Why Choose a Sliding Wardrobe: Pros and Cons

There’s one question we are getting again and again from our buyers: “Is a sliding door wardrobe better?” Well, there is no correct or incorrect answer! After all, when compared to traditional models with hinged doors, wardrobes with sliding doors have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s go through all the pros and cons of fitted sliding wardrobes to help you make an informed choice. With this article at hand, you will be able to choose exactly what you need!

First of all, what is a sliding wardrobe?

To properly compare the benefits and disadvantages of bespoke wardrobes with sliding doors, we must understand their key feature. Basically, the main feature of these wardrobes is a specific type of door — and this is the main difference between a sliding wardrobe and a hinged wardrobe. 

Unlike traditional hinged doors, these ones don’t swing open but move sideways on rollers along tracks at the top and bottom. Because of this feature, sliding doors save space in your house and make all your belongings easy to access. We offer a wide range of sliding door designs and colour options. Reach out to us to get a full catalogue of sliding door designs.

However, there’s another critical aspect to mention. Sliding wardrobes, depending on their format, can be divided into two groups:

Freestanding wardrobes

The word freestanding speaks for itself – this type of furniture is not fitted in the interior and can be moved around. Such wardrobes have walls and upper and lower panels for top and bottom. A freestanding sliding wardrobe can be disassembled, transported, and then reassembled. Therefore, it is basically a piece you can call conventional furniture. 

However, such wardrobes do not fit perfectly in your space, leaving gaps in between a wall and a wardrobe, and floor and ceiling and a wardrobe. You can go for this option if needed. The problem is, it is not a space-saving piece of furniture. Therefore, if you need to buy a wardrobe to maximise your storage, then that is probably not the most cost-effective option for you.

Built in sliding wardrobes

Built-in or fitted sliding door wardrobes are not standalone but integrated furniture pieces. A bespoke wardrobe is made based on precise measurements of your space, therefore allowing us to build a furniture piece that will perfectly fit into any niche or alcove. Your fitted sliding wardrobe will be integrated into a niche and connected to one or more walls. We also add top and bottom panels to put a track on them and the back panel for an even more stable configuration. The wardrobe back panel is attached to the walls of the wardrobe, therefore making it stable. Feel free to contact our managers and ask any questions about what kind of back panel we use. 

Now, are fitted wardrobes better than free standing? Well, they fit into any room, efficiently use all available space and maximise storage while not compromising on the style and stability of the structure. Isn’t it impressive?

Shapes for bespoke sliding wardrobes

When ordering custom made sliding wardrobes, think which configuration will work better for your room. Below, you will find the most common types of configurations and our recommendations on where to can use them around the house.

Straight sliding wardrobes

Naturally, this is a classic design. Straight custom made wardrobes with sliding doors have a simple design where basically all sections form one straight line. This design looks neat and can be installed almost anywhere. 

Where to use
These are simple and universal wardrobes that you can use in any room — from hallway to bedrooms and dressing rooms. All we need to know in order to manufacture a straight fitted wardrobe with sliding doors is to know the length and height of your room.

Corner sliding wardrobes

As easy to guess, these wardrobes are designed to fit into corners. One of the most popular designs with an L-shaped wardrobe is based on two straight sliding wardrobes connected at 90°. The doors can effectively slide away from the corner to the sides, so there is no problem with opening a corner sliding wardrobe. This design also solves one of the most frequent problems that all L-shaped cupboards and wardrobes have — a deep corner section that is difficult to access. With coner sliding wardrobes, you can easily see the entire section with no effort.

Where to use
For smaller spaces or rooms with a L-shaped layout. 

Angled sliding wardrobes

In cases where you have sloped ceilings, a straight design won’t be that effective. Depending on where the slope is — on the outer edge of the wardrobe or inside — we will be designing it differently.

So, if the slope happens to be inside of the fitted sliding wardrobe, we keep the doors a straight line but create a customised internal design. It will be different in terms of shelving and the shape of the drawers. They could be deeper and gradually become smaller as a slope goes. We also make an angled top for a wardrobe that connects the back panel, walls, and doors to protect your clothes from dust.

When a slope is on the outer side of the wardrobe, then it will directly affect the door design. We take precise measurements of the whole room following a slope to know exactly how uneven it is. According to these measurements, we will create angled sliding doors that will perfectly fit into your space. These doors will glide along the track exactly like usual sliding doors, and the angle won’t affect the accessibility.

Where to use
For spaces with sloped ceilings such as lofts, attics, converted lofts, and understairs storage.  

Dimensions of sliding wardrobes

When it comes to sizes of fitted wardrobes with sliding doors, we get two of the most frequently asked questions from our customers: “What are standard sliding wardrobe sizes?” and “What is the smallest sliding wardrobe door size?” However, there is no one-size-fits-all answer here, either! When creating made to measure wardrobes with sliding doors, it all depends on the manufacturer. 

For instance, we recommend a minimum door width of 1000 mm (3.2 feet). Feel free to ask us to make bigger doors. The width is unlimited. The recommended height would be up to 3 meters (9.84 feet). 

Take these recommendations into consideration; however, always double-check with our specialists. Our experienced team will find the best solution for you and offer several options on how to achieve the aesthetic look that you are going for with no compromises.

So, are sliding wardrobes better after all?

Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of sliding door wardrobes before you order them from us or other providers.

 Disadvantages of sliding wardrobes

The discussion of whether fitted sliding wardrobes are any good would be incomplete without mentioning the negative aspects. However, when designing and manufacturing our furniture, we know exactly how to eliminate those. But let’s see which cons low-quality sliding wardrobes from other manufacturers may have:

• Higher price. Often, manufacturers put higher prices on their sliding door units. Then, customers come to us for a quote and ask: why are sliding wardrobes so expensive? In fact, they are not necessarily more expensive than hinged-door wardrobes. It all depends on the cost of the materials and labour that goes into manufacturing furniture. If you can’t choose between sliding doors and hinged doors, please reach out to us. We will calculate the cost for both options and recommend which one may work better for your home and budget.
• Unstable construction. When dealing with inexperienced manufacturers, you risk getting distorted doors. The reason is that they don’t know how to install built in wardrobes with sliding doors to keep them levelled. Any tilt can lead to damaging the track. Of course, it also depends on the quality of the materials and parts used for furniture. Some sellers use low-quality materials, which in the end can make the entire wardrobe distorted and unstable.
• Noise when opening. Often, people come to us with a request to replace their existing built in sliding door wardrobes – all because tracks make a squeaking noise when they open the door. Based on our experience, it most often happens with cheap and low-quality furniture or because of unprofessional installation. Sometimes, it can happen due to a lack of proper care or misuse of furniture. We manufacture our wardrobes using the best materials and also provide up to 15-year warranty for all our creations. Contact us to learn more about the warranty.

Benefits of wardrobes with sliding doors

Okay, now, let’s check which benefits the made to measure sliding wardrobes that you buy from us have.

• Custom sizes.We can design and manufacture bespoke furniture of any size – whether you need a small sliding wardrobe to put in a nook or a large piece with multiple sections to go into your dressing room.

• Custom-designed internal layouts.We create tailor made sliding wardrobes from scratch so there’s no limit to the internal layout. Just list your requirements, and we will integrate all the elements you want into the furniture piece: LED lighting, drawers, hanging rails, tie storage, shoe storage, all types of shelving, mirrors – you name it!

• Clean, modern look. Sliding doors don’t have knobs or handles, which gives you a clean, minimalist and stylish look. If this is exactly what you want for your home interior, then bespoke sliding door wardrobes — are a way to go.

• Variety of colours and materials. We offer a slew of ready sliding door designs that you can see in our catalogue. Some of them include bronze and silver mirrors in combination with MFC or MDF panels and coloured glass, along with profiles of different widths and colours. Pick a ready design or create a unique one in collaboration with us. Visit our showroom to see all the materials in person and design your own sliding door wardrobe exactly how you want it.

Bottom line: Why choose a sliding wardrobe? 

If we are to summarise all the pros and cons of wardrobes with sliding doors, here’s the conclusion we can make. Such a wardrobe is an incredibly practical, space-saving and beautiful furniture piece. And with bespoke manufacturers like us, you can get furniture that perfectly fits your space and ticks all the boxes in terms of your storage and aesthetic needs. 

Why choosing us

Surely, there are plenty of manufacturers who offer custom made sliding door wardrobes in the UK. However, we have certain advantages that help us stand out of the market — from an impressive warranty to more than a decade of experience in making bespoke furniture. Check the list of our advantages to see how you can benefit from our product:

•   Personalised approach. We have design and production departments who, together, will deliver a high-quality custom wardrobe with sliding doors. Our specialists will guide you through the process of developing designs and choosing materials for your furniture project through a series of personal meetings or remote consultations via ZOOM or phone. All your requests will be taken into consideration when developing designs and will be approved by you before going to production.
•   High quality. At Urban Wardrobes, we use only sustainable and durable materials for our tailor made sliding door wardrobes: premium MFC, MDF, wood veneer, glass, fabrics, etc. On top of that, we give a warranty of up to 15 years on all our products. All that led to an incredible result of a 4.9 rating on Trustpilot! We are proud of the quality of our product and customer service.
• Balanced prices. So, how much does it cost to build a sliding wardrobe? Our prices start from £1,200 + VAT per linear meter, depending on the design range. Moreover, the price already includes delivery and installation. For a detailed quote for your made to measure sliding door wardrobes, please get in touch with our consultants.

Reach out to us for tailor made wardrobes with sliding doors, and we’ll design and manufacture an amazing furniture piece for you in no time.