Barn doors aren’t just for actual barns. These doors have been a common choice among homeowners because of their rustic appearance. You can install barn doors in almost any part of your home to achieve this charming, down-to-earth look. However, buying one from a store could cost you quite a bit of money. Instead of making a big purchase, consider trying your hand at building your own barn door for interior design purposes. Use the following information to get an idea of what is involved with building this type of door.
Having the tools and materials you’ll need for your DIY barn door ahead of time can make this project go more smoothly. While the exact tools and materials can differ, depending on your plans, you’ll need standard DIY tools, along with a few other tools, such as an angle grinder and brush knot cup. For materials, you’ll need wood boards, gray stain or other stains (to achieve the rustic look you want) and barn door hardware.
You’ll need to take some measurements and choose your location to help you determine the type of hardware to get. Barn doors typically slide on tracks to open and close, so you’ll need enough clearance around your door. Make sure it’s not going to hit any wall-mounted items, such as light switches, when you open and close it. You’ll also need to have clearance over the opening, so your barn door can be lifted onto the track.
Barn doors are made up of several boards that are attached. You can choose a custom design for your door, or create shiplap boards. Run a grinder over the boards to give them a distressed look, then use screwdrivers to put holes in the wood in a few places. This helps the boards look more aged or rustic.
Your boards might not be the color you want for your barn door, but you can easily change that with stains. You can apply a base coat of stain, darker stain or a grayish stain to get the design you want. You can also apply different layers of stain on your boards. Try these stains out on one piece of wood you won’t be using, so you can see how it will look.
To fasten your boards together and make a barn door, you can place all the boards vertically and use 2x4 pieces to hold them together. Place two long 2x4 pieces diagonally across the vertical boards to create a telltale X design that authentic barn doors have. You can then fasten the rails, mount the track and install your sliding barn door.
As a lifelong resident of Litchfield County, Heather is quite familiar with the beautiful Northwest Corner of Connecticut. In partnership with her husband at Turri, Inc., in Torrington, she managed and grew a 30+ employee electrical contracting firm that served both the residential, commercial and industrial industries. Currently residing in Goshen she hopes to transfer and utilize many of the skills she learned in contracting to the real estate industry.
Knowing how a vital community relies on its volunteers, Heather spent many hours in several capacities at local organizations that she admires. She serves on the Woodridge Lake Finance Committee and House Committee, Victoria Court Condominium Association (secretary) and Educating Canines Assisting with Disabilities (volunteer and nursery mom). Heather has also been involved with Goshen Community Care & Hospice (president of board of directors), Warner Theatre (board of directors), LARC (volunteer), Festival of Trees (founder), the Northwest Chamber of Commerce, and Goshen Business Circle. Heather also served as Vice President of Woodridge Lake’s Board of Directors.
In Heather’s spare time, she enjoys spending time with family usually in an active way by playing tennis, golf, boating, hiking and skiing.
Heather is honored to be a part of the E.J. Murphy team and hopes you will contact her with any of your real estate needs.
