What to do about cabinet doors?

[lago]

I have been asked to build a small storage cabinet at a place where I do volunteer work. It will be in a bathroom and behind the door(when the door is open). Dimensions of the cabinet are 48"H x 40"W x 12" D.

My first thought was to go with simple frame & panel doors made from poplar and 1/4" ply. I recently watched a woodworking show I taped a few months ago. They were replicating an old cabinet that had sliding panel doors. That got me thinking about doing something like that. I have some red oak on hand that I can dado the tracks (upper & lower) but not sure what to do about the doors. I am thinking that the 3/4" ply would be too heavy to slide. Another option would be 1/2" BB or make frame & panel doors and use as sliders instead of hinges.

Any thoughts/opinions.

Thanks
Ken

[JimD]

The few times I have tried sliding doors they did not work smoothly. If I try them again, I think I would try a plastic track and with lightweight doors.

[John Hunter]

I agree with Jim, with 48" high opening by 40" I would want some sort of track for the doors to ride in. I build a shop cabinet that I got the plans from Woodsmith that has sliding doors that are that big. It uses screen door rollers riding on an aluminum track. I substituted oak for the aluminum and it works great. Here is a pic, the doors on the sides slide.

[Pappy]

Stay with the frame and panel but use John's idea of the screen door rolers.

[cabinetman]

Sliding doors work better when they are wider than they are tall. I have good luck with 3/4" plywood doors using KV hardware. I use a sheave and metal track assembly, like these. The sheave gets installed in a mortise in the bottom edge and rides on a metal track...very smooth. For an upper track, a plastic track can be used, or just a dadoe, as it's only a guide.

Another track assembly that works good with heavy doors is this one. Frame and panel will work, but there is always the forces of opening and closing playing on the joints. Much different forces than a hinged door.

.

[John Hunter]

Here is how the doors with the screen door rollers are set up. Note the fender washers at the top they are left loose so that they rotate as the top door guides. As can be seen in the picture on the lower right the screen door rollers are inside a dado in the bottom of the door frame and ride on the rail in the bottom of the cabinet.