Sliding Door Entertainment Console – 74″ x 32″ x 14″

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
74" Sliding Door Console plans - dimensions

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

74" Sliding Door Console plans - frame

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - sides

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - face frame

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - shelf

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - back

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - trim

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.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - top

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″.

74" Sliding Door Console plans - door

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.

If you have comments or question, please feel free to connect with us via the comments section below or use our Contact Form. We love the feedback! Also, don’t forget to check out our other free DIY furniture plans.

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20 thoughts on “Sliding Door Entertainment Console – 74″ x 32″ x 14″

  1. The floor should be 71 inches on 51. Didn’t notice till I cut already.

    1. Stephen,
      I apologize for the mistake. You are absolutely correct that the paragraph should have said 71″. I have updated it with the correct dimensions to correspond with the picture.

    1. Lindsey, depending on your building skill, you should be able to complete building one of these consoles in a weekend. Painting or staining it could add an extra day.

      1. The plywood in the material list says 1/4 and 3/4 but the cut list says 1/2 inch for the doors. Is this a typo?

        1. Trisha, the 3/4 plywood is for the sides and floor, the 1/4″ plywood is for the back, and the door is typically made out of 1/2″ plywood for a total thickness of 1″ so it fits most barndoor hardware.

          1. Brian,
            Perfect, makes sense of course. Thank you for the prompt reply!

  2. Are you able to share the cut list please? For the first step it shows length 71″ but from the photo this measurement seems to include the 2 outside boards. Just dont want to mess up. Thank you

    1. Alyssa,
      I just added a consolidated cut list to the plans for you. And yes, the frames are 71″ in length with the long boards being cut at 68″. When you add the plywood sides and bottom trim, the piece comes out to 74″ wide.

    1. Chris,
      I find the best way to make the X is after you have your frame attached to the backer, take a piece of stock that you want to use for the first part of the X, and lay it so the middle of it is centered on opposite corners of the frame. Now mark where it overlaps the frame on both ends and make those cuts. It should fit inside the frame perfectly. Now, do the same with the second part of the X, but you’ll also have to mark where it overlaps the first part of the X. I hope that helps.

    1. Jessie,
      I’m not certain what you mean. On a 74″ wide console, the shelves are the same width as the frames – 71″. They can’t be wider than the unit itself. Are you referring to a different plan?

  3. Just to clarify, on step 8…if you don’t have a Kreg Jig you are drilling nails up through the upper frame into the 2x8s?

    1. Phillip,
      Yes, you can use screws 1/2″ to 3/4″ longer than your upper frames are tall (e.g., if they are 2 1/2″ tall, use a 3 or 3 1/4″ screw) and screw up from underneath. It helps to pre-drill the holes using a small drill bit in order to prevent splitting the wood.

  4. Where did you get you sliding door hardware? I’m sure that I could look into it but if you remember that would be easier for me

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