Home Improvement Exterior Remodel Doors & Windows

12 Stylish DIY Barn Doors

Open sliding barn door with window separating living spaces Open sliding barn door with window separating living spaces

The Spruce / Ashley Poskin

These DIY barn door projects will show you how to build and hang a barn door in many different areas of your home. With the right instructions, building your own barn door is easy.

Professional barn door installation typically costs $200 to $1000. However, you can save hundreds of dollars by building a budget-friendly barn door yourself.

Barn doors can separate living areas, used in place of bi-fold doors in bedrooms and kitchens, and even act as pet and baby gates. The uses for barn doors are just about endless.

Not only do barn doors look great, but they're also a great way to save space in a smaller room. Since they slide open instead of swing open, you don't have to save space for the door to open.

Read on for some DIY barn door projects sure to inspire you.

  • 01 of 12

    Traditional White Barn Door

    A white barn door

    Beneath My Heart 

    This DIY barn door plan is used in place of a traditional interior door and it really adds some character to the space. The frame uses boards and then thinner wood is used for the accents. Some fresh white paint and traditional barn door hardware give it a nice finishing touch.

    How to Build a Barn Door from Beneath My Heart

  • 02 of 12

    Modern Barn Door

    A white modern barn door A white modern barn door

    A Beautiful Mess 

    This DIY barn door project is the perfect way to break up two different spaces to make them more functional. This way you can close the door when needed or leave it open so you have a much larger space.

    This plan shows that you don't need to stick with a rustic style just because it's a barn door. White paint, modern hardware, and a Shaker-inspired design make this door great for a contemporary or modern home.

    Modern Barn Door from A Beautiful Mess

  • 03 of 12

    Wide Rustic Barn Door

    A large barn door with a wreath on it A large barn door with a wreath on it

    Kleinworth & Co. 

    This huge barn door is six feet wide, so it will cover an extra-large opening you have in your house. It's a great solution if you'd like to be able to close off a certain area at times for privacy or any other reason.

    Although this is a large project, it's a straightforward build that the confident beginner can handle. This mammoth of a door is going to make quite a statement in your home.

    Wide Rustic Barn Door from Kleinworth & Co.

  • 04 of 12

    Double Pantry Barn Door

    A barn style pantry door A barn style pantry door

    Designing Vibes 

    This DIY barn door plan gets rid of some boring bi-fold doors that lead into a pantry. There wasn't room for the sliding barn door hardware, so two narrow doors were added with accents that give them a barn door feel. Common boards and simple hardware make the cost of this DIY project more affordable.

    Double Pantry Barn Door from Designing Vibes

    Continue to 5 of 12 below
  • 05 of 12

    Farmhouse Style Wood Barn Door

    A barn door with a wreath A barn door with a wreath

    Remodelaholic 

    This isn't technically a barn door because there's no sliding hardware, but it gives you the look of one. This project uses normal interior wood and uses accent wood pieces and stain to give it a whole new look.

    The best part is that it only costs $25 in materials to build. This is a great way to get that barn door style without having to commit to all that hardware.

    Farmhouse Style Wood Barn Door from Remodelaholic

  • 06 of 12

    Colorblocked Barn Door

    A peach and pink barn door A peach and pink barn door

    Sugar & Cloth 

    Here's another way to make a barn door more modern by using color blocking. It starts with a simple slab door and then uses a two-color blocking technique to give it a fresh and modern look.

    The final touch of the metallic and brass hardware adds some glamour. It's a unique look and you could change the colors to something more neutral if you're looking for something that blends in better.

    Colorblocked Barn Door from Sugar & Cloth

  • 07 of 12

    Bi-Fold Barn Doors

    A white bi-fold barn door A white bi-fold barn door

    Charleston Crafted

    This DIY barn door project takes an existing bi-fold door and then uses decorative slats to create a barn door look. It's an easy project and gives you a great option if you have a space where you're unable to put up a traditional barn door.

    Bi-Fold Barn Doors from Charleston Crafted

  • 08 of 12

    Dutch Barn Door

    A dutch style barn door with a yellow wreath A dutch style barn door with a yellow wreath

    Remodelaholic 

    Take your barn door to the next level with this Dutch door. The top and bottom can open separately from each other or the sections can be opened as one door. It's a unique feature and is an attractive way to incorporate a pet or baby gate between two rooms.

    Dutch Barn Door from Remodelaholic

    Continue to 9 of 12 below
  • 09 of 12

    Closet Barn Doors With Glass Windows

    White barn doors in front of a closet White barn doors in front of a closet

    Houseful of Handmade 

    Adding barn doors to a bedroom closet is an instant way to add more character to the room. This sliding option is a great alternative to a tight space that uses bifold or mirrored closet doors. It's a simple clean design with added windows on top, which really makes it stand apart. What a great choice for a bedroom closet.

    Closet Sliding Barn Doors with Windows from Houseful of Handmade

  • 10 of 12

    Lightweight Sliding Barn Door

    A sliding barn door in a living room A sliding barn door in a living room

    Vintage Revivals 

    Here's a DIY barn door that's completely different than the rest of these projects. It's really a sliding screen that uses an inner and outer frame for support. Instead of adding wood boards, some fabric is added to keep the door lightweight.

    Being able to pick your fabric allows you to really customize the door. It's a more modern take on a barn door and would be perfect for an office or bedroom.

    Lightweight Sliding Barn Door from Vintage Revivals

  • 11 of 12

    Simple Double Barn Doors

    Two large gray sliding barn doors Two large gray sliding barn doors

    The Turquoise Home 

    If you have a large opening between rooms that you'd like to be able to close up, this free barn door plan will show you how. Two large doors are built and then hung from affordable galvanized pipe. The best thing is that these doors look great when they're both opened and closed.

    DIY Simple Sliding Barn Doors from The Turquoise Home

  • 12 of 12

    Custom Barn Door

    A woman standing beside a barn door A woman standing beside a barn door

    Addicted 2 DIY

    This project from Addicted 2 DIY, shows you how to build a custom barn door so you can build one for your own home. There are both written step-by-step directions and a video that shows you the entire process. This DIY barn door would look great anywhere in your home.

    Custom Barn Door from Addicted 2 DIY

FAQ
  • What wood should I use for a DIY barn door?

    When building a DIY barn door, a good option to choose for your wood is white cedar. It's lightweight and easy to work with.

  • What can I use instead of barn doors?

    You can use various types of sliding doors in place of barn doors. There are ample materials you can opt for when using a sliding door such as glass. There are also a ton of different design styles that would work well with sliding doors.

  • How much bigger than the opening should a barn door be?

    Around two to three inches beyond the door opening on each side. To calculate the size of the barn door track hardware, double your width measurement.

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  1. How Much Does Barn Door Installation Cost? HomeAdvisor