Indoor barn door

[Ryan Lee]

My wife's best friend asked me to build her a sliding barn door for her new house. Evidently their new house didn't come with a door to the master bath. After pricing doors ($600ish) and the sliding hardware ($300ish) they asked me if I could make one. Does a bear crap in the woods? Here are project pics so far. I made the door out of 2x8s planed down to 1 1/8" and the cross bars are 7/8". I used 1/4" maple splines between the boards and put about a 1/4" chamfer between the boards.

I hope you all noticed my really expensive saw horse(my truck). Also, the groove in the bottom is for a guide so the door doesn't swing. I think I may just weld up a piece for that as well and lube it with wax. The company that I looked at has a plastic one that they charge $28 bucks for.

Opinion, should I paint all the hardware flat black before applying poly? That was my original plan, but it sure seems like a lot of additional work.

[Bill Edwards(2)]

Great project!

[Gus Dundon]

Looks like solid and heavy! Nice work on that! I like it. You can just flat back the thing. It wouldn't hurt.

[Jamie Buxton]

You made the door from 2x8s? Construction lumber is usually pretty wet. It'll be interesting to see whether the door stays flat as the wood dries.

[Gordon Eyre]

Nice looking project, I hope you will show it installed when you are finished.

[Larry Browning]

This is on a bathroom door? There is going to be a track on the floor for the door to slide on? That seems that would be painful on bare feet causing a sleepy occupant to wake up rapidly in the middle of the night on the way to the bathroom.

I guess I am too much of a function before form kind of guy.
But the door really looks great, you did a fine job on it. I have some saw horses just like yours! Only my trash can is green.

[Thomas Bank]

I'd expect he meant a guide at the edge of the door, not across the threshold. I've seen similar setups.

[Larry Browning]

I'd expect he meant a guide at the edge of the door, not across the threshold. I've seen similar setups.

I don't know, he cut a grove in the bottom of the door, and says "Also, the groove in the bottom is for a guide so the door doesn't swing. I think I may just weld up a piece for that as well and lube it with wax. The company that I looked at has a plastic one that they charge $28 bucks for." That sounds like a threshold track to me.

[Mike Svoma]

Ryan....first of all, nice door. Second, any thought to putting two diagonal cross members on the door? Just an added touch to replicate an actual barn door.

[Ryan Lee]

The slot on the bottom is just for a small tab with a tit sticking up that will be screwed to the slab. This prevents the door from rocking and hitting the drywall or being pushed out by little ones. I've attached two more pictures as examples.
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[Larry Browning]

Ok, that makes more since. Seems like it wouldn't work very well, except at the one spot, otherwise it would swing free. I am sure that is not the case. I am just not familiar with this type of door used as an interior door. I suppose all my taste is in my mouth, but that is just not my cup of tea for a bathroom door. Seems like it would be a PITA to open and close as opposed to a regular hinged door. I'll shut up now.

[Matt Meiser]

Very cool. My cousin is looking to do the same thing in her house for the same reason.

[Larry Browning]

I suppose I have had one too many of those door (on actual barns) get stuck in a driving rain storm to appreciate the beauty and style of it all.

[Ryan Lee]

Honestly I don't see it getting used much. They have a door to the john and it's a master bathroom so it is only open to the bedroom. She wanted it, so she gets it. That's how it goes isn't it? :)

[Larry Browning]

I suppose you could look at like a piece of furniture hanging on the wall that can be moved to cover the doorway into the bathroom. Nah! it still looks like a barn door to me. But, hey! if that what she wants, who am I to argue?

[Ryan Lee]

Finally got the door installed. It's not perfect, but she is very happy so that's all that matters. I think i'm harder on myself than I need to be but isn't everybody!
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