SUPPLIES
- 8 1-by-12 inch pieces of pine, 8 feet long
- 2 1-by-6 inch pieces of pine, 8 feet long
- 2 1-by-6 inch pieces of pine, 7 feet long
- 1 1-by-6 inch piece of pine, 10 feet long
- Box of galvanized self threading screws, 2 inches long
- Screw gun
- Circular saw
- Pencil
- Wood stain
- Hinge hardware
Overview
A basic barn door is a necessity for any barn, particularly if you have animals or livestock inside. These instructions are for a barn door that measures 8 feet wide by 8 feet high. You can modify it to fit the dimensions of your own door opening.
Step 1
Lay out all your 1-by-12-inch pieces of pine until you have a solid 8-foot by 8-foot wall. They should lie flat on the ground and be directly adjacent to each other with no space in between.
Step 2
Frame your wood wall. Take the 1-by-6 pieces of pine and arrange them around the edges of the wall you have laid down. The two 8-foot pieces will go at the sides, and the two 7-foot pieces will be at the top and the bottom. They will fit inside of the 8-foot pieces and lie flush.
Step 3
Screw the boards down with your 2 inch screws. They should all be flush with each other. Use at least two screws at each end of each 1-by-12 board.
Step 4
Lay the 10-foot-long 2-by-4 diagonally across your door. Trace the 90-degree corners of your door onto the 2-by-4. You are drawing a pattern for yourself so that you can cut off the squared ends of the 10-foot board and make it fit onto the face of the barn door.
Step 5
Cut those traced edges using a circular saw. They don't have to be perfect, but that board needs to fit snugly across the door diagonally.
Step 6
Screw the diagonal board onto the door. It can run from left to right or right to left. However, each board it crosses should have at least two screws holding the diagonal board to the supporting, upright board.
Step 7
Stain the door. While you can allow the door to weather naturally, the door will be more durable if you stain it with a weather-proofing stain to protect the wood from the elements.
Step 8
Install your hinge hardware. Some people prefer to use a sliding rail to mount their barn door. However, most use traditional hinges. You will need to first mount the hinges onto the door by screwing them into place, then mount the other half of the hinge to one edge of the door opening. You will need help with this step since it will be hard to drill into the door or the wall while also holding the door in place.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Saturate your door with stain since doors take the worst brunt of the weather.
- WARNING : Always wear safety goggles when you are using power tools.
