ylauer

We would like to divide a large bedroom into 2 small bedrooms, but not permanently. I'm looking for something like a sliding wall or partition, or movable wall on a ceiling track. I can only find commercial movable walls but no residential. Is ther a DIY way of building a movable wall? Please bear with me, I'm inexperienced but willing to learn by tackling a project!
Thanks!

Square Eye

Sliding door hardware is available for metal buildings. You may be able to adapt the tracks and rollers to suit your needs. I'm sure you can box the sides of the tracks and hide them. There must be a hundred ways to do it but the barn door tracks and rollers are actually precisely adjustable.
I often intall the tracks lower toward the closed position so that the doors seal at the bottom when closed.

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ylauer

Thanks for your input, Square Eye. I'll do some research on that. Appreciate it!

harleysilo

What about Garage door Tracks and the little wheels that are mounted to the doors? Allthough I don't kknow that they could support the downward load....

Why no "free standing"?

cibula11

You could do a wall that was on casters. When you want the wall, you roll it into place and lock the wheels. When you don't, you could just roll it against the wall. The wall that you build would have to be a little thicker than a normal wall so that it wouldn't fall over if bumped.

I also like the idea of a track system. You could look at some track doors that are used on closets and use a similar set up. I would think this would be fairly simple.

Bobby_M

Hi, new guy here but this topic interested me. Are we talking permanent for as long as you live there but you want it removable for when you leave (apartment renter are ya?). Or... do you want it to be easy to setup and take down as if you have a guest that stays regularly?

It may be much easier to install a lightweight partition wall down the middle where you actually do fasten into the ceiling just a bit, while not being too destructive. I'm thinking metal stud framing with lightweight panelling on both sides. Put rubber feet on the bottom and use a couple "L" brackets at the top just to keep it from falling over.

Bobby

Mary Jo

What is the size of the wall you need? Sounds like you need passage, so a section must move...but not all of it. You are willing to compromise the ceiling, so any track for pocket doors, sliders, etc. would work...could even use something accordian style. At church, we built something similar. We built a temporary wall and stationed it with screws to the ceiling, wall, and floor using a wood frame which produced little repair when the wall came down. I needs to be safe if it is for a kids room.

AndyD5

you can put a track in the ceiling and casters AKA wheels on the bottom of a metal framed wall if you want it to look permanent but not be permanent.

Do you mean you don't intend to move it but future home owner may or you wish to be able to push aside regularly that greatly effects what this will cost you.

A good thick sheet of grade A birch Plywood with a good paint and texture job would be farely inexpensive compared to construction of a wall. weather stripping of some sort on the seams between the sheets of plywood they make stuff for joining tow sheets together which has a sort of channel on both sides that is flexible in the middle it's made of rubber so it has some give should you want to use as like a door.

you could also use T111 Siding it's intended for outside but you can get different designs and painted well or used in unique ways can look great and siding is intended to overlap the piece next to it. gonna take you time to find pieces that have no imperfections but you can find it.

don't just think acordian style don't forget about the bypass like in most closet doors a hanging sheet of plywood on a track that takes it to it's desired location and another on a slightly longer track so when you want it you have it and you can easily seal the seam with any of all sorts of weatherstrip if sound barrier etc is a factorsyou could also make a way to lock it in place with the tracks inspect how track lights work if you don't understand what I mean.

and if all else fails be creative in all my years building things I've made many sets for plays just make muslin covered frames and paint them as desired they are really light weight can be any hieght you can construct don't require much effort to hold them up and if you make them in a sort of triangular shape they stand on there own. that's how a set is made for TV etc it's a fake wall easily moved and reassembled in minutes.

Let me know if you want me to elaborate any further.

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