Sliding Shutter Cabinet

Leesa Osborne
by Leesa Osborne
10 Materials
$20
2 Days
Medium

I had finally found another solid wood bookshelf on the side of the road.ive been looking for another one since I made the last shutter door piece. Most of you know that’s where I get my pieces. I buy very few pieces of furniture. I pull up to the piece and noticed the top was warped and lifting. I thought oh I’ll just nail it back in place. So I loaded it up and brought her home. I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it. I have made over another junked piece with shutter doors and I had several shutters at home I could choose from.

Here is the top definitely not looking to pretty.

So first thing I did, I pulled the top off and removed the back. So many nails in the back but even the back was solid wood just peeling. I started by cleaning it up really good with TSP solution and let it dry and then went to town sanding with 100 grit sandpaper. I guess it was old yellow paint I was sanding off. It was yucky. Finally got her looking good and took my handy leaf blower to her and blew off all the sanded paint and cleaned her again.

Top and back removed

Next I painted it. I started with a baby blue chalk paint let it dry. Then took heirloom traditions chalk paint in Tanya color and added a little water and paint to a cup and brushed on the cabinet lightly and wiped immediately. I also did this witha black chalk paint to. I loved the look. Ok now time to get my shutters painted. I ran into a problem. My shutters I had on hand were either to narrow or didn’t match ugh I was frustrated at this point because I wanted another shutter cabinet bad.

After getting frustrated about the doors I went ahead and made my top out of old fence pickets, I measured and cut them with the skill saw. Yes I finally used a skill saw I must admit I was intimidated at first by it but turned out pretty easy and much quicker than a jig saw. Once all my top boards were cut I stained them with min wax red mahogany and left them to dry and started on the back of the cabinet with reclaimed fencing. I did the same step here measured the length I needed, cut them with the skill saw and stained them with the same red mahogany stain. Once it dried I put the top on first with wood glue. Heck it didn’t last long. I lifted it up and it fell apart. Great!!! Now what, I said ok I’ll just nail it on. So I nailed the top on and the back. But when I got to the back I guess I measured wrong and the boards were not going to be flush. Omg by this point I wanted to kick it. So I just left about a 1” gap between the back boards.

Here is The back. Once that was done I said ok we’ll do a barn door with this one larger shutter maybe it’ll look ok. I couldn’t find a tutorial on Pinterest but went with it anyway. I had to add a piece of 1x2 to the front of my cabinet so my aluminum flat bar had something to hang on to. I Cut that piece and stained it to match the other wood on the cabinet. I measured where I needed the bar to fit and cut it with the jig saw. It was super easy, I had previously ordered some great stainless steel wheels from amazon months ago and wanted to use those. I measured my shutter door and cut two more pieces of the flat bar and then drilled holes into them so they would attach to the cabinet and door. Painted an appliqué I had bought probably over a year ago from Michaels and glued it on. Attached my door and her it is.

The flat aluminum bar I used to attach to the cabinet I bought at Lowe’s. Here is a link where I purchased the pulley wheels.


Prime-Line GD 52189 Pulley with 2 Straps and Axle Bolts, 3-Inch Diameter,(Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H5QTVM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_XnrrBbRZBJTZE

All I did is drill holes in the aluminum flat bar and the other two pieces to line up with the two that hang off the door. The wheels came with their own bolt and nut so I just slid the bolt through the drilled hole and placed the nut on the opposite side and attached it to the smaller two pieces of flat bar.

Here is the link for the flat bar


https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-2-in-x-36-in-Aluminum-Flat-Bar-800207/204604761?cm_mmc=Shopping%7CG%7CBase%7CD25H%7C25-4_BUILDERS_HARDWARE%7CNA%7CPLA%7C71700000035978695%7C58700004046980559%7C92700033074575149&gclid=CjwKCAjwspHaBRBFEiwA0eM3kV97nABjQqa8yP3b4qEM4n8-tYl2KgZQ1aMMnecx5FGNAzUR9niO2BoC-a4QAvD_BwE&dclid=CJvxvq2uldwCFUiKaQodzowEfA

I also used a corner brace to keep the door from sliding off. I attached it to the inside of the door so it’s hidden.

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  • Jewellmartin Jewellmartin on Jul 11, 2018

    First, I love this cabinet. Second, I love the gaps in the back because it looks authentically handmade. Third, a question: how do the wheels know to stop at the end? I am not mechanically minded. 😂

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  • Carol Carol on Aug 08, 2018

    That is very nice. Love the door idea. I've been thinking about doing 2 sliding doors like yours for a large front window in my office.

    • Leesa Osborne Leesa Osborne on Aug 09, 2018

      Thank you. I’m so glad this inspired you. I’ve been wanting to do my closet doors also.

  • Carol Carol on Aug 09, 2018

    Great idea. There are so many uses for sliding doors.

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