Sliding cabinet door for pantry. Hardware or no?

[Juss1]

Making a wide pantry.  Probably 10 wide 7 feet tall.  I was going to split in a top and bottom section so there were be a set of doors for the top and a set for the bottom.  Would you suggest using hardware?  If so, what do you recommend?

[Roly]

Making a wide pantry.  Probably 10 wide 7 feet tall.  I was going to split in a top and bottom section so there were be a set of doors for the top and a set for the bottom.  Would you suggest using hardware?  If so, what do you recommend?

Why not use sliding door hardware like for a closet ?   I would think hardware is a must to make the easy to open and close.   8' wide tracks will be easy to find, 10' a lot harder.  If you are splitting the doors you will need a header of some sort in the middle to support the bottom section.     Another option is the barn door style if that suits your decor.   If using the barn door type I would not split the doors as the rollers on the lower door could pinch little fingers.   Roly

[Cooler]

If you have the time and budget, drawers dramatically increase the utility of a pantry.  You can access the stuff at the rear much easier.  I guess pull-outs would work also, but it is an extra step when looking for something.

[rudedan60]

You could do what I did for a pantry in a old closet 5 years ago. I used heavy duty file drawer slides.

   


It has worked well for us. If I rebuild it, I might use longer slides that I have salvaged from IT hardware racks. Dan

[Cooler]

You could do what I did for a pantry in a old closet 5 years ago. I used heavy duty file drawer slides.




It has worked well for us. If I rebuild it, I might use longer slides that I have salvaged from IT hardware racks. Dan

I have a very similar pantry.  I installed about 6 pullouts.  

Before the pullouts the pantry was "full".

After the pullouts and after putting everything away I found I had two empty drawers.  Drawers are handier than pullouts.  But the storage is similar.  In either case they make the space about 30% more efficient.  (I didn't even use full extension drawer hardware).

[Juss1]

Thanks for the replies.  I'll consider the drawers.  I didn't really want to spend too much time on this but it might be worth my time.  Lots to consider.

[Cdshakes]

If I rebuild it, I might use longer slides that I have salvaged from IT hardware racks.

Wow, that's a great idea.  Man, wish I'd thought of that when I tossed a bunch of old servers a couple years ago.  

Colin

[Cooler]

Thanks for the replies.  I'll consider the drawers.  I didn't really want to spend too much time on this but it might be worth my time.  Lots to consider.

With pullouts you can get by with pocket hole joints and glue.  They don't get much stress.  I used blind dovetails on mine, but it was overkill for the function.  Kitchen cabinets are generally replaced every  10 to 20 years so you don't really need the fine joinery.

My dad built pullouts from plywood using butt joints and screws and glue and they never fell apart. The new cabinets followed about 15 years later.

When I redo my kitchen all the base cabinets except the sink will feature drawers and not doors.

[Mike in kc]

I also did something similar ten yeas ago or so.  

Full depth trays make for a lot of easily accessible storage.

[rwe2156]

I would make 3 separate units.  I like what the poster above has made except I would make the left side a drawer bank like the right.

IMO doors w/ pullouts are a thing of the past. Kitchen design nowadays is mostly drawer banks and no base doors other than sink.

And anyway it would actually be less work to just add drawer fronts to the pullouts.

The vertical slide outs pictured are the most efficient, but expensive way to go.

IMO the drawers need to be built strong with 3/4" bottoms and 100 - 150# slides.