Horizontal Door Slides

[RonB]

I plan to build a curio display cabinet for my wife. We have seen a few lately that use a one-piece sliding wood/glass front door panel that slides off to the side of the cabinet in lieu of hinged doors. When opened the front panel of the cabinet is actually suspended, on the slide, nearly all the way to the side of the cabinet. This approach provides better visibility of the contents and is kinda unique. We have also seen a variation where one end slides out toward the front on similar slides.

My first thought was that the slides were a special hardware item. In surfing for hardware I have found a few horizontal door slides (Rockler, for example) that really do not look like those we have seen installed. However, some heavy duty drawer slides that I have seen look a lot like the ones we saw installed in an Amish cabinet this weekend. Has anyone used the lateral sliding doors in a cabinet? Is the hardware unique or standard drawer hardware?

Thanks RonB

[Howard]

I just finished a curio cabinet with no hardware at all. I wanted a nice clean look. When we thought about it we realized that my wife would put the items in and then rarely need to open the cabinet.

I made the entire front removeable. It slips into a pocket formed at the top by a cornice moulding and two pins drop into fitted holes at the bottom. The weight of the glass and rabbetts on the sides hold the front in place and effectively seal it. Yes it is a bit heavy to lift out but its easily done and then replaced.

[Pat Barber]

The ones I have seen "appear" to be standard "extra heavy duty" Accurdide drawer slides. I would think a 200# version would be plenty for a curio door.

Make the door "before" you order the slide and get a handle on the weight issue.

Don't forget to make the rails big enough to handle the width of the slide.

I forgot to look but how is the bottom of the door working ????

I would think about building a "protype" before I committed to the real deal.

R> I plan to build a curio display cabinet for my wife. We have seen a few

[RonB]

Agree - this is going to require fairly sturdy slides. I am going to try to build the cabinet in a similar style as an antique side-by-side that is in the same part of our home. This will call for beveled glass in the door.

The ones we have seen appear to have the same slide at top and bottom.

Agreed - a prototype or mockup would probably keep the air in my shop cleaner when it came time to put the real one together.

Thanks RonB