What are Sliding Room Dividers?

Sliding room dividers are installations that effectively partition off parts of larger rooms such as banquet halls or conference facilities. These kinds of furnishings can be part of residential or commercial buildings. Different kinds of sliding room dividers allow for various amounts of privacy and permanence.

Some of the most common types of sliding room dividers seen in older buildings are of the “accordion-fiber” type. These large accordion style dividers have a steel structural element covered with carpeting or other fiber. They often also have locking hardware that fits into a lock at the far end of a room. These sliding room dividers often run on grooves that allow for secure partitioning.

Other more modern types of sliding room dividers are available in various styles. Some display a traditional “Asian” or other world styles by imitating the design of Japanese screens or similar classical furnishings from around the world. Others provide a “clinical” or “professional” look for a partitioned room.

Modern sliding room dividers can be made of many different materials, and designed in many different ways. Common materials include steel and other metals, wood, glass and various types of fabric. Some dividers use a “lateral” design where the dividing unit pulls back into a wall or other space. Others are swinging or folding type units that need more space to operate.

Various kinds of temporary sliding room dividers allow for breaking up an open space in all sorts of ways, whether it’s for privacy or just overall organization. Room dividers on rollers are a popular choice, where installation and changes are made easier. Many of these types of room divider units are modular. This can allow for specific goals like separating workspaces for an office, where modular dividers make expansion of staff an easier situation.

Certain types of sliding room dividers can help with soundproofing. Others are simply used for screening off an area where additional privacy is needed. Some types of room dividers are popular with medical care facilities that need to comply with specific privacy laws, including the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), where privacy is key to legal compliance. Businesses make investments in room dividers for different reasons, and modern manufacturers make these kinds of furnishings with an eye to how they can be most effectively used to give a large indoor space more versatility.