I'm building some kitchen cabinets and the customer really would like one cabinet with a laterally opening door - kind of like a barn door. Unfortunately, it can't be as simple as a slide open door.
The cabinet door is 48" high and 13" wide. Construction is 2 x 1/4" MDF panels (upper & lower) set into rabbits in the back of a hardwood frame 1" thick. The frame front must be inset 1/2" from legs on either side of the door that are 2" x 2". Rather than swing open like an ordinary door, it needs to come out toward the user (like a drawer), at least 1 1/2", to clear the inset and then move to the side, at least 13", so you can get into the cabinet. Hope that makes sense.
I've found only one maker of laterally opening door hinges, LIN-X by Sugatsune, where the door swings out and over in a single motion. They are so expensive it's a non-starter.
The best I've come up with is using a combination of short hardwood slide (to move the door in/out) and roller bearing slides (to move it side-to-side). I can embed magnets so it gently "snaps" into place and gives the user some haptic feedback.
Has anyone tackled this sort of problem? Any creative ideas or other manufacturers to look for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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Originally Posted by Richard Coers
If they want that specific functionality, they are going to have to be willing to pay for what it takes to do it. The kind of opening you describe is pretty complex and since there's not huge demand for it, the cost is naturally going to be high. "Fudging something" will likely cause you intense customer service grief over time, IMHO.
