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How to build: DIY Barn Doors

ByGail Wilson Published on Updated on
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I have been wanting some diy barn doors in my kitchen for a long, long time. When I searched online for hardware, I found that it is way out of my price range. Then I saw The Accent Piece used hardware from Tractor Supply. I decided even though it was very expensive, it was worth a splurge. This post will explain how I built my doors. If you want to use an existing door as a barn door, read this.

The design process of building interior barn doors

design process of diy interior barn doors

When I decided to build my doors, I bought the hardware (more on that in another post). This is the bracket. I wasn’t sure if using 1x’s would make a thick enough door for the brackets. I laid out some boards to try to get a feel for what I wanted.

how to design interior barn doors

Because my doors were going to be narrow, I thought I would prefer two doors that resembled ONE door when closed. I was having a difficult time trying to find a place to work on them. This is in the bed of a pickup truck.

diy barn doors cross brace

Fast forward to a few day’s later…
I decided to work on a drop cloth in the carport. During the few days off, I did some ciphering and concluded that I could make them slightly wider than originally planned, therefore being less narrow. I played around with different configurations.

What lumber should I use for my interior barn doors?

narrow interior barn doors you can make

PIN IT!

This is what I decided on. The door consists of (from left to right) 1×10, 1×4, 1×6, 1×10. The frame consists of 1×4 on each side, with 1×6 pieces going horizontally on the top, bottom and middle. I went with this configuration because I wanted them to appear “pieced” together, and I didn’t want to rip any of the boards. I used the wider boards on the left and the right to be more supportive of the frame.

how to make your own barn doors

More dry fit before I start attaching all the pieces.

Assemble your barn doors

how to assemble your diy barn doors

I used my Gorilla Wood Glue to secure all the pieces. It was crucial to clamp the boards  in several spots all the way down the door to make sure they were pulled together.

using a nail gun instead of a clamp

After I applied the glue, I used my nail gun to hold the frame pieces temporarily.

diy faux barn doors

Everything glued and nailed. (note the safety glasses by the nail gun. I always wear them when I’m sawing and nailing)

It’s all in the details

make your own interior barn doors

DIY Barn Doors, It’s all in the details!!

The cross pieces are 1×4’s. I angled the top board to fit across the top of the frame. To get the angle alongside the inside frame I laid a board on top of the frame and drew a line on the 1×4. I used my jigsaw to cut this angle. I did the same for the board on the right hand side.

use wood screws when making your own barn doors

Then I turned the board over, drilled pilot holes and inserted screws for a permanent hold. The wood glue and the nail gun made it easy  to do this.

Sand and paint DIY barn doors

sand and paint your interior barn doors

After sanding, I painted the doors, with the paint that matches the walls in the kitchen. It’s Sweetened White (almost white), in a satin finish. I didn’t like the finish, so I used Mythic Paint (Bright White) in a Semi-gloss.

Kitchen Doorway

This is where the diy barn doors are going to be installed. It’s a wide doorway from the kitchen to another room that is hard to describe. It’s the last room in the house that needs a makeover, so you won’t be seeing any pictures right now. That is a sheet hanging up, because I don’t heat/cool that room.

Your material list will depend on your doorway
Materials I used:

  • (4) 1x10x8 (11.41 ea)  45.65
  • (4) 1x6x8  (7.78 ea)   31.12
  • (7) 1x4x8 (4.77 ea)  33.39
  • Screws and nails (1 1/4”)
  • Gorilla Wood Glue
  • Sandpaper
  • Paint

Each door is 27 3/4 x 84”
Tools:

  • self centering tape measure
  • Compound Miter Saw
  • Jigsaw
  • Drill
  • Drill Bits
  • Nail Gun
  • Quick Clamps

The lumber for these diy barn doors cost about 115.00. yikes! I had some, and bought some, I didn’t know how much it totaled until now. I had the screws, nails, glue, and paint on hand.

See how I installed the doors in the post Tractor Supply Barn Door Hardware (how to)
gail


Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.

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