How To: Sliding Wall

Measure the space where you wish to install your sliding wall. Determine the desired length and height of the wall. You'll need space at the top of the wall for the pipe that the wall will slide along, so leave at least 1 foot of space between the top of the wall and the ceiling.

Build a frame for the wall to the dimensions specified. The frame should be constructed from 2-by-4-inch pieces of lumber, nailed together at the corners with 10d nails, two nails per corner. Use a miter saw to cut the outer corner pieces to 45-degree angles so they meet and form 90-degree angles.

Cut a vertical cross-brace to stretch from the inside top of the frame to the inside bottom of the frame. The cross-brace should be made from 2-by-4 lumber. Use a circular saw or table saw. Secure the cross-brace into place with 10d nails, two nails in the top and two in the bottom.

Cut four corner support pieces made to stretch from one side of a corner to the other. The cross-brace must be made from 2-by-4 lumber, cut to fit within about 6 to 10 inches of the corner at each end. Cut the edges of the corner supports to 45-degree angles using a miter saw, then nail the corner supports into place with 10d nails. Use two nails at each end of the support piece.

Cut panels of hardboard to fit on each side of the frame, using a circular saw or table saw. Each side of the frame will be completely covered with hardboard panels, with the panel's edges flush with the edges of the frame. The panels will be nailed to the outer edges of the frame, so the frame looks like a wall. The number of panels you'll need for each side depends on the size of the frame and the size of your panels. Typical hardwood panels are sold in dimensions of 4 feet by 8 feet. As an example, if your wall frame is 8 feet tall and 7 feet wide, you'll use two panels per side, oriented so the panels are taller than they are wide. Place one full-sized panel and one panel that's been trimmed to 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide on each side of the frame. Stagger the placement of the panels so the seams between panels do not line up from one side of the wall to the other.

Nail the hardboard to one side of the frame, then the nail hardboard to the other side of the frame, until the frame has been completely covered. Depending on the thickness of the hardboard, use 4d nails or larger. Space the nails 12 inches apart around the entire perimeter of both sides.

Screw the wheels to the bottom of the wall using the screws that came with the wheels. Use a power drill or a screwdriver. You may need to drill pilot holes for the screws. The number of wheels you put on the wall will depend on the length of the wall. You should install 1 wheel every 6 feet. Use wheels that only roll in 2 directions: forward and backward. Do not install wheels that swivel in other directions.

Install the D-ring tie-downs with mounting brackets on the top of the wall. There should be one D-ring tie down for every wheel on the bottom of the wall. Screw the D-rings into the top of the wall with the screws that came with the ring.

Slip a length of pipe through the D-ring tie-downs at the top of the wall. You may need to thread together multiple pieces of pipe to extend the pipe down the length of the wall. Use a metal pipe for strength and stability, such as copper, stainless steel, galvanized piping or brass.

Raise the wall with the help of a couple friends. Move the wall to the place where it will be installed.

Thread together more pipes into the pipe already installed at the top of the wall. The total length of pipe should be long enough that it spans the length of the room and nearly touches each wall at the ends. When all the straight pipe is threaded together, the pipe should be 1 inch shorter than the length of the room.

Place one closet rail support at one end of the pipe, and the other closet rail support at the other end of the pipe. Station a friend at either end of the room and ask each friend to hold the closet rail support against the wall. The pipe should not be able to fall out of the closet rail support. If the pipe is too short, you'll need to replace a segment of the pipe with something slightly longer. Level the pipe and mark the wall where the closet rail supports should be installed.

Screw the closet rail supports to the wall in the places where you marked. Test the wall by sliding it back and forth. If the pipe is too loose in the rail supports, you may need to tighten the connection between the pipe and the wall by sliding some shims into the closet rail supports.