Things to know before you install that barn door

Space-saving barn doors include beauty and function to almost any room. Empty wall area next to the opening permits the door to slide freely.

Before you install that interior sliding barn door you have been dreaming about, here are some things to keep in mind:

Standard hardware is a must

Your barn door will be a main point in your home, so it needs to look remarkable, perform perfectly and hold up under the wear and tear of everyday use. High standard hardware is durable, moves quietly and perfectly and charmingly complements your decor. It may cost a pretty more, but it will be value it in the long run. Naturally we advise the KV line for durable aluminum flat rail, stainless steel hardware or round rail kits in famous styles and finishes, sold through big hardware distributors.

The door must be wider than the doorway

That is perfect. Barn doors hang from a track outside the room, covering the door way, but leaving spaces at the sides between door and wall. For full coverage and to reduce the gaps, ensure the door is at least many inches wider than the opening. For example, a four foot door will cover a three foot opening with six inches on either side, decreasing the spaces. Buy a track that is twice the width of your door. A 4-foot wider door takes at least eight feet of track to slide fully open. For wider doors, cut the track to fit and join the pieces with connectors accessible from the hardware producer.

You need the best type of space

A barn door can free up area matched to a swinging door, but it also needs room to slide along its track. If you are mounting a one door, you need wall area on single side of your opening that is at least the width of the door, so it can slide fully open. For twin doors you need wall area the width of an individual door on each side of the doorway. Ensure the wall has no outlets, no light switches, vents, windows, artwork or doors that might impede the door or scratch it as it slides open.

Structural support is needed

Barn doors can be heavy - up to two-hundred pounds or more, so for sturdiness, most people mount track to a header, linked to the wall studs, above the doorway. A 2x6 cut twice as long as you track should perform the trick. If you mount on wall studs, be sure there is a wood or stud block at every interval on your track, including beyond the door opening. Wall anchors are not perfect support for hanging these doors.

Barn doors can include function and beauty to your house in so many ways. Consider a panty door, partitioning off the laundry room, concealing your wall mounted TV and more. Let your imagination fly and happy installing.