All of our sliding door entertainment console plans seem to be a hit, and the requests for varying sizes of this design keep coming in. Here is a 74″ wide x 32″ high x 14″ deep version that includes four bays and two sliding doors.  This version is narrower, and more suited for behind a sofa for storage, or as an entertainment center in a tighter room. The shopping list for this version of the sliding door entertainment console is a little different from the rest due to it being a narrower piece.

Materials:

• 2 – 2×8 at 8 feet long
• 2 – 1×6 at 6 feet long (or 4 if you want the floor to be boards instead of plywood)
• 1 – 4′ x 8′ sheet of 1/4″ thick plywood or hardboard (for back)
• 1 – 4′ x 4′ sheet of 1/2″ plywood (for the door)
• 2 – 1×2 @ 6 feet long
• 1 – 1×2 @ 8 feet long
• 4 – 1×4 @ 6 feet long
• 6 – 2×3 @ 6 feet long
• 1 – 4′ x 8′ sheet of 3/4″ plywood
• Wood screws
• Nails
• Hardware for sliding doors – You can buy the hardware for sliding doors, or you can make your own. I made my own for my rustic barn wood dog crate.

Tools:

• Saw: circular, miter, and/or table saw.
• Drill / Driver
• Nail Gun or hammer
• Kreg jig
• Sander and sandpaper
• Square
• Tape Measure
• Wood glue

Cut List:

• Frames:
  • 4 – 2x3s @ 68″
  • 4 – 2x3s @ 12″
  • 4 – 2x3s @ 9″
• Sides & Floor
  • 2 – 3/4″ plywood @ 12 1/4″ x 30 1/2″
  • 1 – 3/4″ plywood @ 71″ x 12″
• Face Frame:
  • 2 – 1x4s @ 65 1/2″
  • 2 – 1x4s @ 30 1/2″
  • 3 – 1x4s @ 23 1/2″
• Shelf Supports & Shelves
  • 5 – 1x2s @ 12″
  • 5 – 1x2s @ 11 1/2″
  • 2 – 1×6 @ 71″
• Plywood backing
  • 16 – 1/4″ plywood @ 30 1/2″ x 4″
  • 2 – 1/4″ plywood @ 30 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
• Bottom trim
  • 1 – 1×2 @ 74″ with 45° miters on both ends
  • 2 – 1×2 @ 13 3/4″ with 45° miters on one end
• Top:
  • 2 – 2x8s @ 74″, ripped to 7″ wide
• Doors
  • 2 – 1/2″ plywood @ 25″ x 17″
  • 4 – 1/2″ plywood strips @ 25″ x 1 1/2″
  • 4 – 1/2″ plywood strips @ 17″ x 1 1/2″
  • 2 – 1/2″ plywood strips @ 27″ x 1 1/2″ (long X pieces)
  • 4 – 1/2″ plywood strips @ 14″ x 1 1/2″ (shorter X pieces)

Step 1: Build the upper and lower frames

Start by assembling your assembling your upper and lower frames. These are made out of 2x3s, and are completely identical. Use wood glue and 2 1/2″ wood screws for all joints. The supports in the middle are each 9″ long, and should be spaced 21 1/2″ in from the sides – but they don’t have to be precise since they will be hidden in the final design

Step 2: Add the plywood sides

Cut your two sides from the 3/4″ plywood sheet. These are each 30 1/2″ high, by 12 1/4″ wide. Note that these will be 1/4″ wider than the frames so that you can let that 1/4″ overhang the back edge and will conceal the outer edges of the back panels we’ll add later.

I like using 16 gauge nails and wood glue. The glue itself, if applied correctly, will provide a much stronger bond than any mechanical fastener. So the nails are really just holding it in place until the glue dries.

Note: Now is a good time to check to ensure the piece is square, before moving onto the face frame.

Step 3: Attach the face frame

For my face frames, the rails are continuous across the entire top and bottom instead of being separated by the middle stiles. I just prefer this look, as it looks more like a finished cabinet to me. It is made out of 1 x 4 boards, and the measurements for each can be seen in the image below.

Step 4: Floor and shelf supports

Our sliding door entertainment console plan uses a 12×71″ piece of 3/4″ plywood for the floor. Wood glue and a few nails can hold this in place.

There are five 11 1/2″ vertical shelf supports, made from 1x2s, are glued and attached to the backs of the face frame. The two outer ones should be pushed flush to the cabinet sides, while the two middle ones are centered on the face frame boards.

Step 5: Build and attach the shelf

The shelf in these sliding door console plans consists of two 1×6 cut to 71″ in length and then held together by five 12″ horizontal shelf supports made from 1x2s. When building, make certain the horizontal shelf supports are aligned over the vertical supports installed on the last step (see image above). The shelf should be resting on the horizontal supports, not the 1×6.

Once the shelf is in place in the cabinet, attach the outer horizontal shelf supports to the cabinet sides using 1 3/4″ wood screws or nails.

Step 6: Rip and attach plywood back planking

When you are ready to install the back planking you can follow our diagram below, cutting 16 planks to 4″ wide and two planks to 3 1/2″ wide, or you can cut them to any other dimension (even random dimensions) you find visually pleasing.

In either case, you will install them the same. Use wood glue and nails (or staples) at the top and bottom of each board to attach to the frames, and also secure the middle of the planks to the middle shelf to provide more structural integrity to the entire piece.

Note: it’s also a good practice to ensure the back of the piece is still square before you start attaching the planks.

Step 7: Bottom Trim

The bottom trim is made of 1×2 stock that is standing on the narrower edge, cut with 45 degree miters. Simply glue and nail it on.

Step 8: Top

The next step is attaching the top. This consists of the two 2×8 boards, cut down to 74″ in length, and also 7″ in width.  Align them flush with the back of the piece, and overhanging each side by 3/4″. To hide the fasteners, use a Kreg jig and pocket screws from underneath going through the upper frame. Alternatively, you could use 4″ wood screws going straight up through the upper frame as well. For the second method, I definitely recommend pre-drilling the holes and even countersinking them to better hide the screw heads.

Step 9: Doors and sliders

The simplest way to build the doors is to start by cutting a 17×25″ piece of 1/2″ plywood, and then laying 1 or 1 1/2″ strips around the edges and in an X pattern. Though how you build the doors is really what will add your custom touch to this piece, so feel free to experiment. Just remember to keep them both at 17×25″.

After you have your doors built, you just need to attach it to your barn door sliders and your console is ready for finishing. Again, you can buy the hardware for sliding doors, or you can make your own. I really enjoy making my own because it definitively gives a more rustic or antique feel to the piece.

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