Increasingly often lots of people are wondering how to create sliding barn doors on their own. The point is that such an approach can save you lots of money and bring more fun and enjoyment into your everyday life.
On the one hand, it also means that it will not be necessary to build another frame on your newly painted wall. On the other hand, this way it will be much easier for you to fit in a new door without ripping open the wall. Then, another thing you can take advantage of is that DIY stores offer the full spectrum of materials such as all types of mounting hardware for your sliding barn doors endeavor.
Of course, the process of door construction takes some time and efforts, therefore, it is better to divide it into several steps. This way you will not mix anything up and know for sure you are on the right track towards building your sliding barn doors.
1. Taking right measurements
This step is by far the most important one in the entire process of sliding board doors construction. The point is that unless you take the exact measurements, your 2-days-work can go down the drain. As it is the worst thing to imagine, let’s get the right measurements and the explanation how to take it. Measure the width of your door and multiply it by 2. These will be the measurements of the hardware kit you need to order. Mind that the width should be measured from the outside edges of the casting.
2. Integral parts of a DIY sliding barn doors
It goes without saying that to build any doors you will need a number of materials and tools to accomplish the project successfully. In case with the sliding barn doors, you will need the following: pine boards for the back, strappings for blocking, pine for the filler strips, pallet boards, cedar for face frame, pine for the mounting rail.
The number of the constituent parts necessary for the doors will naturally vary depending on the size of the sliding doors you need and, in fact, the opening you need to cover.
3. Putting the “ingredients” together
Naturally, if you already have everything necessary to build sliding barn doors, it is the time for assembling the parts into something bigger that later will serve you as perfect DIY doors. Count the number of pine boards necessary to cover your opening and put them together. It may happen that you will need to slit the boards to width. Anyways, having measured the door casting from the bottom to the top, shorten them by 1/2 inch with a miter saw. Make sure that the blocks are placed along, well-clinched together. Then just use a bit longer strapping and out it at the top and bottom, screw everything together. The last thing you should do is to get rid of the clamps.
4. Time for filler strips
It is the stage when you sliding barn doors will become doors more than a random square piece of wood. After cutting all the filler strips you need, just stick them together and top, middle, and bottom with a rail flush. It is also a good idea to leave an about 1-inch space below for the floor guide. Then, screw every strip.
5. The chevron stage
Now we are about to cut the chevrons for our sliding barn doors. To do this, we need to cut our pallet boards using a miler saw. Mind that it is necessary to set the saw to 45 degrees. Then just put two similarly cut pallet boards together so that they make a visual arrow. Simply get rid of the extra length of each board by cutting their length. Do the same with other chevrons.
In case some corners do not fit, just cut them with a miter saw to fill the doors with pallet arrows. After the cutting and fitting job is done, it is time for adhesives. Apply special adhesive glue to the undersides of the boards, put back and press a bit.
6. Holes and frames
After the major work is done, the next step is to drill the pocket holes at the end of a rail. After that, there comes the framing stage. You can put the frame together simply by putting glue on the rails. Then, screw the stiles on the edge and get rid of the bar clamps.
7. The last frame
It is almost the last stage before your sliding barn doors are ready. It means that you will need to use an adhesive to glue the face frame to the main construction. Fit it as carefully as it is possible and align with the edges. The finishing touch is to rub the door with 100-grit paper, cotton rag and paste wax.
8. Installing the sliding barn doors
The next step is to screw up the rollers to the frame. Carefully measure the locations and then drill the holes into the edge. After that, it will be easy to screw the hardware into the holes and adjust the rollers.
Now it is high time to prepare the place for hanging your newly-created door to the wall. Therefore, you need to out the framing above the head casting. Measure everything to locate it right, drill the holes above the casting and add several deck screws.
9. Now it is time for installing the track and fixing the door
Take the mounting board, measure and mark two spots there as well as mark the place for lag bolts there and drill the holes in the indicated places. Screw everything and tighten as much as you can.
The next step is to put the doorstops at both ends and roll the door on. It is finished. Good luck in your endeavor.
More at http://knrslidingdoors.com
