DIY Barn Doors Part 3: How to Hang Barn Doors

So, I realize this blog post is long overdue. Like, 1 year + 2 months overdue. Sorry about that! Soon after I shared my tutorial on how to build barn doors, our little Griffin was born! Needless to say, a tutorial on how to hang barn doors was quite low on my priority list. LOL. I hope no one has been sitting around with unhung barn doors for over a year.

Step 1: How to Prep the Doorway for Barn Doors
Step 2: How to Build Barn Doors

Okay, without further adieu, let me show you how we hung our barn doors!

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Materials to Hang Barn Doors

• Barn door hanging hardware (and any tools necessary)
• 1×6″ wood board as long as your track (painted whatever color you wish!)
• Nails + Nail Gun
• Wood filler
• Extra paint for the 1×6″ board
• Sanding sponge

Step 1: Measurements for the Track (optional)

First, we measured how long the barn door track should be. This is the piece of metal that the barn door rides along. Our measurements weren’t standard and our track was longer than it needed to be (and a wall was in the way), so we used a hacksaw to shorten it. This isn’t necessary for everyone!

Measure the width of your doorway + the amount of space you want from the doorway and out where the barn doors will hang. Measure to the point where you’ll plan to put the stop for your barn door.

You might want the track to extend a couple inches beyond the stop (just for appearances), so add a couple inches on each side for that.

This is the total length for your barn door track. If the track in your barn door hardware kit is longer, then use a hacksaw to cut an even amount of track off each side.

Step 2: Determine Where to Put the Track

Alright, this is another tricky one, so bear with me! We need to decide how high on the wall you need to hang the track.

It may be helpful to cut out a piece of cardboard that’s the same size as the metal connecting piece of the barn door. This will give you the flexibility to adjust it before you screw on the real piece. Draw lines on the piece of cardboard where the track sits behind it. Here’s what I mean…

Tape the piece of cardboard to the door in the approximate place you’re planning to screw it in, and lean your door up against the wall where you want it to hang. Try to get the bottom of the door as close to the wall as possible so it’s upright.

Measure the distance from the ground to the bottom edge of the “track” (your mark on the cardboard). Since we were hanging on carpet, we started our measurement from the top of the carpet when it’s not squished down. We didn’t want the barn door wearing down the carpet!

Now, add an extra 1/4″ to 1/2″ to that measurement (this is the extra clearance for the barn door so it’s not touching the floor). Mark this measurement on the wall and write it down.

Step 3: Measure & Mount the Supporting Board

As you can see, we had a white supporting board behind the track. This was important for a couple of reasons:

First, it gave the barn door more support and ensured that we were securing the track into something solid. Basically, it gave us a “stud” wherever we needed one, since the mounting holes in the track didn’t align with our studs.

Second, it gave us the extra thickness we needed for the barn door hardware to slide easily and clear the door frame. If we didn’t have the thickness of that board, the barn door would have been too close to the wall and wouldn’t have slid freely.

The measurement for this is simple: Just take the measurement for your track and add a few inches on each side. That’s should be the total length of the board!

When you’re ready to mount, make sure the board is centered above the doors and in a good spot vertically so you’ll be able to mount the track on top of it. Use the marks on the wall from Step 2 as a guide. Also make sure it’s level! Have a helper hold up the board while you drill, or use a whole bunch of painter’s tape to get it in place!

Use a nail gun to mount the board to the wall, making sure to nail into the studs. Sink the nails deep enough so you can cover them up with wood filler. Once the board is mounted, cover the nail holes with wood filler. Once dry, sand it smooth and paint over the spots.

Step 4: Mount the Track

Using the measurement from Step 2, mount the track to the board. Like I mentioned for Step 3, you may want to hold it in place using painter’s tape while you screw it in. Make sure to check the instructions that came with the hardware and follow them accordingly!

Step 5: Attach the Hardware to the Barn Door

If you haven’t already, screw the hardware into the barn door using the measurement/placement from Step 2. Make sure your door stops on the track and any remaining hardware are assembled as per the barn door hardware instructions.

Once you’re sure everything is secure, lift your barn door onto the track. Voila! You’ve hung your barn door!

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