sliding door question

[Andriy]

Hi,

I am Andriy, originally from Ukraine but living and working as a carpenter in London for the past 8 years (married to an Englishwoman). I have been away from this forum for some time, busy with work. People here were very helpful last time I posted a question. Hoped someone might be able to help with this one.

I am building a walk-in wardrobe with sliding doors. I want to know if there is a mechanism that allows the door to slide into the wall when retracted, but then when the door closes again, it can slide forward and out a few cm to be flush with the wall. Then, when you want to retract the door you push it in and slide it back into the wall.

I have tried asking in shops and no one seems to know what I am talking about. I hope too that this question is clear!

Thanks

 

[Travis Byrne]

Hi Andriy

Is this what you are taking about?
http://www.interiordoors.com/pocket.html?gclid=CLj2-ZDS-I8CFQUzgQod4z_6GQ

If not, then I am out of ideas.

Travis

 

[PowerTool]

If I understand it correctly,you want something that works like the runners on the side door of something like a transit van - the last couple of inches of forward travel moves them in line with the bodywork.
No idea if such a thing is commercially available :?

Andrew

 

[Shultzy]

I think what you want is something similar to a sliding door on a van, as viewed from the inside.

Try these two companies and explain what you want, they should be able to help.

http://www.hardwaredirectuk.co.uk/index.htm

http://www.pchenderson.com/index.html

 

[Andriy]

Yes exactly like a van door, except the other way round, so that the door is inside the wall and then comes forward to lie flush with the wall when it closes. But thanks for the suggestions. I'll follow them up tomorrow.

 

[BradNaylor]

My catalogue is at the workshop so I can't check, but if anyone does these Hafele will.

http://www.hafele.com/uk/

 

[chippy1970]

I have never seen such a system but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

If it does I would imagine its extremely expensive.

I have fitted loads of the pocket door type mechanisms but none of these pop out flush with the wall when closed.

Try Hafele maybe.

 

[Andriy]

Thanks. Hafele said they do make this sort of mechanism and asked me to fax them a sketch. So I have yet to find out how much they charge.

 

[Andriy]

Hafele don't make this mechanism that would enable wardrobe doors to close and then move forward to lie flush with the wall. Now that looks like something worth designing and patenting...

Andriy