How to Take Down Sliding Closet Doors Yourself

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. ^[2] 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. ^[3]
   • Move all the screws and tools off of the floor to avoid stepping on them while lifting the door.

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1. 1
   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. ^[4]

   • 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.
2. 2
   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 itt. ^[5]

   • 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.
3. 3
   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. ^[6]

   • 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.
4. 4
   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. ^[7]
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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. ^[9]

   • 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. ^[10] Repeat the process 3 times, allowing the spackle to dry between each layer. ^[11]

   • 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. ^[12]

   • 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. ^[13]

   • 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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