DIY: Sliding Barn Door

If you love the look of sliding barn doors, try making one yourself using one of the sliding barn door DIY kits now available. These kits provide all the hardware you need, plus instructions on how to measure, build, install, and hang your door. Just follow these basic steps, and you can complete the job in a weekend or so.

Measure the Door and Nearby Wall Space

If the door is framed, include the frame in your measurements. If you plan to cover an open doorway, add at least an inch to each side in the total width. Remember that the door will be sliding all the way to one side or another, so make sure there’s enough wall space for double the door width. Or, plan to divide the width in half and use double doors that slide apart. Some sliding barn door kits can be adjusted to allow two doors to stack together.

 

The height of the ceiling above the door opening should also be measured, to ensure there’s enough space to lift the door and hangers above the track when setting it into place.

Choose a Track-Mounting Method

Barn door kits typically can be top-mounted or front-mounted.

Decide How to Attach the Hardware to the Wall

If wallboard is in place, you’ll need to support the door track by screwing it to a header board mounted to the studs, or to bolt it directly to the studs themselves. If the door itself is very heavy, the second option is preferred.

Calculate the Spacer Length

Different sliding barn door DIY kits approach spacers in different ways. Some are adjustable, and some kits provide spacers in more than one length. The length chosen will depend on the door thickness, and whether or not the door opening is framed.

Calculate the Roller Height

This will depend on the roller size, as well as the method you choose for mounting the track to either the header board or to the studs. Follow the directions to calculate and mark the location of the bolts, and then mount the track and spacers.

Build the Door

This is where your creativity kicks in. If you don’t have access to old barn wood, create your own “aged” wood by cutting fresh planks to size and then distressing them and applying different colors of stain. You can use overlapping planks or try a chevron pattern, held together with a door rail or frame. When the stain is dry, assemble the door and then attach the hangers to the door according to the instructions.

Install the Door

It will take two people to lift the door so that the rollers can slide onto the track. Then apply end stops to prevent the door from falling off either end, and install the bottom guide.

 

Enjoy!

Industrial Metal Supply carries DIY sliding barn door kits in stainless or powder coated steel. Contact us for all your DIY needs.