How to Install Storage With Sliding Panels

Traditional swinging and accordion-style doors create negative space in a room that you cannot use. When space is at a premium, sliding panels on storage units can help maximize the amount you have. In addition to bedroom closets, sliding panels can be a good solution for shop cabinets, garage storage and vertical storage in small bathrooms. Storage panels are generally made from glass, brushed steel, mirrors, vinyl and wood. If you plan to hang a storage unit with sliding panels, you need to take into consideration the weight of the unit and the location of studs in a wall.

Tape measure
Carpenter’s pencil
Level
Stud finder
Saw
1-by-2-inch lumber, cut to size
Drill
2.5-inch screws
Storage unit with sliding panels
Wooden shims
Cabinet filler bar
Patching compound
Paint that matches wall color

Instructions

- 1
  Measure how far above the floor the storage unit will be installed on your wall. Use the measurement to draw a horizontal line along the wall that represents the bottom of the cabinet. A level will help you make sure the line drawn is not crooked.
- 2
  Find the studs in the wall with a stud finder. Mark the location of the studs in the wall.
- 3
  Create a ledger board that is the same length as storage unit by cutting a 1-by-2-inch length of lumber to size.
- 4
  Install the ledger board along the line you previously drew onto the wall. Use 2.5-inch screws to secure the board, taking care to drive the screws into the studs in the wall. The top of the ledger board should meet with the line drawn on the wall, as the board will help support the weight of the storage unit as you install it.
- 5
  Lift the storage unit onto the ledger board. As you hold the unit in place, verify that it is level. If the unit isn’t level, tuck wooden shims between the ledger board and storage unit to help correct the positioning.
- 6
  Secure the storage unit to wall studs using screws. The best place to insert the screws is through the framing piece along the top and bottom of the storage unit because it is thicker than just the backboard. If a side framing piece aligns with a wall stud, you can affix screws in that area as well. Space the screws by 6 inches if you do secure the storage unit from a side framing piece.
- 7
  Attach the sliding panels to the front of the storage unit, following the manufacturer’s instructions, if they are not already attached.
- 8
  Remove the ledger board and fill the screw holes with a patching compound. Use paint that matches the color of your wall to conceal the patching compound.

How to Add a Hardwood Spiral Staircase

How to Convert a Metal Staircase to Wood

Interior Remodeling