DIY: sliding door made of acrylic
Sliding doors, or barn doors as they’re sometimes known, are a favourite with interior designers. Barn doors are sliding doors that open and close by sliding over a rail. Their main advantage is that unlike conventional doors, they can be opened without taking up any space. This style of sliding door makes a real design statement, giving your room an original look.
You'll need:
- Acrylic sheet (Plexiglass) - dimensions will depend on the size of the doorway
- Handles
- Sliding barn door hanging kit or your own DIY suspension system
- Drill
- Screws
Why choose an acrylic sliding door?
When installing a barn door, many people choose wood for its warm, rustic appearance. However, if your style of decor is more contemporary, why not go for one made of acrylic sheet? Acrylic offers many advantages for sliding doors: the material is light and so the door is very easy to hang. Acrylic sliding doors are also resistant to damage, very handy when there are children in the household. Acrylic sheet is available in a wide range of colours and finishes to suit every taste and situation, from transparent acrylic to maximize the light to tinted or matt acrylic where privacy is required. It’s easy to make your own acrylic sliding door – follow our tips below.
Step 1: Order your chosen acrylic sheet cut to size
Choose a sheet size larger than the doorway so that the door extends over the door frame. Take all the measurements carefully before ordering the acrylic sheet in the correct format. We recommend choosing acrylic 4 mm – 8 mm in thickness. Naturally, at Plasticsheetshop.co.uk, we’ll cut the sheet to size for you for free.
Step 2: Fixing the handles
Once your acrylic sheet has arrived, fix the handles to both sides of the door so that it can be opened and closed from either side. First, drill the holes for the screws in the right place. You will find more information about how to do this in our blog about drilling acrylic. It’s important to make sure that you don’t drill completely through the sheet so that the drill holes can’t be seen on the other side of the door. Then mount the handles using screws.
Step 3: Hanging the door
It’s easy to hang the door yourself with a sliding barn door hardware kit that is widely available in hardware stores. The exact method of hanging the door will depend on the kit that you’ve purchased. If you’re skilled at DIY and you enjoy a challenge, you can make the sliding system yourself, using a rail, a steel pole and hanging rollers.
Order acrylic sheet in your favourite colour
Acrylic is available in an array of types and finishes. View the range in our webshop for the sheet that best suits your interior decor. If you have any questions about this DIY project, don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always very happy to advise you.
