Bypass doors are a type of sliding door that consists of two sliding doors together. They are commonly used as entrances to closets and other storage areas. Since at least half of the opening is always covered, they are more often used for specialized applications rather than just connecting two rooms.
How Do Bypass Doors Work?
A bypass door is made up of two doors sliding on parallel tracks with a little overlap. They slide through the use of runners that are usually on the bottom of the door and a guide rail that is connected to the top of the door. When the doors are apart, they close the whole opening, but when they are slid in front of each other, create an opening equal to about the size of one of the doors. They can be made of any material, but are most commonly made of lightweight ones like wood or aluminum.
Uses for Bypass Doors
Bypass doors, unlike most doors, serve a more decorative than functional role. Since they are very lightweight and usually made from poorly-insulated materials, they do little to stop movement of objects, people or heat. Instead, they serve to shape the visual space in a room. The most common application of a bypass door is in the opening of a closet. The light weight of the door allows for easy access to the items stored within, while still keeping the closet’s contents out of sight, according to HGTV.
A Door as a Canvas
A bypass door is an artistic piece in a home’s design. All doors form an integral part of the design and feel of the space they occupy, but this is doubly true for a bypass door. It can add the perfect accent needed to maximize your home’s visual appeal.
Related Resource: Flush Door
