Custom Sliding Barn Door

Custom Sliding Barn Door

Materials

4 8"x3/4" (1-by) boards, 8' long
3 4"x3/4" (1-by) boards, 8' long

1/2" Drywall Screws

Tools

Pocket Jig
Cordless Drill

Labor

Planning: 4 Hrs
Building: 4 Hrs
Installation: 2 Hrs

I decided to create a custom barn door for our downstairs bathroom.  The idea came out of necessity: the existing door took up too much space in the bathroom.

I came up with a basic cross design you see on old country stores

I made the frame to match from either side.  It was made entirely of 3/4" lumber.

I used a pocket jig to hide all the screw holes and set the box of the frame.
I used 3/4" lumber for the insert, and sandwiched them between the box frame. The materials for the insert was from a previously made door, similar to the one on the left.  The insert was not screwed to each other, but attached to the frame using 1/2" drywall screws.  I alternated the width of each board, such that it was 8"/4"/8"/4"/8" going across. 

I inserted the bottom cross members with additional 3/4" lumber, mitered at a 45 degree angle.

The door is hung and slides between the wall and the washing machine.  This minimizes the space taken up when opening/closing the door.













The door is hung on a barn track, mounted to a rough-cut 1" board using 2" lag bolts.  That board is attached to the door headers with 3" drywall screws at every 12". 

 Still needs a coat of paint, but looks very nice, and takes up minimal space.  While there is no lock on the door itself, one can be mitered in place if needed.