How to Make a Self-Closing Sliding Door

September 9, 2013

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How-to’s

How To Make A Self-closing Sliding Door - Clera Windows + Doors

Sliding doors are typically very heavy and difficult to close well. Wouldn’t it be nice to have the door close on its own? Now it’s possible. In fact, in many areas, a self-closing sliding door is a safety requirement for those with a pool. There are some companies that sell door closer systems, but for the DIYers, there are ways to do it on your own as well.

Why Buy One?

When you buy a door closer system for your sliding door, you can be sure that it meets strict safety requirements. It keeps the door from becoming damaged. It also saves energy and often comes in several colors, so you can customize your own system.

The system can be installed on double doors and even custom homes. There are generally two main sizes: medium and heavy duty. They work by using a weight and pulley system to keep the door shut.

Even if you don’t have a pool, you may want to consider a self-closing system if you have young children who like to escape outside. It also works well for pets – especially dogs – when homeowners want them to have access to the outdoors whenever they please without the hassle and expense of a doggie door.

Get Creative and Build Your Own

Inspired to build your own? YouTube has a creative video about a homeowner who made his own self-closing sliding door by using just a few basic items. The video is shown here:

The short video – less than a minute long – shows a unique way to allow pet dogs to open and close a door by themselves – without human assistance. All that is required is a small pulley, a bottle of water (or sand) and some nylon string. The pulley and string are attached to the door and the bottle of water acts as a weight to keep the door closed.

Get a Self-Closing Sliding Door for Your Home

Whether you desire safety or convenience, a self-closing sliding door can fit your needs. If you are not the handy or creative type who can create your own mechanism for automatic closure of a sliding door, get help fromClera Windows and Doors. We have a variety of products to help your home improvement ideas become a reality. Call us at1-844-738-7362 for more information.

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