How to Build a Barn Door

Publish date: 2022-01-17

Barn doors take a lot of wear and tear. Besides the constant opening and closing wearing down the door, there is mold growth, water damage and general wood deterioration. There are two basic types of barn doors; swing doors and overhead sliding doors. Swing doors are two doors that meet in the center of the opening and a sliding door is one door that slides to one side. In this article we will show you how to build both.

Materials needed:

These instructions are for a 10 foot-by-10-foot (3-meter-by-3-meter) door. We'll therefore start by making two 5-foot-by-5-foot (1.5-meter-by-1.5-meter) swing doors.

  • Saw eight 1-by-6 beams. These will be used to make the frames. It is advisable to use LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber), which is processed lumber, because it's stronger than actual lumber.
  • Lay out the frame.
  • Attach the beams at the corners with the L-shaped brackets. Put the brackets on both sides of the frame.
  • Cover the frame with the 1-by-2 beams, so that the entire frame is covered with beams. Nail the beams to the frame.
  • Nail a beam diagonally across the center of the door between the outer frame beams, as an extra support.
  • Repeat this process for the second door.
  • Place four heavy duty hinges on the door, starting at the top of the door. The hinges should be equidistant from each other.
  • Hang the door on the door frame [source: Horse Barn].

    • Here's how to build a 10-foot-by-10-foot sliding door.

  • Repeat steps 1 through 5 above, only this time saw four 1-by-6 beams, and make the frame large enough to cover the entire doorway.
  • Install a sliding door track the length of the door, along the top of the door frame.
  • Attach four track wheels to the top of the door.
  • Mount the door on the track. Your door is done [source: Do It Yourself].

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