Helping MDF sliding door glide better?

[robodelfy]

Hi, I'm making some built in storage into the eves of my loft room. I've made grooves for 10mm MDF to go in top and bottom for the doors.

I've just tried the MDF in the grooves and it's not nearly as smooth as I hoped. I wonder if ply would work better as it's lighter. Or maybe it's because I painted it.

Is there anything I can do to make it slide in these grooves better? Wax possibly?

Any ideas?
thanks

 

[ktuludays]

What about some loose small ball bearings sat in the channel. You'd need a stopper at each end to prevent them escaping

 

[robodelfy]

What about some loose small ball bearings sat in the channel. You'd need a stopper at each end to prevent them escaping

I had actually considered this before, but I wonder if it will work, what if they all get bunched up at one end? I guess I could give it a try!

 

[mattylad]

Rubbing a candle along the grooves will help.

 

[robodelfy]

Rubbing a candle along the grooves will help.

Thanks, would you just shape a candle and rub it in, or melt it in?

 

[foxhole]

Furniture polish, if that fails then nylon countersunk washers fixed to base of door, two or three will be enough, [that's how my sliding door kit was designed.]They reduce friction.
You also need to rub the grooves with wire wool to remove the paint imperfections.
Or a few of these pins in base of door, [cut pin shorter as they are too long.]
https://www.screwfix.com/p/upvc-nai...PBXPvD-wDzZXhO9XTvsaAqBoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[robodelfy]

Furniture polish, if that fails then nylon countersunk washers fixed to base of door, two or three will be enough, [that's how my sliding door kit was designed.]They reduce friction.
You also need to rub the grooves with wire wool to remove the paint imperfections.
Or a few of these pins in base of door, [cut pin shorter as they are too long.]
https://www.screwfix.com/p/upvc-nai...PBXPvD-wDzZXhO9XTvsaAqBoEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Great, thank you

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

You can buy alloy tracks for along the floor, matching rollers to fit on the base of the door and a track, plus guides for the door tops. They make them slide very easily.

 

[robodelfy]

You can buy alloy tracks for along the floor, matching rollers to fit on the base of the door and a track, plus guides for the door tops. They make them slide very easily.

Yeah in hindsight this would have been a good idea!

 

[Tigercubrider]

B and q used to sell simple runners. It was a U shaped bit of metal to screw to the base of a drawer. One single cylindrical roller. The idea was to buy a basic dryer kit, add the wheels and utilise the kick board space under kitchen units.
about 12mm wide?

 

[mattylad]

When I use a candle I generally shape it to fit the hole first.

 

[^woody^]

I used some self adhesive low friction PTFE strips on some euro draws I made and they work really well. For other similar situations you cant beat some wax furniture polish - but remember to apply it and then give it a good rub to get it nice and shiny and slippy