Bypass Doors

Interior doors are doors that don’t require the resistance from exterior elements such as weather, as well as features for home security. They are usually made of lighter materials than those of exterior doors, and are simply for privacy. The materials for interior doors vary, from solid core wood, solid wood, hollow core wood, or fiberglass. They also come in various styles such as pocket, glide, swinging, folding, and bypass.

Interior bypass doors are common interior doors that have two or more sections. These door sections can slide in each direction from an overhead track, and slide past each other; they also overlap slightly to not have gaps between them. They are usually used in closets to access one side at a time, as well as used in substitute to swinging doors in small areas of the house such as bathrooms.

The most widespread door styles for showers these days are the shower bypass doors; it has a pair of doors that slide in a mounted frame attached to a shower’s stall or a tub’s end walls. Shower bypass doors function through the use of glides or rollers along tracks; they are very efficient for limited bathroom space, although cleaning the panels that overlap can be tricky.

The majority of problems that occur with shower bypass doors involve its track, which can be quite challenging to keep clean. The rollers can also fail or wear out over time and replacing it may be needed; however quality units may provide many trouble-free years of service.

Bypass doors are also great for closets. They don’t require swinging areas, so floor space is utilized to the maximum. Closet bypass doors can be made of glass, wood, or mirror, and are generally between ¾” and 1 3/8” in thickness. Nearly any door may be made into bypass doors with the appropriate installation bypass door hardware.

Installing bypass doors involve a simple procedure. Certain basic steps are needed: first step entails fitting and installing the overhead track alongside the head jamb of a door opening; one may use shims if needed to level the track.

Second step is attaching door rollers to the door tops; these rollers will fit within an overhead track, and are also adjustable so that the bypass door will hang plumb. Next is to install a set of guides or a track in the base of the door opening to hold the doors in row.

The next step is to hang the bypass door from its overhead track, and adjust the tracking guides at the base to straddle in the bottom of the track and prevent it from swinging outward or inward. And last but not the least, is installing the decorative trim to wrap both its hardware and any jambs and doors that are misaligned.

In comparison to swinging doors however, bypass doors hardly ever malfunction. If they ever do, screwdrivers usually take care of the problem. Maintaining bypass doors is also minimal as they mostly roll on “self-lubricating” nylon wheels. If bypass units jumps its track or jams, it’s probably an alignment problem and checking to see if the door is not warped should be the initial step.

Minor warping can be compensated through shifting the bypass’s guides slightly; otherwise, replacing the door may be the best option. Correcting any alignment difficulties as soon as finding one, will avoid further problems in the future.

Bypass doors come in various functions and different materials but the most common includes vinyl and stiff plastic as they slide and collapse easily; these materials are popular for small bedroom closets and closets at the back of entry doors. Bypass doors are clever space-savers, practical, stylish, and convenient; it’s no surprise that more and more home owners are choosing bypass doors for a better home functionality.