Plywood Closet Doors: What I Actually Paid and How They Hold Up
Total was about $350 for my plywood closet doors. That's for two 6-foot-tall sliding doors I built out of 3/4-inch birch plywood. Replaced the old janky bi-folds that kept falling off the track. I'm not a pro at this, but I did it over a weekend and it's still working a year later. If you know a better way, tell me – next time I'll do it your way.
I looked at buying pre-made doors but even the cheap hollow-core ones were $150 each. For two doors that's $300 plus hardware and tax. And they'd still be hollow. So I figured I could build solid plywood closet doors for around the same money and get something that actually looks decent.
Materials and What They Cost
I bought everything at Home Depot. Here's the breakdown:
- One sheet of 3/4-inch birch plywood (4x8): $75. That gave me both doors with some leftover.
- 1x2 poplar trim for the frame: about $20 for eight 8-foot pieces.
- Wood glue and finishing nails: $15.
- Paint and primer: $40 for a gallon of white semi-gloss and a small can of primer.
- Sliding door hardware kit (top mount, bypass style): $65.
- Handles and pulls: $20 for two sets.
- Misc: sandpaper, wood filler, $15.
Total: $250 for materials. Plus I had to buy a circular saw and a Kreg jig because I didn't own those. If you already have tools you can skip that $150. But I didn't count that in the door cost since I use them for other stuff.
Building the Doors
I'm no carpenter. I watched a couple YouTube videos and went at it. The basic plan was to cut each door out of half a sheet of plywood (roughly 24x80 inches). Then I framed each door with the 1x2 trim to make it look more substantial and hide the raw plywood edge. Used the Kreg jig to drill pocket holes for the frame joints. Screwed and glued everything. Filled the holes, sanded, primed, painted.
Took me about 8 hours total spread over two days. The first door was slow. The second door went faster once I figured out the process. I definitely made mistakes – one pocket hole went through the front face of the door. Had to fill and repaint that spot. But from 3 feet away you can't tell.
Installing the Hardware
The sliding door kit was surprisingly easy. The track mounts to the top of the closet opening. You attach the hangers to the top of the doors, then lift them into the track. Hardest part was making sure the doors were level and the gap between them was even. I used shims under the track to get it straight. The kit came with floor guides that keep the bottom from swinging. Total installation time: maybe 2 hours.
How They Hold Up
After a year, no warping, no sticking. The plywood is solid – it doesn't flex like hollow core. The paint still looks good except one spot where the cat scratched it. Easy to touch up. The sliding hardware is smooth, no derailing like the old bi-folds. I'd say I saved maybe $200 compared to buying similar quality plywood closet doors from a custom shop. Pre-finished solid wood doors from a lumberyard were quoted at $450 each.
Pros and Cons
Pros: Cheap, solid, you can paint any color, and it's not that hard if you have basic tools. Cons: If you don't own a circular saw or a pocket hole jig, the tool cost adds up. Also, plywood doors aren't as fancy as real wood with paneling. If you want that look, you have to build a frame-and-panel door, which is way more work. For a simple slab door, plywood is perfect.
Would I Do It Again?
Probably. But next time I might spring for furniture-grade plywood with better veneer. The birch ply I got has a few patches in the surface that the paint hid but you can feel them if you run your hand over it. If I were doing this for a master bedroom instead of a kids' room, I'd maybe spend the extra $30 for a nicer sheet.
I also considered using MDF but I hate the way MDF swells if it gets humid. Plywood is more stable. And if you want that painted finish, plywood takes paint just as well.
What Others Have Paid
I saw a thread on here where a guy paid a handyman $600 for two plywood closet doors installed. That's materials plus labor. If you value your time at $50/hour, that's $400 for 8 hours of work – about the same as what I did. But I enjoy the work, so I came out ahead.
Another thread mentioned buying ready-made sliding doors from Lowe's for $180 each, but those were particle board with a paper veneer. Not the same thing.
Final Thoughts
If you're comfortable with a saw and a drill, building your own plywood closet doors is a solid weekend project that saves you money and gets you something better than the cheap store-bought options. My total was $250 for materials plus some sweat equity. Did I overpay? Anyone tried a different approach like using cabinet-grade plywood or doing a true frame-and-panel door? Let me know.