How to Hang a Sliding Barn Door | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House carpenter Nathan Gilbert travels to Birmingham, Alabama to install a sliding barn door in an open-concept loft apartment.
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Time: 3-4 hours
Cost: $500
Skill Level: Moderate
Tools List for Hanging a Sliding Barn Door: [YT]
Gloves [amzn.to/2p25hxh] (for applying stain)
Cotton Swab [amzn.to/2nuorLO]
Drill Driver [amzn.to/2oXhMdm]
Level [amzn.to/2p27cSv]
Socket wrench [amzn.to/2nuo9od]
Shopping List: [YT]
Sliding Barn Door kit [amzn.to/2oXVlEU]
Wood stain [amzn.to/2oXm18M]
Rags [amzn.to/2ohgU3a] to apply stain
4 inch structural screws [amzn.to/2oYioiR]
Steps:
1. The door in the kit comes untreated, so start by applying a desired stain/finish to the door with a rag.
2. Attach the mounting board over the opening with 4 inch structural screws. Keep a level on the board and loosely screw the board in until it’s roughly in the right place. Once the board is mostly attached to the wall and level, secure all the screws.
3. Attach the mounting hardware to the mounting board. Again, only secure the bolts loosely until the entire rail has been attached. Then secure them all with a wrench.
4. Slide the stops onto the mounting hardware. This will ensure the door doesn’t slide off the rail.
5. Attach the door hardware to the door and hang it in place on the rail.
6. With the door in position, put the floor guide in the correct position on the floor to help guide the door from the bottom. Mark its location with a pencil.
7. Remove the door and secure the floor guide to the floor with the drill and some screws.
8. Rehang the door. With it in the correct position, make sure it’s perfectly over the floor guide.
9. Add the anti-jump blocks that come with the kit onto the railing to prevent the door from sliding off the rail.
Resources:
Nathan installed the Z-Bar Knotty Alder Wood Interior Sliding Barn Door Slab with Hardware Kit that can be found at The Home Depot. The kit comes with all the materials required to assemble and hang the door, though Nathan choose to add additional 3/4 inch stock in this application because the wall was not plumb and the door would have hit the baseboard otherwise.
For a finish, Nathan and Stephanie stained the door using a water based stain by Minwax [amzn.to/2oXm18M] (www.minwax.com/ ). Both the stain and the rags and brushes needed to apply it can be found at home centers.
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How to Hang a Sliding Barn Door
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Watch the full episode:
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[@paulgarabedian6003]

Great job Nathan, you are direct and so helpful, it always great to see a homeowner be a part of the process , hands on always makes a person feel awesome

[@VIANOJPC]

Outstanding primer on how to install/hang an interior sliding barn door. I'm using an old door reclaimed from a commercial building (it weighs 47.6 lbs) that has 5 windows in it, but frosted glass. I was worried about the weight but adding the mounting header board will give it the strength needed, I think, to prevent it from pulling off the wall. We shall see! Thanks, This Old House.

[@raytaylor2231]

1

[@robertgullickson8758]

A great project for diy! I like the way you dealt with the wall out of plumb. Thank you for this video

[@toohot4penguins781]

Not great with providing measurements. For starters, how high from the ground should the base board be? What about the floor track?

[@daveniemeyer3095]

Thank you......in the process of installing hardware/door.....video is much better/easier to follow than the very small and general instructions pages that came with the door!

[@kramikam9005]

As always, this old house does wonderful video and nobody is better.

[@BrocAndAimee]

I have the same hardware on my barn door. I didn’t use the router floor guide since I don’t have a router. I ended up picking up a roller that attaches to the floor. Much easier for someone without a lot of tools

[@rabbiltube]

@@DonWyo 😂😂😭

[@pussywran]

This video is perfect. I am buying one of these next week.

[@johnroberts9560]

Hi TOH , that's a nice looking barn door & nate did a good job hanging it too ! 👍😊🛠

[@bmakyol]

Good video. Just bought a barn door. Thanks.

[@BruceAUlrich]

Good info, thanks!

[@4212daniel]

that was awkward af at the end lol ... still nice job Nathan and thank you for your service Sir .

[@trophyhunter7769]

Always is when you're in another man's bedroom.

[@SalehalOreef]

Nice work

[@camohawk6703]

it kinda sucks not seeing tom do this but i have to say i like the new guy doing it. he knows his stuff and does a good job telling the client about what he is doing.

[@GWR189]

camo hawk, time Tom, Norm and the originals are not going to live for ever... great guys put it is time to train up the the replacements... There is no cure for the common Birthday

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

The existing wall was out of plumb. So they corrected compensated for this normal occurrence. By blocking out with 1bye but nothing was mentioned about the visual gap that had to be present.

[@jeremiahbrown4344]

I was thinking the same thing about their solution to an out of plumb wall too. Hanging the door with the wall would make for a more pleasing reveal to the eye. Even at 80 inches a taper like that is really noticeable, especially in a door way. Plus you have the guide pin to keep the door in the position you want :)

[@johnsmith-wc8gs]

Plumb only matters when installing cabinets or appliances. When it comes to doors or trim work you should always match existing work or sometimes split the difference. I agree that the door guide would hold the door out of plumb and would keep it more pleasing to the eye. That or when no one is looking put a block on the bottom plate and strike it with a 20 lbs. hammer lol. It'll move!

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

I tend to agree but cannot help thinking about the uneven gap that must be present in the overall length of the panel. Actually disagree as plumb & level is paramount in all construction. New and remodeling. Cheers.

[@johnsmith-wc8gs]

@@dlamarsobotor4573 plumb and level are important when framing a home. Ideally you want everything to be perfect. When you are dealing with an existing structure that is out of plumb and the fix is more than the job is worth then you do go with what is there. The eye doesn't pick up on things that are out of plumb as much as it does with things that are not parallel. I've been a carpenter for nearly 30 years and know this from experience. 3/4" is alot in 7'. One suggestion that they would never show on tv is to put a block at the plate and hit it with a 20 lbs. hammer. It'll take some of the curse out of it but you don't want to go too far as it could pinch wires that are coming up from below. It is also something you don't want to neccesarily do in front of the owner lol unless you have a working relationship with them and explain what you are doing. A couple toe screws at the plate will secure it if necessary.

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

@@johnsmith-wc8gs Totally agree ! I'm a maintenance electrician in the twilight of his career. But also stick built 8 homes. Too many remodels to count (~100) possible. It is not a perfect world, but taking time to improve others work is paramount, as we both know. Make Monday great man !

[@chizo5097]

What a nice project I wantone of those doors on my boy's room

[@krizm]

he couldn't leave that room any faster lol

[@The-Real-Monkey-D-Luffy]

I only came to the comments to see if anyone noticed.

[@johntaylor7798]

😂🤣

[@alexanderwalter4595]

When the barn door is in the open position the electrical outlet is inaccessible, and anything plugged into it may impede the door movement.

[@tylerfabish5578]

Lol gotem!

[@user-ce9ji1gc9s]

Great video. Does anyone know how to fix a sliding barn door? We’ve tried to oil it, but it did not work. Any tips would help. Thanks!

[@japan5865]

Beautiful.

[@TheHolden0112]

what is the measurement between the top of the door opening and the bottom of the header board? 1 3/4" ?

[@Darci3333]

Would you not need to do a clear sealant over the stain to stay resistant to oil from. Fingers hands etc to keep it looking good?

[@MageOfTheOrder]

Or put a wood conditioner on before the stain. Since it's a rustic look, a little wear on the stain may look good in the long run.

[@CT112380]

I had one of these in a condo bedroom. The biggest problem (besides not really offering privacy) is the noise the rollers make. You have to roll the door incredibly slow to avoid waking someone up. Not practical in a bedroom, in my opinion.

[@mikez4132]

Ya they are def a "for the look" type of door. You can see right behind them. Noisy. Need the room to open it so nothing can be near the door. I guess that is why are are good enough for stables...lol

[@johnsmith-wc8gs]

I hate these types of doors. They are a fad and will all be removed in the coming decade. For a 2' 6" door the opening must be shrunk down to 2' 2" or even smaller depending on the casing. Idiotic if you ask me

[@kylerichard7459]

Great point, well thought out

[@beckymurphy5399]

Hi, I have special situation in wanting to close a living room by 2/3 to make a 3rd bedroom. The width of the room is 12’ with an 8’ ceiling. I’d like to use a barn door combo attached to an applied wood plank screwed into the ceiling (if possible).🙌🏻 IN a condo. Is this concept possible in such a wide space?? 🙏🏼🙏🏼🎉

[@johnrambo6265]

can i use that powerpoint when the door is open

[@jimjohnson4228]

can you mount these on the inside of the room?

[@wildbill23c]

I need to install a sliding barn door, except on an actual barn rather than a decorative feature, mine needs to actually be heavier and usable for the shop LOL. The other thing is, mine will have to be split, so 2 doors sliding apart. Never done this before so I'm gonna have to do some research and figure this out.

[@stevesepka2542]

Is the header board alder too?

[@TheJkjustkidding]

Great video! We just installed our barn door and ran into a snafu... We have an older house, so the floors are uneven in places. The height of the barn door is perfect over the door frame itself, but it turns out the floor is 1/2 inch higher on the right side. When we slide it open, the door scrapes against the floor. Any recommendations for the best way to fix or adjust?

[@kathyr.6825]

I’d sand or plane the bottom of the door to accommodate the wonky floor… no one will be peering down there! Good luck!! I just hung my diy build door and it lovely!! 💕

[@ArmandoLopez-gl1yt]

Cut the bottom of the door

[@rikaro1986]

1:34 LOL

[@alonzom633]

What about that outlet ? And why did he run out of the room in the end 🤔

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

I suppose you would move the outlet to the right enough to no longer be covered by the sliding panel. But that would take ATOH to send a sparky to perform this task. Depending on how accessible the Romex (guessing) is dictates the labor & material cost. Or a blank cover in a pinch. But I generally hate to see an outlet being removed.

[@axuxaxux]

Yeah he was in a hurry and a bit stern the entire video😁

[@mikez4132]

Just close the door when you need the plug. lol.. ;)

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

Good one ! By your adding LOL I'm positive you know that the NEC would not allow that setup to be code compliant.

[@mikez4132]

@@dlamarsobotor4573 yup... all in fun

[@ethics1017]

I'm just here to look at good quality hardware.

[@davidtowne9459]

That's great for a Wall hang. However what if you don't have a wall to hang on? I've got too of stairwell and want to hang a privacy door.

[@kathyr.6825]

They have ceiling hangers!! 🤩

[@DXSUCKIT1990]

This guy has the personality of a filing cabinet

[@markbelden6919]

Dr Phil is right

[@BigMoney23223]

Lmao, an empty filing cabinet

[@sarahanna68]

cut him a break - he is new and young. The long timers weren't perfect right away.

[@thomascharlton8545]

Umm . . . concerned about the electrical outlet behind the new door. Just say'n.

[@rumin8470]

Handle on other side?

[@tomhedgecoth]

So much for using the electrical outlet they covered up with the door.

[@virgil3241]

Has anyone ever did this at the bottom stairs to stop sounds transfer from watching tv and movies on a bi-level staircase? I realize it wont stop all sounds, but it has to be better then not having anything and hearing the other TV all the time

[@bonhomietv9350]

Again no lock?

[@bearcub460]

Problem with barn doors on bathrooms is they don't stop the "fumes" or "noise pollution". Not ideal for keeping the romance alive

[@pussywran]

ill tell you what, its 100% harder than you make it look, i know part of it is having a second pair of hands, which i do not have, but man oh man was that a pain in the butt so hard to hold those long boards to drill and messure

[@darylfitz4189]

Is Tommy out with the corona virus? I hear it attaches itself to mustaches.

[@johnjesionowski5898]

I wanted to see someone stand inside the bathroom and see how they plan on closing the door. Barn doors are not good for rooms you would close off when inside. They are better for a pantry or a laundry room or a closet.

[@Skammerd]

Until someone comes out of the bathroom while there's a vacuum plugged in the outlet and rips the cord out of the $600 Dyson.

[@ilovefunnyamv2nd]

dysons come corded? but yeah that outlet is the first thing i noticed when i heard she wanted a sliding door

[@Skammerd]

@@ilovefunnyamv2nd lol. They're not making them anymore but still selling what they have. Love my v10

[@annemariejacques978]

Can you hang a barn door backwards

[@shawnienix3318]

Can you come to kansas city and do mine? 😊

[@SirDiesAlot89]

The problem with a barn door in this situation is the electrical outlet is behind it and is now useless.

[@mathewshoyt1763]

Would have been better with the hardware inside the bathroom wall..must not have been enough room

[@juliof970]

I know Tom trained this guy but I enjoy seeing Tom troubleshoot things.

[@danielhewitt2793]

Hi. Two questions: Did you use pine ? What color stain/brand did you use? Thanks!

[@fredsmith6134]

Why didn’t you cover how to measure the height of the track?

[@silverSScamaro]

with a socket wrench FIRED

[@GetBackinBlack03]

GIVE ME TAWM AWH GIVE ME DEATHHH

[@DanBurgaud]

KEVIN taking over Tommy now?

[@morecrapforputdowns]

No, just helping out. Tom can't do everything on his own. Man is getting up there in age. I'm sure he appreciates the time off.

[@bobmanfo]

Ok , till someone plugs in something into that outlet, and then tries to open the door. It Should of been noted to move that outlet to another location before the installation...

[@jayralston2305]

why not use a 2+4 ?

[@stevezentner4161]

This doesn't tell me the height of the backer board to get the track center on the board. Big mistake leaving that out.

[@nytess2]

Nice but kinda weird the don't "shut" completley and no way to lock

[@jamesross1798]

He left the room really fast at the end lol. The lady may need to check her purse 🤔

[@Techmatt167Official]

So how do u lock it?

[@madsmile777]

you holding it while doing your stuff

[@GWR189]

By locking the front and back door

[@MusicandTractors]

Eye hook and latch

[@ragetoca]

Bathroom barn doors should overlap the opening in each side by at least 4” and in this case I would say at least 6”. Order your door 8” wider Than the opening, you will thank me later

[@Sacapuntas69]

Why?

[@godbluffvdgg]

Only an idiot would put a barndoor on a bathroom.....Barndoors should stay on barns, and I'd like to choke the idiot that started the idea in residences...Just sayin.

[@ragetoca]

@@godbluffvdgg thanks for your opinion

[@Sacapuntas69]

@@godbluffvdgg Would it make you feel a little less anger if we just changed the name of the door to "Bathroom Door"? Would that make it appropriate?

[@godbluffvdgg]

@@Sacapuntas69 No...The point is; it's the wrong type of door to use, in a residence, on a bathroom, and I'm not angry at all...I don't care that much to be angry...Put a revolving door on there for all I care...

[@mikepisano5963]

Why doesn’t anyone explain how high you need to put the bracket

[@frecatorDementa]

RIP if you leave anything plugged into that outlet at 6:06

[@Bob.W.]

Joanna strikes again. Lol.

[@YuriyKhovansky]

I've heard good feedback about the Woodglut plans.

[@russ02281990]

Nice look. Shame it sounded as scripted as an infomercial.

[@mikemapes9788]

What about measurements? I think that’s what most people are looking for.

[@darylfitz4189]

That was a six foot level and that guy is 10 inches shorter than it.

[@yarpos]

and?

[@tnybo13]

Loss of an outlet must not of been important

[@godbluffvdgg]

So, 1500 to fly someone from Boston to Alabama, hotel stay, door installation...So; like 5 grand for the door?

[@theclueguy3388]

Definitely not 1500 for a flight

[@godbluffvdgg]

@@theclueguy3388 First class it is...I only fly first class. You fly coach?...Pfft, what kind of contractor are you?

[@theclueguy3388]

ROB-IN-PHILLY i fly first class and I’m not a contractor, I’m an investor but these guys probably don’t fly first class unless the company pays for it.

[@godbluffvdgg]

@@theclueguy3388 How DARE you attempt to correct me...I'm a goddamn contractor and ALL contractors fly first class...It's in the manual!

[@theclueguy3388]

ROB-IN-PHILLY probably not

[@kylerichard7459]

OK let me think really hard on how I can try to poke holes in their project and badmouth them for trying to impart some knowledge on me.....

[@StoneE4]

That's not how that game is played... If you think really hard, you're doing it wrong.

[@ilovefunnyamv2nd]

i know you're being sarcastic, but catching the mistakes and shortcuts is important. thats the difference from making the same mistake and having an accident. For instance, did you learn not to plug anything into that outlet? i hope so, otherwise that plug destroyed the contacts and shorted out the fuse, but not before making a wonderful burning plastic smell. all becuase someone opened the door a little hard with an electric heater plugged in

[@jm-lc3jp]

@@StoneE4 ɟɟo ʞɔnɟ

[@StoneE4]

I guess I hit a nerve. 🤣

[@jm-lc3jp]

@@StoneE4 Yes I have knee-jerk reactions to dumbshits.

[@xgum]

bathroom doors should always be a little more airtight than this....

[@andrewkhalatov8821]

Is it just me, or the sliding door a bad idea because you are going to block the outlet?

[@tylerfabish5578]

Brother, that's why carpenters aren't electricians

[@randy7068]

She is beautiful. How can he concentrate?

[@doggygaming950]

That outlet wont get much use.

[@xgum]

she is so gigacute

[@johnpichon689]

I came for instructions not a bad acting script

[@JoseHernandez-tc1kl]

I thought that he was going to put a sliding door with the door between the wall

[@symbioticvenom6456]

that would be a pocket door

[@RoastBeefSandwich]

Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should.

[@michaelsteinbach]

Life, uh, finds a way.

[@juliof970]

Classic

[@ShakespeareCafe]

He's got a $1500 Festool Kapex miter saw but doesn't own a Milwaukee M12 cordless ratchet kit?

[@juanoramo]

Garbage! I thought I learned something but guys fos. 1st option- You don't need 1x4 piece on top if studs line up with holes on rail, there is some play depending on rail size? Line up bottom guide 3/4" away from base trim. 2nd option- The bottom guide separates door from trim when out of level. With upper 1x4 and track spacers your track is now about 2" away from wall and door is probably 1-3/8" thick, so half the thickness of the door gets taken out of 2 inches for over an 1- 1/4 gap between wall and door. If you add some door trim casing on drywall wrap (cheap way) you can then add a lock on bathroom door.

[@SheilaSpencer1]

"Pre-drilling the mounting board according to stud location" does me no good, as that is what I am currently stuck on. Stop "PRE" doing stuff and actually show people how to do that.

[@briansequeira5609]

That sound sooooo scripted. She calls him to show the room and he already has the door and hardware ready to go.😝🤣😆

[@WompaOne1]

No thanks, too trendy for me. Nice installation though.

[@theclueguy3388]

“Too trendy”

[@StoneE4]

Says the guy who watched this video and posted a comment with his trendy internet device.

[@WompaOne1]

Easy there, big gunner.

[@StoneE4]

Yeah... Take it easy on Travis E, @@theclueguy3388 (er...uh...big gunner). I don't think he likes to be quoted. _By the way, do you have a big gun? Are you a big guy who operates a gun? A guy who's really enthusiastic about using a gun?_

[@theclueguy3388]

StoneE4 lmao

[@mdc4runner]

“I like the idea of going darker” I bet you do honey

[@chillincharlie9792]

What a moron

[@popgoestheweasel95]

And thanks for nothing! I wanted to see what the opening looks like from the bedroom side!

[@realiouslytv1711]

Yeah and what does the handle look like

[@thedavesofourlives1]

OMG what the like? #HA HA HA HA HA FAKE

[@marekkrepa9982]

The way he stain is pathetic

[@volumelow]

The woman is giving off some psycho vibes...

[@doubleddrummer]

psycho hot vibes. ha ha ha jk

[@stevezentner4161]

He seems more concerned about the illegal immigrants that built the house out of square. This video sucks!

[@baundiesel]

This is still the worst fad that stays alive somehow. So cheesy.

[@justanotherguy8791]

agree but the install was done very nice

[@dlamarsobotor4573]

Incredibly accurate assessment.

[@theclueguy3388]

If you don’t like it don’t get one

[@buckhorncortez]

I suppose they could torn out the entire wall, re-framed it and put in a pocket door...that makes a whole lot of sense - or they could have put a hinged door in that would have used up a lot of space in the room. Perhaps a roll-up door would make you happy?

[@StoneE4]

@@buckhorncortez Or a beaded curtain. 😁

[@Pnanasnoic]

Those tattoos.. did the woman survive a camp of some sort? I would not bed this woman.

[@juliof970]

Where's the tats?