How to Build a Sliding Mirror

A sliding mirror can hide the contents of a pantry.

Sliding mirrors can be designed to be an integral part of your room decorations; they can be used as doors to conceal openings to utility rooms or closets or mounted over a chalkboard in family areas to be used as part of morning preparations.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Pencil
• Circular saw
• 3/4-inch plywood
• Permanent marker
• 1/8-inch acrylic mirror
• Caulking gun
• Silicone caulking
• Utility knife
• 1-by-1-inch lumber
• Drill
• 1-1/2 inch wood screws
• Tie-down anchor points
• 1-inch curtain brackets
• 1-inch steel tubing
• Stud finder
• 1-inch drywall screws or wood screws

Instructions

1. Decide how large you want the mirror to be. Measure, mark and cut a corresponding piece of 3/4-inch plywood. This is the core of your mirror.

2. Measure, mark and cut two corresponding pieces of 1/8 inch acrylic mirror.

3. Load silicone caulking into the caulking gun. Run a bead of silicone caulking around the edge of the plywood. Run a bead of silicone diagonally between each corner. Center one piece of acrylic mirror over the plywood. Press down gently on the mirror to adhere it to the plywood core. Allow the caulking to dry. Cut off any excess caulking with a utility knife. Flip the plywood over and repeat the process to adhere the second mirror on the back of the plywood.

4. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 1-by-1-inch lumber which correspond to the length of your mirror. Measure, mark and cut two pieces of 1-by-1-inch lumber which are 2 inches wider than the width of your mirror.

5. Arrange the pieces cut in Step 4 in a rectangle around the core and mirrored sides. Secure the corners together with 1-1/2-inch wood screws.

6. Measure 3 inches from the left and right side of the mirror. Mark the measurements at the top of the frame. Screw tie-down anchor points into the frame and plywood core at the measurement points.

7. Measure, mark and cut a piece of 1-inch steel tubing which is three times the width of your mirror. Measure 3 inches from each end of the tubing and mark the measurement. Slide the tube through the tie-down anchor points. Hold the tube and mirror against the wall in the desired position. Transfer the measurements on the ends of the tube to the wall. Set the mirror and tube down.

8. Check the marked area on the wall with a stud finder to determine whether there is a stud behind the markings.

9. Secure the 1-inch curtain brackets to the wall using drywall screws or 1-inch wood screws; use the wood screws if the brackets are over studs or drywall screws if the mirror is being installed in drywall.

10. Slide the ends of the tubes into the curtain brackets. Slide the mirror back and forth along the tubing.

Tips & Warnings

• A decorative curtain rod can be used in place of steel tubing. Make sure the curtain brackets will accommodate the rod diameter before installing the mirror. The frame of the mirror can be painted or stained.

References

• Apartment Therapy: How to Build a Sliding Door for Less Than $40
• Popular Mechanics: How to Install a Sliding Door: Big DIY Project