Build Your Own Japanese Sliding Doors

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Build ⁄ Building Furniture ⁄ Build Your Own Japanese Sliding Doors

Build Japanese-style dividers to allow for natural light and privacy using hardwood with acrylic panels.

Handyman Magazine

Traditional oriental screens are easily damaged as the panels are made of rice paper but using frosted acrylic with maple frames modernises this project.

It costs about $700 to make a pair of doors mounted with a 2500mm sliding door kit that has a top guide rail, four wheel assemblies and a track along the floor.

TIP: Buy the tracks for about $80 from a door specialist or hardware store.

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Installing the panels

Use 12 x 9mm splayed beading cut with 45º mitres to secure the acrylic panels to the maple frame bars, marking and securing it as you go.

Cut the panels from a sheet of 3mm acrylic, using a jigsaw on low speed with a fine blade and the pendulum action switched off or have it cut by the supplier.

TIP: The beading is set back from the edge with a 2.5mm gap called a quirk.

For accurate assembly

Before securing, dry-fit the frame to check for square and adjust as needed, sanding the bars or using a chisel to shave the rail housings.

To secure stiles to the rails use 50mm x 8g timber screws, recessing the heads and plugging with 10mm dowels.

Assemble the bars and pelmet with 25 x 1.25mm panel pins.

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