The humble closet door might seem like a boring part of your home, but it doesn't have to be. Whether you're remodeling your bedroom or just looking to make a small change to spice things up, choosing the right closet door can be a great way to add both functionality and drama to a space.
Unsure of which type of closet door to buy? It'll often depend on the amount of space you have in your room as well as the door frame's location.
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1. Bypass Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Great for small spaces Easy to use | Can only access one half of the closet at a time Can pop off the bottom track |
Yes, these are your basic sliding closet doors that move along a track, but they're not the boring wood doors that were so popular in the 1980s. Today's bypass doors come in a variety of styles and materials, letting you go modern with frosted glass doors or keep things clean and simple with painted wooden panels.
To open these doors, you slide one in front of the other, which is great when you have limited space. This does limit your access, however, and only lets you see one half of the closet at a time. Items in the center of the closet can admittedly find themselves lost.
Bypass doors are lightweight and easy to use. Although a rare occurrence with quality doors, bypass closet doors do sometimes pop out of the track. This doesn't happen often, but getting them back on the track sometimes requires just the right touch.
2. Bifold Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Generally inexpensive Good for small spaces | Difficult to access edges of the closet Often come off the tracks |
Made of hinged panels that allow the closet doors to collapse onto themselves, bifold doors are quite practical and popular. Bifold doors require more space to open than sliding doors but less room than a traditional swinging door, which needs an opening clearance. Like other closet doors, bifold doors come in several different materials, like wood, vinyl, and metal. They also have different finishes to suit your taste and decor.
Bypass closet doors block your view of items in the center of the closet, and bifold doors solve this problem by opening toward the outside edges of the closet opening. Unfortunately, this often means you can see the items in the middle of the closet but may struggle to reach items at either end. This is only an issue, however, when the closet rod or shelves extend a bit further than the closet doorway.
Bifold doors are also notorious for coming off their tracks, especially if handled a bit roughly by children. Fixing this can be an even harder job than wrestling with sliding doors. Bifold doors are inexpensive, though, and they're a good choice when you're working with limited money and space.
3. Traditional Hinged Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Grants easy access to all parts of the closet Can easily add storage onto the door | Needs enough clearance for it to swing open Not ideal for small rooms |
If you have enough space to accommodate a door that swings open, consider hanging a traditional hinged door. This is an excellent option for a walk-in closet, but it will also grant easy access to a reach-in closet. These doors won't block any part of your closet when they're open, unlike bypass and bifold.
You can choose any style or material you like, and depending on the style you choose, you can expand your storage space. If you choose a wooden door, for instance, you can mount hooks on the inside for hanging scarves, ties, purses, or other items, thereby expanding your closet space a bit. The only real downside to swinging closet doors is that you need to have enough room to open them, which may prove problematic in small rooms.
4. French Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Looks luxurious Grants easy access to the entire closet | You need a large door opening Doesn't work for small spaces |
If your doorway is wide enough, you may want to opt for French doors. A French door is actually two doors that meet in the middle and open outward, providing a large opening for easy closet access and a bit of a grand feeling. Like traditional doors, the only real pitfall of French closet doors is that they need room to swing open. Since they feature two doors, you'll need twice the space.
Aside from these minor differences, however, French doors are very much like traditional swinging doors. You'll find the style and material options to be essentially the same even though the visual aesthetics of the doors may seem quite different.
5. Pocket Doors for Closets
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Great for small spaces Provides easy access to all closet space | Tricky to install Expensive to add |
Very common in older homes, pocket doors make an excellent choice when you have limited space but still want unimpeded access to your entire closet. Pocket doors slide open. When they do, they slide into a hidden compartment inside your wall. This lets you open your closet as wide as you can without needing to have clearance in the room for the door swing.
Pocket doors are a handy feature in your home, but they come at a price. They are not a DIY project and require professional installation, and the process involves creating a hole large enough to accommodate the door inside your wall. Adding one will cost between $500 and $1,000 if you're building a new house or already doing an extensive remodel that involves tearing walls apart. The price goes up to between $1,000 and $3,500 if you're adding pocket doors to a room at any other time.
6. Sliding Barn Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Doesn't need room for a door to swing open Easily glides open | Needs enough space on the wall Not suited for all decor styles |
An increasingly popular trend is to use barn doors as closet doors. These doors feature a hanging track or rail that is mounted on the outside of the closet above the doorway. The barn door is then hung from the track and glides along it to open and close. Because these doors slide, they don't require any room or door swing, You do need to allow enough space for the door to slide open, however, as it will simply slide over the wall rather than tucking into a pocket or sliding over a second closet door.
These doors look great in rustic houses with a farmhouse feel. Depending on the material and color, you can also use these doors if you have modern decor. They can look out of place in other design styles, however, so think carefully about the look you want.
7. Curtains and Other Alternatives
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
You can get creative with materials you have Cheaper than traditional closet doors | Closet alternatives often feel temporary They don't provide as much privacy |
Truth be told, your closet door doesn't need to be a door at all. Some people simply hang curtains over the closet, adding tieback hooks to the sides of the closet so they can hold the curtain open if desired. Others hang a curtain from a tension rod in the closet doorway. You can also hang a beaded curtain for a vintage vibe or place a stylish privacy screen in front of the closet. Though these options are often much less expensive than traditional closet doors, they also provide less privacy when you want to keep closet clutter out of sight.
Although it's hard to find someone who actually likes accordion closet doors, they sometimes make a good alternative as well. As their name suggests, these doors consist of connected thin panels that collapse on each other like an accordion when the door is open. Although made of better materials than they were in the past and now available in decorative finishes, even accordion doors that look nice often feel cheap. These doors feature only a top track, which can make them hard to open.
Why mention them? Accordion doors may be the best choice if you're on a super-tight budget or working with very limited space. They're also an option for renters who don't have a closet door but want one that they don't care about leaving behind when they move. You probably don't want accordion doors on your closet forever, but they do get the job done.
8. Glass Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Gives a clean, modern look You can see everything in your closet | You can't hide clutter Glass is expensive |
A big part of choosing a closet door is selecting the building materials you like. Glass doors are popular among those looking for a more modern touch. You can choose tinted glass, frosted glass, or regular clear glass if you wish. Glass can prove expensive, however, as the glass must be impact-resistant and include a safety film that holds it together if it breaks. Glass does look nice, but know that you will need to clean the doors frequently to eliminate fingerprints and smudges.
Clear glass has some unique foibles, making it a double-edged sword. It looks good, and you'll be able to choose your outfit through the door before you even get out of bed. However, a clear glass door hides nothing, You'll have to keep your closet well organized for this look to work, and you won't be able to shove things in the closet to hide them when company comes.
9. Louvered Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Gives an airy, beachy feel Allows air to circulate in the closet | Dust collects easily Can be difficult to clean |
Louvered doors look charming, and you can paint them whatever color you choose if they're made from wood. They look great in airy beach cottages and lend a Southern or tropical feel to your room. Louvered doors are also good for your clothes because they allow air to circulate in and out of the closet, preventing musty scents.
Louvered doors are difficult to clean, however. Dust likes to collect on the louvers, and it can be hard to remove when it's tucked up under the louver above it. Frequent dusting with a feather duster or modern static duster works best. If you fall a bit behind on your cleaning regimen, however, you may find it a bit time-consuming to get your louvers completely clean again.
10. Mirrored Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Can make a room look larger Eliminates need to buy a separate mirror | Need frequent cleaning Can be pricey |
We're not talking about your grandmother's mirrored doors from the 1980s here — more modern closet doors blend mirrors and decorative woodwork or have a minimalist frame for a chic look. These doors offer all the benefits of mirrored doors, and they also make the room look bigger, adding brightness and light to a space.
Like glass, mirrored doors can require frequent fingerprint and smudge removal to look their best. Also like glass, mirrored doors must be impact-resistant and contain a safety film, which makes them more expensive than other doors. In other words, you may want to steer clear of mirrored doors if you have a small budget.
11. Wood Closet Doors
Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
Classic design choice Comes in a variety of price points | Susceptible to warping, swelling, and sticking Often needs a new coat of paint or stain |
Tried and true, wood makes for good closet doors. Wood doors suit almost any decor, can easily be painted to match your room, and come in a variety of price points. Hollow-core doors, for example, are lightweight and relatively inexpensive. Solid wood and doors made from hardwood are a bit pricier, but they're also a bit sturdier.
Wood is susceptible to swelling, warping, and sticking when the humidity rises, so keep this in mind if you like fresh rather than air-conditioned air in the summer. Unlike vinyl, glass, and other materials, wood doors may require a bit of TLC on occasion. Although not as needy inside as it is when used for an exterior door, wood may still need freshening with a new coat of paint or stain every few years.
Best Budget Closet Doors
These sliding closet doors will add a nice neutral palette to your bedroom, and best of all, they won't break the bank.
Classic and functional, this bifold door is a great choice for small spaces as well as smaller budgets.
Best Closet Doors for Small Spaces
This adorable set of bifold doors are petite enough to squeeze into even the tiniest of closet spaces.
Though on the higher end of the price spectrum, these luxe doors can give a feeling of airiness while still hiding the clutter in your closet. Plus, their sliding mechanism makes them perfect for a small space.
Where to Buy Closet Doors
Whether you're looking to just hide your clothes clutter on the cheap or you want your closet door to add to the overall aesthetic of your room, here's where to find the perfect closet door.
Tried a true, Home Depot is your ultimate closet door destination — both in person and online. From bifolds to sliding to traditional hinged doors, Home Depot has budget-friendly closet door options that will easily complete your room.
Always one of the best places to shop online for home goods, unsurprisingly Wayfair has thousands of closet door options available in a wide variety of styles and colors.
Build with Ferguson is one of the best home improvement retailers online, and their selection of closet doors is nearly unmatched. From farmhouse to modern to traditional, Build with Ferguson has every style of closet door you can imagine.
With thousands of closet door options and plenty of sales, you can't go wrong with buying your closet door from Overstock.com. From a traditional French door set to a frosted glass bypass, Overstock has many closet options to peruse.