This bathroom mirror features DIY hardware that slides on plywood shelves. The hardware is made from an aluminum angle, L-brackets, and ball bearings. This project costs about $80 and takes up to 6 hours to make.

SUPPLIES:

1/4” Plywood
Available at the Home Depot
I used strips of ¼” plywood on the upper shelf to keep the ball bearings on the track.

3/4” Plywood
Available at the Home Depot
I used strips of ¾” plywood to make the shelves.

Wood Glue
Available at the Home Depot
I used water proof wood glue to glue the layers of plywood together.

Minwax Polycrylic
Available at the Home Depot
I finished the shelves with two coats of minwax polycrylic.

TOOLS:

RYOBI ONE+ 18 Volt Cordless Drill Available at Home Depot














RYOBI ONE+ Table Saw Available at Home Depot











RYOBI Compound Miter Saw
Available at Home Depot












RYOBI Orbital Sander
Available at Home Depot












RYOBI Belt Sander
Available at Home Depot

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Grind the L-Brackets
I am make thing the sliding hardware by bolting ball bearings on either side of the L-brackets. I put small washers in between the brackets and the ball bearings. The corners of the L-brackets stick out beyond the ball bearings so I ground them down with my belt sander.









STEP 2: Grind Down the Bolts
The bolts where too long so I ground those down so that they were flush with the nut that secured the ball bearings.







STEP 3: Rip the Plywood
I used my table saw to rip the ¾” plywood into 3” strips and 1” wide strips. I ripped the ¼” plywood into strips that were 1 ¼” wide.



STEP 4: Cut the Strips to Length
I used my miter saw to cut the strips to length. I am making the shelves about 9 feet long so that they extend the full length of my bathroom.




STEP 5: Glue the Shelves
I used waterproof wood glue to bond the layers of plywood together. I clamped the boards tightly together while the glue dried.







STEP 6: Screw on the Strips
I pre-drilled holes in the 1” wide strips of ¾” thick plywood and then glued and screwed those strips to the 3” wide strips. The center gap between the 1” strips is the track for the ball bearings. I screwed on the ¼” strips to make a lip that keeps the bearings on the track. I didn’t use glue with these ¼” thick strips since I want to be able to unscrew them to put the mirror in place.









STEP 7: Sand the Shelves
I used my orbital sander to sand the shelves.



STEP 8: Clear Coat the Shelves
I finished the shelves with 2 coats of minwax polycrylic.



STEP 9: Check the Fit
The ball bearings and L brackets slide right into the tracks.





STEP 10: Install the Shelves
I used a level and stud finder to attach a series of brackets to the wall. I then screwed the shelves to the brackets.







STEP 11: Cut the Aluminum
I cut the aluminum to length with my compound miter saw. I wanted the aluminum to be about 2” shorter than the mirror.



STEP 12: Drill Holes and Bolt on the Brackets
I drilled holes in the alumni and then bolted on the L-brackets.





STEP 13: Glue the Aluminum to the Mirror
I used construction adhesive to glue the aluminum to the backside of the mirror. I clamped the mirror to the aluminum and let it cure for 2 full days. I also added a bead of adhesive over the back of the aluminum and the mirror.







STEP 14: Install the Mirror
I removed one of the ¼” strips and then fit the ball bearings into the track before screwing the plywood back on.









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