The load can be distributed by means of working out the details in a more effective manner.

Sliding door shutters can easily be made into an all glass or mirror shutters. Since this is a flexibility there is a lot of experimentation and customization that one can do with the glass – tinted, frosted, etc. The customization can be done by amalgamating wood and glass too.

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#8. Upkeep and Repairs

While making a choice, one of the important filters should be the maintenance. One needs to ponder over the factors adhering to the general upkeep of the elements as well as the costs that can be incurred owing to repairs.

Hinged doors are easy to maintain and clean. When it comes to damage repair, these are easy to repair and light on the pocket too, as there is just the hinge that needs to be replaced in most cases.

With sliding doors, the major issue that is faced on a day to day basis is jamming. Jamming can occur due to the dust and dirt that accumulates over the track. Therefore, it is essential to follow a cleaning routine very frequently, to avoid jamming. In the case of sliding doors, if the run is not smooth even after cleaning the track, then the wheels are changed to restore the smooth run. The jamming of the sliding door can be quite troublesome.

#9. Additional Space

Hinged doors give one an option to utilize the inner surfaces of the shutters. The inner surfaces can be used to install hooks, mirrors, small shelves etc. to attain extra storage.

Sliding doors do not have a provision for achieving any additional storage, as the shutters slide along each other.

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#10. Installation

Hinged doors require a frame, hardware fittings and a lot of precision on the carpenter’s end. This type of door is the traditional way of making wardrobe doors and is quite labor intensive.

Sliding doors are easy to install, as there are just the tracks and the wheels to be taken care of. Precision is important but a lot of fine work is deducted from the entire workflow, giving the wardrobes the perfect contemporary feel.

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In a nutshell, both the types have their own set of pros and cons. It is important for the occupants to end to weigh all the positives and negatives according to the space available. It is equally vital to consider the aesthetics of the wardrobe with respect to the décor and style of the entire space. Your choice of the wardrobe ensemble should not prove to be a misfit in your room. One can choose from the variety of materials and fittings to customize the door according to the language of the room and personal preferences. There is nothing imperfect with any of the choice; it’s all about the factors discussed above and individual choices that shape the decision to your perfect wardrobe.

Lastly, take a read of the Top Styles for Wardrobe Lighting and Best Wardrobe Organizing Tips and Ideas Ever

And an example of one such video uploaded on our Youtube channel