Not everyone knows the name, but a sliding bypass door is two of two or more sliding panels that separate two spaces. This setup is often seen in a sliding bypass shower door, but you can use this type of door to separate rooms as well. Sliding bypass doors are often used in front of double closets.
A bypass door is defined by being a door that has pieces that slide horizontally, parallel to the wall but do not go inside. Anything that goes into the wall is a known as a pocket door.
These are called bypass doors because both doors are able to slide on fixed tracked. It’s the doors the are able to pass by one another in order for half of the passage to fully open. The downside of bypass doors is that they can never open 100% of the way — at least 50% of the doorway is always going to be door. Bypass doors requires tracks at the top — usually a “J” track” — and sometimes have an “E” track at the bottom but this isn’t required.
Bypass vs Barn Doors
We have already talked about barn doors on this site, but we’d understand why you might have some confusion between the two. Barn doors are similar to bypass doors in that they are both on tracks, but there are major difference as well. Any image of these doors will make it clear what those differences are.
First, most barn doors are hung on visible slides that are in front of the door frame, not in it. Seconds, barn doors don’t always bypass one another, they tend to meet in the middle. This means barn doors generally can both be opened, giving you access to 100% of the doorway. This is important in a functional or workplace setting (like a barn) where larger items might need to get through without having to remove the doors. Some barn doors are bypass style, but this isn’t a given.
Measuring For Bypass Doors
Wondering what size bypass doors and door kit you need? It’s not always the simplest question. To figure this out, you need to measure the door opening from side to side (that’s sheetrock to sheetrock). Then measure the height. This is the distance from the floor to the top, known as a header. Make sure to take your measurements in 1/4 or 1/16ths of an inch for certainty.
Sliding Bypass Door Kits
Keep in mind that most kits will not include the doors. Doors are large and expensive to ship, but you can usually get a great deal on the hardware online, and then find the doors locally. Some higher-end sellers will sell you both, but watch out for higher price tags.
Johnson Hardware 138F Sliding Bypass Door Hardware
This kit is made in America and ranges from 48″ to a full 96″. The key qualities of the kit are:
- Designed for 1 3/8” thick doors
- 125-pound capacity (this is the maximum combined panel weight).
- Made in the USA
- Patented “tricycle” for smooth open and close action
- Commercial grade track made of extruded aluminum
If you like the above specifications but want to use a 1 3/4″ thick door then you want the Johnson Hardware 134F sliding bypass door kit.
Industrial By Design Double Bypass Sliding Barn Door Hardware Kit
This Double Bypass kit makes for a barn door style bypass sliding door. You can clearly see that instead using the conventional rails you’d expect it’s an overhang barn-style, but the doors don’t meet instead they bypass one another.
- 5′ through 10′ sizes
- 225lb max door weight means lots of door options
- 1 1/4″ to 1 3/4″ thick doors supported
- Tested to withstand 100,000 back and forth rolls
- Classic looks
Johnson Hardware 100SD Sliding Bypass Door Kit
The Johnson 100SD hardware kit isn’t the cheapest option, but it comes from a top name and had premium aluminum extruded trackers. Extending up to 96″ in width it’s sturdy enough to support either two or three doors, so long as you get extra rollers to support the third door. This is a top-hung system so only top tracks are needed. On the floor only s simple guide is used in the middle.