Building Barn Doors - How to Build a Barn Door

Unfortunately, unlike wine, a barn door doesn't really age well. An old barn door shows tell-tale signs of deterioration such as mold growth on the surface, water spoilage and wood weakness. Not to mention the rust and creakiness of the hinges! You see these signs and you know that your old door has got to go. Doesn't your horse barn deserve better? Your cows surely need a better maintained home. Here are some pointers and details to build a barn door.

Learn about Building Barn Doors

What You Need

1. 8 feet LVL Beams (number will depend on the size of the door to be built)
2. Oak/Maple Hardwood Boards
3. Table saw
4. Hammer
5. Mitter
6. Barn Hinges
7. Nails
8. Bolt

Details to Build a Barn Door

• The first thing you need while building barn doors is to check out is if the door frame is alright. If the door frame is chipped, broken or tilted, it should either be fixed or replaced. If you don't fix the faulty frame, you won't get the correct measurements and your barn door will be fixed all wrong, and you will face long term trouble while opening and closing the barn doors.
• The next preliminary step is to decide whether the barn doors should open inwards or outwards. Although this step seems a bit moronic, it is quite significant and should not be ignored, especially if you are living in areas with good snowfall. If you live in an area with substantial snowfall, it would make sense to have the door open inwards.
• The next step is to measure the door opening. It is always beneficial while building barn doors to have a rough sketch of the expected door with all the measurements. For this example, let us assume that you have a perfectly square 10 ft × 10 ft door opening. You should take 2 boards, each slightly less than 10 ft long and less than 5 ft wide. You should leave a little space below the barn door to account for ground shifts. If you take the perfect measurement and if there are some changes in the level of the ground due to climatic changes, then the door will get jammed. The slight difference in the widths will be accounted for by the door frame and hinges.
• Cut up the LVL boards to your required measurements. LVL stands for Laminated Veneer Lumber. It is a processed lumber that is lighter, yet stronger than actual lumber, and can withstand most weather conditions. Put one nail to the board. Once you have completed the door, nail the other side to the board. Repeat this process with the other door as well.
• Once the doors are ready, fix the hinges to the doors. Space them out, one at each end and one at the center. Drill the holes into the door for the screws. You're going to need a couple of henchmen to pick up your door. Pick up the door and nail the hinges to the boards. Think back on whether you decided to open the door inwards or outwards before nailing the hinges in. Use galvanized 2-inch nails. The nails will have to be of pretty good quality, because you're employing them long term on some pretty heavy-duty stuff. Besides, they'll also be exposed to some rough weather, so make sure they are galvanized.
• Don't forget to screw a latch onto your door! Attach a bolt to your door to keep it closed.

The process for building barn doors is easy, although long and physically challenging. It might take up most of your Sunday. That is of course if all the material is purchased beforehand!