Easy Ways To Remove Sliding Closet Doors - WikiHow

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• Home and Garden
• Home Maintenance
• Doors and Windows
• Door Types

How to Take Down Sliding Closet Doors Yourself Download Article Everything you need to know to remove your closet doors & trim Co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle and Aimee Payne, MFA

Last Updated: May 14, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Unscrewing the Brackets
|
• Removing the Doors & Track
|
• Removing the Trim
|
• Patching & Painting
|
• Video
|
• Expert Q&A
|
• Tips
|
• Things You'll Need

|Show more |Show less X

This article was co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle and by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 165,779 times.

Every sliding door is set up slightly differently, but almost all of them can be removed by following a few simple steps. We’ve broken down the entire process of removing closet doors and repairing any wall damage, so you can do it yourself without needing to call a professional. This process shouldn’t take you more than 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size and style of your doors and whether you’re repairing any damage to the wall. Just remember, it’s important to wear safety gear like safety glasses, gloves, and a face mask to protect your eyes, hands, and lungs.

How to Remove Sliding Closet Doors: Overview

1. Loosen the brackets with a flathead or Philips-head screwdriver.
2. Remove the brackets holding the door to the bottom track.
3. Lift the door up a little and pull it towards you.
4. Pull the door off the bottom track.
5. Completely unscrew the top brackets.
6. Be prepared to catch the door as it comes off the top track.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Unscrewing the Brackets

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1. 1 Unscrew the brackets on the top of your doors to loosen them. Go inside your closet and look at the top and bottom of the doors to check for brackets. Use the Philips or flathead screwdriver to loosen each screw on the brackets at the top of your doors. Do not remove the screws all the way.[1]
   • Most sliding closet doors only have brackets at the top. The bottom is usually just a wheel that follows along a track.
   • Loosen every single screw to ensure that you don’t miss one and crack your door when you try to remove it.
   • Only loosen the brackets on the bottom if the door won’t raise up after loosening the brackets on top.

   Warning: If you take the screws totally off, the door may come down immediately with the bottom track still attached, snapping the wheels at the bottom or breaking the track at the bottom.

2. 2 If the door has brackets that lock it to the bottom track, remove them. According to home improvement specialist Ryaan Tuttle, the bottom of the door may have plastic doorstops or guides to keep the door from swinging out. These are usually made out of plastic and attached directly to the floor. Tuttle suggests removing the doorstops before trying to lift the door.[2] Just unscrew the screws attaching the doorstops to the floor to and slide them off the door and out of the way.
   • If you don’t see any brackets connecting the frame to the track, it probably has wheels, and you don’t need to remove anything.
   • Most rolling closet doors have wheels. It’s usually closet doors with glass that have the extra brackets you must remove.
   • Repeat this process for both doors to loosen all the necessary brackets and screws.
   • If there are brackets connecting the door to the track, they are usually on the side of the door where it sits in the track’s groove.
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Section 2 of 4:

Removing the Doors & Track

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1. 1 Face your closet from the outside and lift the front door off the ground. Hold the sides of the front door with each of your hands by wrapping around the sides in the middle of the door. Grip the door firmly and raise it as high as you can into the top track.[3] Hold the door steady as you’re raising it up.
   • If you have a massive, walk-in closet, you can probably get away with removing them from the inside of the closet if you prefer.
   • However, you may need more room, so go to the other side of the doors so you’re facing the closet from the room it’s in.[4]
   • Move all the screws and tools off of the floor to avoid stepping on them while lifting the door.
2. 2 Pull the bottom of the door towards you 4–8 in (10–20 cm) and set it on the floor. Once it reaches the floor, check the bottom track to make sure the door is completely off.[5]
   • Double-check for hidden brackets or screws if you can’t get the door off the track.
   • On some sliding doors, the brackets are only used to adjust the height of the door, and the wheels are just hanging on the track.

   Tip: If the bottom of the door won’t come off of the track, unscrew all of the brackets off of the bottom and then try it again.

3. 3 Remove the door completely by fully unscrewing the brackets on top. The top of the door will fall down when you remove the last screw, so be prepared to catch it.[6]
   • You may notice that the top of the door simply pops out before you have a chance to unscrew the brackets. If this happens, don’t worry about unscrewing the brackets.
4. 4 Repeat this process for the second sliding door. With your first door completely removed, lift the second door. Pull the bottom 4–8 in (10–20 cm) in your direction and then rest the door on the floor. Fully remove the screws on the top brackets and then slide it out of the slot to set it down.[7]
   • You may need to raise the second door a little higher than the first one when raising it up if there’s a raised threshold in between the 2 doors.
   • Clean the doors with a damp cloth and store them in a secure place that’s dry and not exposed to extreme temperatures so you can reinstall them later.
5. 5 Remove the screws in the middle of the tracks to remove them. Once both doors are off, you’ll see 3-5 screws in the middle of the tracks at the top and bottom. Use a Philips or flathead screwdriver to fully remove all of the screws inside the tracks. The tracks may stick a little after removing the screws, but they should come right off with a light pull.[8]
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Section 3 of 4:

Removing the Trim

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1. Cut the caulk and gently pry off the door trim with a pry bar. Work a utility knife under the outside edge of the trim. Run the blade all the way around the trim to free the caulk from the wall. Make sure to cut all the way through the caulk. Once you’ve cut through the caulk all the way around the door, slide the edge of a pry bar under the edge of the trim near a nail.[9]
   • Apply even pressure to lift the trim as you gently work your way around the door.
   • Use a piece of scrap wood behind the pry bar to protect the wall.
   • Once you get all the trim off, make sure you remove any nails from the trim and the wall and scrape off any remaining caulk or adhesive with a utility knife.
   • If you’re planning to upgrade the look of your closet, consider replacing your door trim.

Section 4 of 4:

Patching & Painting the Wall

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1. 1 Sand and scrape the area around the hole. Use a 150-grit sandpaper to remove any debris around the nail hole. Place the sandpaper over the hole. Rotate it clockwise and then counterclockwise 3-4 times to keep the repair area small.[10]
   • Lightly scrape over the sanded area with a putty knife to remove any fragments the sandpaper missed.
   • Be very careful with the putty knife to avoid making the hole larger.
2. 2 Apply 3 layers of spackle to the wall with a putty knife. Smooth a quarter-sized dollop of a lightweight pre-mixed spackle over the hole with a putty knife. [11] Repeat the process 3 times, allowing the spackle to dry between each layer.[12]
   • If you don’t have a putty knife, an expired credit card or an old gift card will work to spackle the hole in a pinch.
   • Apply firm pressure when you’re applying the spackle and make sure to keep the putty knife’s edge flush with the wall.
3. 3 Allow the final layer of spackle to dry and then sand it smooth. Use 150- to 180-grit sandpaper to smooth the dry spackle. This makes it easier to prime and paint over. A smooth surface also makes the patched hole undetectable under paint.[13]
   • Sand in a circular motion to gradually blend the edges.
   • After you’re finished sanding, run your hand over the patched area to check for bumps or depressions. If you find any, apply another layer of spackle.
4. 4 Touch up the patched holes with primer and a paint that matches your wall. Use a small paintbrush to apply wall primer over your patched area. Allow it to dry for 3 hours or the recommended drying time on your primer’s label.[14]
   • Once the primer is dry, use a clean brush to apply 2 layers of a wall paint that matches the rest of the wall.
   • When painting the wall, feather the edges to blend with the surrounding area.
   • Allow the first layer to dry for 4-5 hours before adding the second layer.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question How do you take a sliding door off its track? Ryaan Tuttle Home Improvement Specialist Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. Ryaan Tuttle Home Improvement Specialist Expert Answer If you're having trouble removing the sliding door, try looking for door stops. It's possible that they're keeping you from removing the door. Then you just need to lift the door up as high as you can before pulling it out through the bottom. It should come out easily. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 5 Helpful 6

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Video

Tips

• Use a drill if the screwdriver isn’t removing the screws easily. The door may be very old and the threading on the screws may have rusted. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Use safety glasses, gloves, and a dust mask to protect your hands and prevent particles from entering your eyes and lungs. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If your closet doors are heavy, ask a friend to help you lift them off the track. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Show More Tips Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Things You'll Need

• Philips or flathead screwdriver
• Utility knife
• Pry bar
• 150-grit & 180-grit sandpaper
• Putty knife
• Lightweight pre-mixed spackle
• Wall primer
• Wall paint
• Safety glasses
• Safety gloves
• Dust mask

You Might Also Like

How toFit Sliding Wardrobe Doors How toTake Down a Roller Blind How toPut a Closet Door Back on the Track How to Replace Rollers on Sliding Glass Doors How toRemove a Sliding Screen Door How toInstall Sliding Closet Doors How toRemove Mini Blinds How toRemove Sliding Glass Shower Doors How to Properly Convert your Sliding Door to French Doors How toReplace a Door Frame How toAdjust Sliding Glass Door Rollers Sliding Glass Door Installation: Your Complete DIY Guide How to Remove & Replace Door Trim Molding: Easy Tips from Experts How to Adjust & Align a Sliding Screen Door: Quick Steps Advertisement

References

1. ↑ https://youtu.be/EvRm1yw8yFI?t=35
2. ↑ Ryaan Tuttle. Home Improvement Specialist. Expert Interview
3. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-fix-sliding-door
4. ↑ https://youtu.be/EvRm1yw8yFI?t=94
5. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-fix-sliding-door
6. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-fix-sliding-door
7. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-fix-sliding-door
8. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/how-to/how-to-fix-sliding-door
9. ↑ https://www.thisoldhouse.com/painting/21019405/removing-trim

More References (5)

10. ↑ https://www.thesawguy.com/how-to-spackle-wall/
11. ↑ https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2013/jul/29/fix-it-chick-pick-out-right-spackle-job/
12. ↑ https://www.thesawguy.com/how-to-spackle-wall/
13. ↑ https://todayshomeowner.com/walls/guides/patching-a-hole-in-drywall/
14. ↑ https://todayshomeowner.com/walls/guides/patching-a-hole-in-drywall/

About This Article

Co-authored by: Ryaan Tuttle Home Improvement Specialist This article was co-authored by Ryaan Tuttle and by wikiHow staff writer, Aimee Payne, MFA. Ryaan Tuttle is a Home Improvement Specialist and the CEO of Best Handyman, Inc. in Boston, Massachusetts. With over 17 years of experience, he specializes in building home service businesses, focusing on creating scalable and efficient brands. With the help of his global team, the companies have achieved over 10+ million in sales and received recognition through magazine features, and enjoy partnerships with wikiHow and Jobber field service software. Boston Magazine and LocalBest.com have named Best Handyman Boston the Best Handyman in Boston. Ryaan holds Construction Supervisor and Home Improvement Contractor Licenses. This article has been viewed 165,779 times. 3 votes - 33% Co-authors: 6 Updated: May 14, 2025 Views: 165,779 Categories: Door Types In other languagesJapanese

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Yes No Advertisement If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Ryaan Tuttle Home Improvement Specialist 3 votes - 33% Click a star to vote 33% of people told us that this article helped them. Co-authors: 6 Updated: May 14, 2025 Views: 165,779

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