6×6 slide-off

The parts this design calls for

Everything but the lumber, the sheet goods and the concrete. Where we or somebody else sells the exact part, the line says so.

• 4 MOD 1.5 steel gear racks, 500 mm x 20 mm x 20 mm — 2 two-packs; cut and butt to 63" total, teeth down — uxcell (Amazon) (opens in a new tab)
• 1 MOD 1.5 steel pinion, 15T, 10 mm bore with set screws — uxcell (Amazon) (opens in a new tab)
• 1 pair heavy-duty full-extension drawer slides, 3" x 60", 60" travel, rated ≥ 500 lb/pair — remove the lock-open/lock-closed catches
• 2 aluminum backer bars, 1/8" x 3" x 60" (between each slide and its 4x4 plate — a bow in the lumber binds the slide)
• ≈32 pan-head screws 1/4" x 1-1/2" (slides and bars into the 4x4 plates, every mounting hole)
• 12 structural screws 6" (HeadLok/TimberLok — slide plates down through both cap plies; no nail reaches through a 4x4)
• ≈16 FLAT-HEAD machine screws 1/4"-20 x 1-3/4" with washers and nyloc nuts (drawer members to the carriage rails, through both plies — heads seat flush in the members' countersunk holes, nuts on the rails' outer faces)
• 1 qt exterior (Type II or better) wood glue and ≈60 screws #8 x 1-1/4" (laminating each carriage rail's two plies)
• 6 Simpson ML23Z angles, 2" x 2" x 3" with #9 x 1-1/2" SD Connector screws (rack blocking ends to the joists — nothing longer into a joist, the deck lands on its top face)
• 12 steel mending braces, 5/8" x 4" with #8 x 1-1/4" screws (a pair on each blocking side face, spanning the flush block-to-joist joint)
• 1 aluminum angle 2" x 2" x 1/8" x 63" (rack ledger — the rack bolts to it metal-to-metal, no threads in end grain)
• ≈6 machine screws M6 x 30 mm with nyloc nuts and washers (rack to ledger, up through the rack's counterbored holes and the horizontal leg)
• 6 screws #10 x 1-1/2" (ledger to the blocking end faces — drill the leg holes as short vertical slots for mesh-height adjustment)
• 1 gearmotor, 12 V DC 50 rpm — order the 10 mm 2-flat shaft for the pinion bore — MakerMotor (opens in a new tab)
• 1 steel motor mounting bracket — fab from 3/16" plate and angle, or the motor maker's matching bracket
• 3 heavy T-hinges, 8", with 1/4" x 2-1/2" lag screws — not the bagged gate screws; the threads must cross casing and siding into the studs (door)
• 1 keyed hasp or gate latch with padlock (door)
• 1 metal drip cap, 41-1/4" (over the door head casing)
• 1 sonotube form, 14" dia x 30" (pier)
• 4 #4 rebar 39" vertical, plus 2 ties bent to a 11" circle (pier cage) — one piece each, pad to top, with no joint to splice across. The tie circle follows the form, not the column: a wide bolt circle grows the pour, and the cage has to keep its cover inside whatever tube you actually stand up
• 4 5/8" L-anchors with plate washers and nuts, cast on a 9-5/8" bolt circle in the pedestal (pier anchors)
• compressible expansion-joint filler, 1" x 4", ≈5 lf (the slab blockout gap — filler only, never grout)
• 1 off-the-shelf pier column, 43" tall — confirm its base bolt pattern and top-plate adapter against your mount before pouring
• plates for the bought column: most ship with a base and top plate already welded on — check yours before ordering anything. If it is a bare tube, that is 1/2" plate, 12-5/8" square at the base drilled to the anchor circle and 6" square at the top drilled to the mount's pattern, welded and machined flat
• 8 1/2" J-bolt anchors with plate washers and nuts (bottom plates)
• foam sill sealer, 3-1/2" wide — ≈23 lf (under every bottom plate)
• 4 lag screws 3/8" x 3" with washers (motor bracket to the end wall plates)
• 1 motor controller: reversing, adjustable force limit, weatherproof enclosure — DragonLAIR
• ≈500 16d HDG framing nails, about 12 lb (all framing)
• ≈200 8d nails, about 4 lb (roof deck)
• ≈450 8d x 2-3/8" HDG siding nails, about 5 lb (LP panels and trim)
• 2 gal 100% acrylic exterior paint + spot primer for cut edges
• ≈4 tubes exterior polyurethane sealant

How it is built

14 stages, 100 numbered steps. Use “Edit this design” above for the full step-by-step, with the cut list and the checks for each stage.

1. 1Before you start4 steps
2. 2Pier and footing (setting the column)11 steps
3. 3Slab5 steps
4. 4Side walls (left and right)17 steps
5. 5End walls (front and rear)20 steps
6. 6Slide plates3 steps
7. 7Exterior trim4 steps
8. 8Door6 steps
9. 9Slides6 steps
10. 10Roof framing (the rolling carriage)7 steps
11. 11Roof deck5 steps
12. 12Roofing3 steps
13. 13Drive rack7 steps
14. 14Paint and caulk2 steps