8 Tips for Perfect Sliding Doors without Hardware

[@christopherduff1110]

So glad I grew up in a country with the metric system.

[@vietdragon5174]

and im glad my parents did

[@redlancer7263]

When you grow up with feet and inches, it just makes sense. You can be just as precise with Imperial as you can with Metric. Maybe the math is a little easier with metric, but that's why we have calculators.

[@jaimiem.k.8958]

I find the math of imperial to be easy once I became an experienced woodworker. Example (quick math in your head): 1167mm+886mm= VS 18 1/8 + 56 7/16=…….. imperial is quicker in an instance like this. I do really like metric though and if one system were only to survive it probably has a wider range of applications and ease

[@KingKarrit]

Fractions make more sense from ahuman perspective.

[@m.jaquarius8365]

Using the metric system is universal. For example, some Americans use the metric system instead of feet and inches. Educate yourself.

[@eleanoreperry1231]

Upon unboxing, I was immediately upset at how the rails were very noticeably bent. But I kept going, all tools needed to assemble were included kzbin.infoUgkxqtX4Dxs6aecAZEuz6GY5-d81YecKCshn and I had it set up in about 30 minutes. Honestly I love this thing, make sure to read the measurements and measure your space so you know if it'll work for you. I bought this to put inside my closet, underneath where I hang my clothes and it is absolutely perfect! It is VERY sturdy and all drawers glide easily and mine are stuffed, and they are still flush when closed.

[@SpencleyDesignCo]

This is the kind of information the people need! Thanks, Chris!

[@JosVanWeesel]

This was so fascinating to watch. I love your channel for all the in-depth explanations and illustrations/animations, but this time you even out-did yourselves! I do have one question/idea: Would it be a good idea (read: possible) to make a groove in the bottom tongue of the sliding door and add a wheel/bearing for better sliding? I was thinking you could drill a hole from the inside of the door towards the outside, and stopping before you go all the way through and using a dowel that holds this bearing in place? You would probably need a wider tongue, and thus a thicker door, but I don't see that as a dealbreaker necessarily. If that's doable, you would basically have invisible wheels, if I'm conceptualizing it correctly.

[@csimet]

Probably one of the best explanations on how to properly build sliding doors I've come across... even if you don't make fine furniture and only shop cabinets. Great presentation and video production.

[@kekethebasedcat]

Chris, I think you read my mind. Every time I have an idea, you drop a video on the exact topic I'm looking to learn more about. I've built two of your designs now, and always feel confident following your instruction. Thanks for everything you do.

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Thanks man...appreciate it. Glad you're enjoying the videos gaining something from them :)

[@kylecroft5807]

I just built my first sliding door cabinet and your tips helped a lot, 80 x 36 x 13 inches deep. I aimed for 3/4 overhang just like you recommended. The sliding doors are 40 x 33 and I used half inch and there bowed but it’s a shop cabinet and it’s practice for the real furniture I’ll build for the house. My shop is 1.8 metres wide by 4.8 meters long, super small shop in Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪

[@steverochon1620]

I taught for 38 years. You have a gift.

[@TexasLocalProduce]

I don't own a table saw nor router, but I am subbing right now! Why? This guy is so down to Earth. He doesn't skip or race through project. I recently bot 2 Bluetti AC300s & 2 B300s. I can't find a cart, rack or cabinet that will properly fit my power station. Because I live in rural America & keeping my Power Station in my outdoor kitchen (once I install a Transfer Switch (electrical sub-panel) I have no choice but to build a cabinet with doors due to the insane amount of dust accumulation. (I am surrounded by Agricultural open acres of land all around me.) Sliding doors are the way to go b/c they don't eat up extra space required when you open them. I now am excited cuz this guy has taught me how!!!!! I can do this!!!! Thanks a million! I am off to buy my 1st router now!!!! Oh, anyone have recommendations on what I should be looking for in a router? Will the more expensive ones be worthwhile over the cheaper ones?

[@kikongkalikot1162]

Warby parker is just for USA and CANADA only... anyway still your no.1 fan here in the philippines.. keep it upand goodbless... stay safe... more power to foureyes.

[@richardbaggaley1172]

I’ve never built a cabinet with a sliding door before and just a weekend warrior in the shop. But with this video, I built a sliding door on my cabinet in just a few short hours. My wife is very pleased with the results! This video is awesome!!! Keep up the great work.

[@CameronLockey]

Fantastic video! I just got a commission for a cabinet that requires sliding doors for exactly the reason you mentioned: space limitations. Been puzzling out exactly how to do it and your tongue and groove explanation was exactly what I needed. Keep up the great work, Chris!

[@YoMan751]

In term quality, this is awesome. Excellent accessible instructional video. This is why I’m a proud Patreon supporter. Bravo!

[@dougbutcher5711]

Excellent video! Articulate, succinct, but all the necessary details. Thank you for not rambling on just to hear yourself talk as so many online videos do.

[@berndstrauss151]

Hi guys I just wanted to say a big thank you for all your efforts. I watch several wood working channels but none of them reaches your level level of design. You style is simplistic but still modern with a bit of a twist. Your rocking chair belongs in a design museum as a piece of art. Maybe make a video about furniture build by your viewers inspired by your design style I used lot of your elements to build some bar chairs ...I got lots of complements for the design If you wish I share the CAD model if others want to build it Keep up the awesome job

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Thanks Bernd. Appreciate the kind words...we always love seeing things people build.

[@berndstrauss151]

@@Foureyes.Furniture where should I email some pictures and the drawings?

[@Hakuwoodworks]

I very much appreciate your thorough descriptions and reasoning for the choices that you make. Of course, your delivery is great as well, thank you.

[@high5alright]

Would you ever use a full width groove on the top and a tongue groove on the bottom? The benefit being you won't see any part of the tongue at the top.

[@estebanbarbalarga4776]

Glad I read the comments before asking about the visible top tongue. Sounds like a good solution.

[@stuartrobertson8711]

Nice clean lined work. Thoughtfully produced, quietly explained videos. No hype. Great work ,well done.

[@eleonoramatok]

Thank you very much for this video. It is very helpful for me.. You make absolutely stunning furniture, so beautiful and sophisticated it is a pleasure to watch.

[@jakebrown6639]

Out of the sunglasses I prefer the Barkley or Downing, for you face I think the Barkley ones look the best. Great video man, thanks for all the tips!

[@STONJAUS_FILMS]

Thank you for providing the video and the millimeter version; they are incredibly helpful for those of us imperially impaired.

[@joelazar6152]

This was incredibly helpful. I just did sliding doors and your tutorial was all I needed. Thank you!

[@stelis1006]

This video was awesome! I really appreciate how you broke down the math is this. :)

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Thanks...glad you found it helpful :)

[@dansouchuck8918]

Great job explaining.. and not getting to technical..as a newbie wood worker this was a great video to help me out with some questions..

[@andrewbrown8148]

Great explanation for using this technique, Chris~! I've actually been looking for something like this, so your timing is great. Thanks much~!

[@jordicoppers1544]

Very informative and clear instructions. Thanks!

[@jerowns]

I love these in depth videos. What an amazing groove you have 😉

[@jorgearenas872]

Thanks Master...I learnt a lot of this originally Japanese technique... No hardware at all!!!... Greetings from Medellin!!!

[@JBLewis]

Even though I don't have plans to build something with sliding doors, watching helped my improve the way I think about approaching dimensions and fits. Thanks!

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

That is great. Appreciate it.

[@bouncyafro4175]

Perfect timing! Wanted to embark on a console build with sliding doors soon!

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Nice. Hope this helps

[@jorgwalter1954]

Me too :-)

[@slowerpicker]

Exceptional content, animations, explanations-you saved me hours of trial and error.

[@Overlord2903]

You fans all the way here in Jamaica blood, loving the content, very useful.

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Thanks Romario :)

[@kevinsingh5242]

Trinidad and Tobago here! Learned alot!

[@MoreJo]

Thanks for the clear explanation! Very helpful 😊 Not sure if you'll see this, but I was wondering: 1) what's the ideal size for the tabs? 1/3 of the door's thickness? Half? 2) how much space would you leave minimum between the doors? 3) approx. how heavy could you make the doors without having to use hardware? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! 🙏

[@JustinRobinson91]

Thank you so much for this video. Built my first cabinet today and used your sliding door method to get results that were a lot better than I expected.

[@Jerryp7292]

Love the details and instructions. Thank you so much for the video!

[@T.S.R-wood-KH]

Hello, I am from Cambodia, I really love your work and your video.🇰🇭❤

[@shuckyducky3508]

Aloha cambodia

[@SaturdayBullpen]

Very informative! Need to let this digest then come back and re-watch a few times!

[@johanflodkvist80]

It feels nice when you add metric. Thanks. Also... I would love it if you threw in an oldschool-foureyes video every once in a while. I've been rewatching all the old stuff couse I miss it 😄 Some poetic/philosofic/pun-ic narrative and other-chris guitar track ❤

[@5280ryan]

You have changed my mind about sliding doors. Beautiful work. I'm going to incorporate more of these into my work. Thank you!

[@vkeykanesan9309]

I remember doing this for our wood work classes back in high school . From Malaysia

[@stephaniealbert6448]

Thanks so much for such a thorough video. I can see the effort that you put into it. I want to add some sliding panels to a neiden ikea bed frame, but it will only be able to connect and slide from the top. Is it possible or no? I was thinking of creating a t bar shaped opening in the bed frame so that it holds up, and then somehow will have to create the same shape in the panels. Then slide everything in before constructing the bed? Lol I don't know if it's even possible but I'll be putting storage boxes in underneath it and would love to cover them up. The only tool I even own is an orbital sander that I bought a few weeks ago and I'm on a frenzy with it ever since. Planning to get a circular saw and go from there with my toolkit.

[@brucescott3183]

Great film and instruction video. I’m going to try it on my next project!

[@richcartwright889]

My favourite how to of yours yet. Great video.

[@tucniak111]

appreciate so much 1/16 of a in inch = 2mm on the screen! :) It is hard to describe (probably both ways) but when you are used to metric, it's is really not ez to visualize quickly when fractions of inches are discussed.

[@LonelyDogBarking]

Impressed. Thanks a lot. Learned so much in less than half an hour.

[@howler5000]

I love these kind of videos, and you do a great job of explaining each step. Thank you for the content!

[@mikesluitertijd]

It is quite remarkable that you can talk more then 12 minutes about something simpele as This, well done 😁

[@sandrapfauenglund8729]

Your videos are the BEST! I’m learning so much. I plan to buy some of your plans as well. Thank you!

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Thank you so much...they''ll be there for you when you're ready :)

[@adasgoe]

Great explanation! Thanks for taking the time to make this.

[@sanreyolivier]

Thanks Chris! I made sliding doors today and I wish I would have seen the video before :)

[@rusticduckfurniture4744]

Dam you're good at making instructional videos - this is just what I'm looking for thank-you.

[@alans1816]

You always explain well how to do useful things. With sliding doors, I've found it useful to think about what happens if dirt gets in the groove. A hole at the end of the travel, through the bottom of the groove can be helpful.

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Good call. I've never though about that before. I suppose I would probably go for a vacuum if I ever faced that :)

[@alans1816]

@@Foureyes.Furniture I guess the ones where I found it needed were in a preschool. Under less challenging circumstances it's less important.

[@djeity]

Excellent tutorial - thanks a whole lot, I really appreciate it and found it easy to understand. I was about to start planning construction of a credenza which will need sliding doors. This helped me settle some thoughts I had had, and convinced me not to go down the expensive sliding hardware route.

[@wolfman75]

IDK!!! Maybe I Will Have To Try!!! I Am About 8-9 Months In. So Still Pretty New!!! Thank You!!! 🤔🤷‍♂️👍🤦‍♂️😎

[@dkamhaji]

super awesome video! thanks so much for your sliding panel door insight. One question that I had after watching, Im one of those without a table saw, but I ido have my trusty Festool Of1400 Router. I can see making the Grooves, but would have loved to see you making some tongue cuts on the door panels with a router to see how you would go about it. Any tips for cutting the tongue from the doors using a plunge router?

[@tploszek]

Perfect technical video - great job! 👍

[@marcusno1212]

Thanks for all the information shared in the video. I'm thinking of building a cabinet for our bathroom and since the room is very small i was thinking about sliding doors. But I'm a little worried about the moistur. Do you think the doors could get stuck? Are there ways to minimize the moisture influence?

[@hyesoojung6787]

It looks great. Can this way be applied on tall cabinet doors like closet?

[@SaraVV]

Excellent video!!! Thank you so much for all the valuable information.

[@Ippido]

Thanks for the tips and the graphics 🙏👍

[@LiloUkulele]

Excellent video. Great graphics. These tips really helped with my full size shoji doors.

[@guillermo7777]

Great explanation one of the best in the topic, thanks Chris am ready to do my slide door without hardware which is awesome, the furniture that you use for the explanation looks beautiful, really nice design and with the sliding doors, wooow real nice thanks great content,

[@matthewransom6469]

I love your videos. Your a great teacher and make it so easy for a beginner like me to follow along. I would love to be able to do a build with you and you teach me

[@azweinger]

thank you for a great learning video and for using mm as well

[@chadhoffman6769]

Nice video. I have a big cabinet job with quite a few sliders like this, yet it's painted. Wondering about sticking paint and wear on the sliding area. But a nice option if I don't find any hardware.

[@unusualpond]

Right on time! Was just about to start on a sliding door cabinet. I’m using heavy 3/4 material for the doors and worried about weight and friction. Was considering gluing a t slot into the top groove and hanging the door from it. Thoughts anyone?

[@davideastham]

I slid over and clicked that like button !!

[@Viajero69]

Great way of explaining this. Thanks. Subscribed!

[@luke9822]

Great video. 14:52 Looking forward to more plans in your plans section.

[@dnomyarnostaw]

Question: Do you ever build a sliding door with a raised bottom "ridge" on the bottom horizontal shelf, made of wood or aluminium ? Not only does it remove the need to cut a groove in the bottom horizontal shelf, but the slot cannot get filled with junk and cause the sliding section to either bind or jam completely. The same principle has been used on the bottom of sliding wardrobe doors for years.

[@billparrish4385]

Great video Chris, as always! Your timing for giving me a plethora of ideas about my own upcoming projects is uncanny! I have some sliding doors in mind for a shop cabinet project (now that plywood is coming down from the 'bank loan' level), but I was concerned about a dusty environment preventing smoothly-sliding doors over time, the upkeep needed to keep them cleaned out and/or waxed, etc. (and this would not involve hardwoods, just normal softer shop grade materials). I had thought about getting something hard and slick in the bottoms of the grooves, such as strips of melamine edging, but couldn't find an easy way to iron it on as groove bottoms. I eventually settled on making a laminated track assembly of alternating 1/4" strips cut from wood and from melamine board, so that the melamine surfaces end up as the groove bottoms. My project is mostly stacks of storage cabinet cubes built as towers, with these laminated track assemblies mounted on the front edges of the fixed shelves dividing and defining the cubes, so as to have the same two-sided track assembly serving the top of the lower cube and the bottom of the upper cube, with the melamine layers offset from the wood strips within the lamination, creating deeper grooves at the top of each door for easy door removal as yours do. My only hitch I've run into during test runs is cutting a melamine strip with smooth-enough edges (since a rough edge could bite into the sliding door bottom and defeat the purpose of using melamine in the first place). I've tried blue painter's tape and scratch cuts to clean up the edges on the melamine cuts, and the blade I'm using is admittedly not my best (since I didn't want to wear out a good one on several dozen 3 foot melamine cuts, the stuff being so hard and brittle). So I was thinking of coming down off my cheap high horse and springing for a new blade to cut the melamine. And what do you know! Just as I'm re-thinking using this material at all in this application, along comes Chris Salomone with some very interesting thoughts on groove construction! I'm still not sure which way I'll ultimately go, as I have by now been pretty thoroughly bitten by the shop-made laminated track bug. By the way, if you've read this far, I'd be very interested in your thoughts about making and then installing a separate track? Cutting upper and lower grooves in the same divider piece won't really work for me, unless I beef up the edge of the plywood or something. And it's totally fine if time prevents a reply. It's truly a master class video on the topic! Cheers!

[@ugosmith7529]

A bit late but couldn't scoring the melamine help getting a cleaner cut

[@billparrish4385]

@@ugosmith7529 It does help somewhat. That was the 'scratch cut' I mentioned. Raise the blade just an 1/8" or less proud of the table saw surface and run the melamine over that. Then flip the melamine front to back, keeping the same edge against the rip fence but now the melamine is on top, raise the blade to just higher than the melamine thickness, and run it through again. Does a decent job, but still some flaking. And it could be that the melamine I'm cutting is too old, having been in a garage for a number of years, so it may be brittle and dried out (if that plastic layer does dry out). But I also suspect my blade. Maybe a bit of sanding will help the flaky edges enough to still let it be a decent groove bottom. Oh, my project got side-tracked due to lumber pricing, but still on the radar. So I have yet to start it, instead doing some other smaller tasks. Thanks for the suggestion!

[@ugosmith7529]

@@billparrish4385 yeah, the lumber prices have put a damper on my shop projects also. Thanks for responding and following-up, if the technique you described doesn't work still, I'mnot sure what else could help, you may indeed have to pony up for a specialized blade.

[@williamellis8993]

Great info, Chris. Bill

[@julianasencion8408]

i think i´ve told in other videos, I Love you! you are a genius!!

[@Voltechs]

Perfect for what I'm looking for. Do you think that with 1/2" ply, I have enough material to do this rabbet?

[@MarcReeveNewson]

Nice video, any reason you don't solely cut your rabbets on the back of the panel? Aesthetics?

[@19district97]

I appreciate you putting in MM, Thankyou awesome video as always. Thanks Chris

[@sidewalkmantra]

Such sweet explanation- thank you!

[@memrys3291]

thank you for an informative video. can I use plywood or y boards with this?

[@t.n.1953]

Hi Chris, this video is super helpful. I'm curious why, at 3.50-3.53, you say that using through cuts on a cabinet assembled with butt-joints wouldn't work if you put the top/bottom panels between the side panels? I was taught that when using butt-joints that arrangement is preferable to having the side panels between the top/bottom so the ends wouldn't show. Just curious.

[@Nick_Cortes21]

Question, would there be any issues using plywood on sliding doors? Thanks

[@frankcienciala3328]

I want to build sliding doors of hardwood (Tasmanian Oak) 43 approx inches high x 19 (approx) inches wide x 3/4 inch thick. Is this door too heavy for an easy slide using this method? Do I need to use a track and rollers instead? Thanks Chris for your very clear presentation. Look forward to your recommendation.

[@ecuadorianme]

Would these type of doors work well in plywood? I am most concerned about the little piece between the 2 grooves snapping.

[@rhuynh]

One more reason for Tongue groove which is similar to the benefit of distance between doors is distance to front face. Meaning for example if you want the door flush with face frame or slight inset, you need to do Tongue groove.Great video! Next one should be sliding without hardware but on drawers!

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Not a bad idea. Maybe we'll do that.

[@MsStaceybland]

Great video! As far as the sunglasses, I liked the Harris ones for you 😀

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

Appreciate that. I'll keep gathering feedback and then make my pick :)

[@ladykenja2700]

- Awesome video & info. Thanx 4 sharing.

[@josh_watson]

Your videos are so ridiculously informative. So I mean this honestly, “thank you”. Also, The Barkley’s look great. Cheers!

[@mohedaicebear]

is the gap created on the top doors for the second style noticeable. the Grove needed for the rabbit I guess looks like it would show because it needs to go in but then it's always out

[@Cardoavenue]

This is such a great video!

[@Mark_Wood]

Great video Chris!

[@pmanneke]

Hi Chris, love your videos and the clarity of your explanations. I’m not from the US though so I’m not familiar with the Imperial system, could you please include Metric measurements too?

[@KingKarrit]

If you're a carpenter you should learn imperial anyway. Fractions are quicker and easier.

[@pmanneke]

@@KingKarrit From your reponds you're clearly not familair with the metric system. There are currently only 3 countries left in the world that have not moved to metric namely; Liberia, Myanmar and the US. Even the "Empire" which brought the Imprerial system to the US, have move to the 21 century. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nprHaHiAoNx3hM0si=4yL7bcSILLqx7vdo

[@stefandirks8061]

Love this style of video! So much value!

[@rjmulder8030]

Great video, and beautifull work man!

[@muchadrewaboutnothin]

Any tips for stacking sliding doors where the top of the bottom doors is the bottom of the top? Is there anything you can do besides using a thicker piece of wood for the middle?

[@L0wBap]

Why so amazing dude? This vid is sooo good and well explained and all that I can't help but be aggressively amazed, haha (I'm planning to make a closet 130x140~ for a small room, and I needed much much this info for my planning! Thanks)

[@vikinorman317]

Hello, would this work on upper kitchen cabinets? Or do they get too much use and would the glide get too worn?

[@felixycchang]

Thank you for the detailed explanation.

[@maelingsblessed]

You're awesome I understood perfectly 😊🦋

[@duynguyen8784]

Thank you for the helpful video, please keep up the excellent work and explanation on the details of the video. Love your woodworks SKILLS

[@AmosAmerica]

This is great! But ,what can you do if you want to add sliding doors to a cabinet you've already made that you can't disassemble?

[@stonedoliveees]

Ideal for galley kitchens!

[@robszurgot1484]

Great explanation, very clear. Any issues with types of finishes you use not allowing the panels to slide easily? Do you ever use waxes in the slots like paraffin?

[@Foureyes.Furniture]

If they were having trouble sliding, you could add some wax. I don't find that it's ever really necessary though. I've used oil finished and polyurethane finishes with sliding doors and both seem to work equally fine. So I'd go with whatever you planned on using regardless of the doors.