This tutorial for DIY affordable barn door hardware will help you to build a track that will add character to your home!
Our master bathroom is TINY and the swinging door was a major issue because it #1- blocked the light between the vanity and the shower making for dark showers. #2- Was always hitting you from behind while at the sink. #3- Was always in the way when getting out of the shower.
So a few weeks ago I took the door off, which posed a few issues. I won’t get into the stinky details but let’s just say a master bathroom door really is a necessity.
I decided a “barn door” would be the perfect solution because like a pocket door it would slide rather than swing. At this point I also decided to rearrange our room moving the bed under the window, no longer needing our accordion door headboard.
By some act of God or huge coincidence I temporarily set the door/headboard next to the bathroom door opening and realized it was the EXACT size I needed for a bathroom door! So I had my door and I just needed hardware, simple right?? No. All the barn door hardware was in the $300-500 range!
So I hunted long and hard for a “DIY” tutorial and all of them required either welding skills or an iron working friend. Until I found this one. It still seemed a little complex to me, and really, drilling through and cutting steel seemed a little difficult. Then I showed the instructions to my husband’s step-dad who was like, “This is no problem, we’re doing this tomorrow”. So the next day we got to work on our DIY Barn Door Hardware. Because I live in a small town we had to go to a hardware store, steel yard, and lumber yard to get all of our supplies, but the typical Lowes or Home Depot would carry everything. The benefit of the steel yard was that they cut the steel for us! After our three stops all of our supplies came in right around $60.
Supply List **contains affiliate links**:
-1 piece of 1×4 stain-grade lumber, cut to the proper length.
–Stain of choice (I already had this on hand, saving a little $$)
–1 piece of 1 1/2 inch by 1/4 inch steel, cut to the proper length. 2 pieces of 1 inch by 1/4 inch x 24 inches long. We were able to get our precise size cut at a local steel supply store. We did forgot to have them cut our 4′ piece in half and made the cut with our sawzall, so if your store does not cut steel do not worry, it was not too difficult.
–4 hex lag screws – 4 inch long, 1/4 inch diameter
-4 fender washers – fits over 1/4 inch bolt/screw but larger outside diameter
–1 2″ “L” bracket
–2 black drywall screws
Once we got home I hit the steel bars, the L bracket and garage door pulleys with two coats of black primer and stained the board.
Next up was the assembly, I am a visual person, so hopefully these pictures help. First we measured where the studs were and then drilled 4 holes through the steel bar and wood where we would hit a stud. Then we assembled our bar over the wood in the following order, “Wood, 1 fender washer, 4 standard washers, steel bar, standard washer, 1 4″, 1/4″ hex lag screw”. Once we had all 4 lag screws attached to the wood with the washer spacers we just mounted it on the wall in the pre-measured spot hitting studs with all 4 screws.
Next we drilled three holes through each 1″ piece of steel. The top hole was 1/2″ from the top and the other two were evenly spaced for mounting onto the door. Then we assembled the wheels by placing the bolt through the steel and then placing 4 standard washers between the steel and wheel, and a nut on the back of it. Then we just mounted it to the door using 4 1″ lag screws.
Lastly we set the pulleys on the rail and determined where we wanted the “L” bracket stopper to be, and mounted the stopper using 2 drywall screws. The minute we were done I knew I was in LOVE! It was exactly what I had envisioned and looked awesome.
Seriously… aren’t you drooling over how great this looks?!
Now that Matt’s step-dad helped me tackle this I realize that drilling through 1/4″ steel really isn’t that difficult and this project is something that anyone with a drill could accomplish. I can’t even fathom paying $300-$500 for barn door hardware after making this for around $60!
Now when I lay in bed, rather than seeing three ugly old doors I have this awesome barn door with so much character!
**6/21/17** This post was so popular that I followed my own tutorial and built another barn door track. I shared all about it in this post.
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Joann says
January 24, 2018 at 3:08 amHi! Hopefully you will see this post since its been so long for the original. First, I want to tell you how impressed i am with this DIY. I am actually needing to install two & yours seems the best way for me to go. My bath is also small with the door opening out into the hall. Since the door needs to be flush against the wall, what did you do for a door knob on the inside bath? My door will be hollow core, don’t know if that makes a difference with yours or not. Thanx in advance for any help or advice you can give! Take cr e & keep sharing your best ideas!
BrightGreenDoor says
January 24, 2018 at 3:49 pmThanks so much for reading and commenting. I never took photos, but I installed a small round finger pull meant for closet doors. One like this: *affiliate link* http://amzn.to/2DHGhkA
Adam says
June 23, 2018 at 9:57 pmDid painting the pulleys cause any problems? I’m wondering if I can simply spray paint the pulleys…
BrightGreenDoor says
June 24, 2018 at 3:07 pmNo as long as you don’t get it too thick it worked fine!