Removal of a Bypass Door

Door Panels

• Removing only a bypass door does not require tools because the wheels mounted on top of the door panels are simply in the track that attaches to the door frame's overhead casing. The door panels hang from the track. Remove the outermost door panel first. Standing outside the closet or other area to which the bypass door leads, lift the outermost door panel upward, and tilt its top away from you. That frees the wheels and the door panel. The door panel hanging from the innermost channel of the overhead track requires the same removal process.

Track

• The bypass door's track is removed unless the door panels will be reinstalled. The overhead track is installed on the door frame's overhead casing. Removing the track simply involves removing the screws that hold it in place. You can use either a screwdriver or a power drill. Some bypass doors also have a wood strip installed in front of the track to conceal it from view. The claw of a hammer is useful to pry off the wood strip.

Floor Guide

• Bypass doors also have a metal or plastic floor guide that prevents the bottom of each door panel from swinging outward when it slides along the track. The floor guide also keeps the door panels from hitting each other as they slide. Normally a floor guide is held in place with one or two screws that you can remove with either a screwdriver or a power drill before you remove the floor guide.

Replacement Options

• The type of door you choose to replace a bypass door is important, and the selection decision deserves consideration of a couple of factors. One factor is the space around the door opening. If furniture or other objects are in the way, then a swinging door might not be practical. A bypass door allows accessibility to only as much as one-half of the doorway opening when the door panels aren't closed entirely, but some door styles offer greater entryway access. Bi-fold doors are one example, and folding doors, which operate much like an accordion, offer even greater entryway access.