DIY Internal Window - Wooden Sliding System

It took me some time to work out how the window pane should slide. First I did it with an aluminium track but somehow it wasn't the right thing. Here is a better solution. This wooden one involves some fiddly work of drilling in acrylic sheet (fitting rollers and handles) but the result is well worth it. It really feels a lot like a real window. Do it yourself and save a lot of money. Here is how it is done.



This solution is a bit cheaper than this one presented here earlier. It is very simple and looks even better and more natural.

Once you have the window pane in the frame, you also need a system that will slide it open when you take it out of the frame. And even if you don't achieve the "smoothness and appearance" of the professional window makers, this solution is unbelievably robust, practical and aesthetic. I was surprised myself how nicely it came out.

Firstly it's wood and so you don't even have to paint it white because the natural look. It is just nice as it is. You already save there.

All in all, this sliding system costs between $60 and $70 and when you do it yourself, absolutely nobody can beat the price.

WHAT YOU NEED
1. A wooden beam costs less then $10 plus you get smaller profiles for the track on top of it which are similar in price.

I found this one to be the best value:

Timber Radiata Pine MGP10 75x38x2400 bought at Hardware & General for $7.20 Part Number PDA24753
Self-explanatory, it doesn't need a picture.

2. Small items you need are handles that are screwed to the acrylic sheet and rollers.
Part no 9317073025009 Handle Metal Prestige Bagged 100 mm Base Chrome, $4.20 Bunnings

Rollers are are the biggest expense. You need 2 of them. Here at the bottom of the picture.

Main components: roller at the bottom of picture and handle on the right

Roller is by far the most expensive part of the whole lot.

It was bought in Bunnings too, cost $17 a piece. Part number 9318918021705 (Top Hung Roller Assembly 2170).
And then screws as on the picture.

3. Tasmanian Oak 20x12x2400, Part number 9316489114529 DAR 2012, cost $10.32, Bunnings

4. Tasmanian Oak Moulding, Part no 9316489114369 TAS OAK MOULDING SHELF LIPPING 22x7x2400, Bunnings, Price $7.35

5. Timber used as extention TIMBER PACIFIC DAR 19x19x2400 Part no. 9312219210745 bought in H&G for $4.34

Here is the cross-section drawing of the whole idea:

The beam I bought was not wide enough so it needed to be extended. You can extend it with anything, I finally used (5) from as numbered above (it's a different one on the picture but it's only for illustration) Just choose a closest type of wood to the main timber beam.

Then number (3) and (4) are screwed to (1) to form a sliding track. The whole part is then fixed to the wall by long screws.

When it comes to drilling holes in the acrylic to fix handles,  practice first, because if you don't get this right the first time, the acrylic might crack as seen on the picture. 

So the rule of thumb here is: do it slowly (on slow speed) and only push gently. Then you can't get it wrong.

The rollers need to be screwed to the acrylic sheet too

The slight problem here is finding the right length of screws. If they are too long, they need to be cut. I used Neoprene seals with them

but you can probably just use normal ones.

If you decide to cut mounted screws, do this with extreme care not to scratch the acrylic window pane.

The result looks as follows