Barn Doors

For this project, I wanted to replace broken slide doors for the bedroom closet with barn doors.

This is my first attempt to build barn doors.

That is why I tried to keep the design as simple as possible.

Step 1: Tools & Materials

Tools:

Tape Measure

Miter Saw or 7-1/4 in.

Circular Saw ( I usually prefer Miter to make straight cuts)

Impact Driver/Drill

Various small Drill bits

Countersink drill bit

Speed triangle

Various clamps

Kreg Jig Mini (I love this one, Plus it was prize from Instructables.)

Another option is Kreg K4MS Jig Master System

Materials:

Wood glue

Screws: 1-1/4 in. drywall screws

Kreg 1-1/4 in pocket-hole screws

Doors Frame:

8 pcs (1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft.) Premium Kiln-Dried Square Edge Whitewood Common Board $7.87 /each

Door Back:

14 pcs (1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft.) Premium Tongue and Groove Pattern Whitewood Board @ $4.54/each

4 pcs (1 in. x 2 in. x 8 ft.) Trim Board Primed Finger-Joint @ $2.98/each

An approximate materials cost for building two barn doors is $160 plus cost of barn door hardware, for which cost varies.

Step 2: Cut Pieces for Door Frame

In my case, I want to cover the closet door opening with two doors.

Each door is going to be 83 in. tall and 37 1/2 in. wide.

Cut door frame:

For this, I used 1 in. x 6 in. x 8 ft common board and cut two sides @ 83 in. long and two top and bottom in between pieces @26 1/2 in.

To make each door 37 1/2 in. wide, I subtracted two board width (sides).

They are 5 1/2 in. wide each, which makes the middle 26 1/2 in. long.

Step 3: Create Pocket Holes

Using Kreg Jig, I secured it to the board with clamp and drilled holes for the pocket hole screws to secure the frame together.

There are two pocket screws per each side of the board.

At same time I also cut the channel for the bottom since the barn door kit comes with the floor guide.

This is just a 1/4 in. deep by 1 in. cut for the bottom pieces of the door.

Step 4: Put Door Front Together

I secured the sides to each other only using 1 /14 in. pocket screws. This was just to ensure proper fitment, since I will take it apart and use wood glue after measuring and cutting the cross bar.

Step 5: Create Crossbar

For the cross bar, I marked the middle of the board on top and bottom and slid it under the frame.

This will allow me to mark where the board needs to be cut so it can fit as cross support within the frame.

Since I have two doors for one door cross beam will go to the right and on another door it will go to the left.

I cut the boards as marked to ensure tight fitment withing frame.

Then using Kreg Jig and drilled pocket holes on both cross bar and the frame.

Step 6: Assemble the Door Frame

Put the frame together. I took the frame apart then attached the sides with pocket screws and a little bit of wood glue. Since side facing down is what will be front, we do not want excel glue to leak to the front.

Then I attached to cross bar with a little bit of wood glue and pockets screws as well.

Step 7: Assemble Door Back

Assemble back with 1×2 in and tongue and groove boards.

I cut all tongue and groove and 1×2 in. boards @ 83 in. long just like door height. Then attached 1×2 in. board to the edge as starting point. This will allow me to hold tongue and groove boards in the middle. We will attach another 1×2 in. board to another side edge.

To make tongue and groove boards fit together I used rubber mallet so they will lock into one another.

Step 8: Drill Pilot Holes and Countersink Holes

Since these boards would crack if we just drive 1 1/4 in. screws to secure them to the door frame. I first pre-drilled all the holes and use countersink drill bit. I pre-drilled two holes per boards for the top and bottom.

For the sides, I spaced screw holes about 1 foot apart

Step 9: Cut Tongue and Grove Boards to Fit

Because tongue and groove boards will not perfectly fit the width of the door, I had to cut 1 in. from one of the boards to make it fit.

Last picture has barn door dry fitment before we secure it to the frame.

Step 10: Permanently Secure All Backing Boards

I lifted the tongue and groove boards out and applied wood glue.

Then lowered the boards and screwed them in. In addition, I drilled pocket screw holes for the cross bar and screwed them in using 1 1/4 in. drywall screws.

Step 11: Allow Time for the Wood Glue to Dry

Allowed some time for wood glue to dry and assembled second door

I also had leftovers pieces, since boards were longer than required.
I’m certain I can find a use for them down the road.

Step 12: Install Barn Doors

For hardware, I used a kit from amazon that made it very easy to install.

Kit:

TMS TSQ09-ORB(2SET)+CONN-ORB Antique American Country Style Double Sliding Barn Door Hardware Set @ $100 for two doors.

This was one of the easiest parts. Since there is existing header above closet door. I just had to measure and screw the door hardware level above the doors. Door sliders bars were a longer then needed, so they were trimmed with angle grinder.

Then I attached old doors first just to see how it will look, before securing the barn doors.

Thank you for checking out my project. To see more of my work visit Darko.us

Comments

[hyankov]

This is probably one of the most difficult ways to put this together. An easier way is if you put together the layer of vertical tongue and groove boards. Then you fasten the horizontally oriented boards on it, as a second layer.

[JohnD316]

It is difficult to understand how each door can slide to the others side if you use a single top track. The picture shows that the door butt against each other when closed. I thought that if you want the doors to pass each other you must have two tracks to one side and one on the other with a curve in the middle so one can be sidetracked. Please show how this is done.

[BurtC1]

It appears that the doors do not cross, but slide apart; that is why he had to cut the hanger bar, and he cannot open the one door completely - because the distance from the left side of the door to the corner is not a full door width. It's a good idea if you can live with the narrower access sliding the door to the left, or full access sliding both doors all the way to the right.

[godrules357]

Again, nice work - and thanks for the response!

[godrules357]

Nice work!

Several questions:

Did you put any finish on the completed project? If so what did you use?

I notice that only the right side of the door will open all the way, is it a problem that the left side only seems to open 25%?

I am guessing that the old doors were used to measure the height of the new doors but the finished hung barn doors look really close to the carpet/floor - any rubbing when opening and closing on the bottom? Also, how do you keep the back of the doors from rubbing against the walls?

Thanks again for the great instructions and photos!

Brent - Chico CA

[Darko K]

No yet, but I plan to apply Minwax Polycrilic clear protective finish that is water based.

Picture may not show but doors can slide to each others side. That door guide bar is two piece but continuous.

I hung them just above carpet so they barley touch carpet so kids could not slide them too fast. Barn door hardware comes with spacer, which makes 1/4 inch space from the wall trim to the barn door hardware, so there is no rubbing against the wall.

[john171]

NICE!

Excellent 'able, your pictures and description are clear and to the point.

Thank you for sharing.

[Modern Rustic Workshop]

I love the rustic appeal of this!