Tammy Quinn McKillip is a writer living in New York City. Since graduating from Columbia University in 1999, she has written extensively about pets, parenting, theatre, design, health and environmentalism. She is the publisher and editor of "Macaroni Kid," an events newsletter and site for parents on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
SUPPLIES
- Hammer
- 3-inch carpenter nails
- 2-inch lag screws
- Ratchet wrench
- Level
- Drill
- Tape measure
- Circular saw
- Paper
- Pencil
- Six heavy hinges
- 2-Inch lag screws for hinges
Overview
If you like the rustic look of double-hung barn doors, you can build them yourself without too much know-how, time or trouble. You will just need a few tools, some good-quality lumber and a strong buddy to help you when it comes time for hanging. It's a straight-forward project that should last for many years to come. Here are the simple instructions to help you build your own double barn doors.
Step 1
Measure the door opening. You may need to add shims to support one side if the sides are not square. Cut 2-by-6-foot pressure-treated boards to measure from the ground to the top of the opening.
Step 2
Measure the opening after squaring it (if necessary), and design two doors that are each a little less than half the width and that are the correct height, minus 2 inches. You will need to leave 2 inches off the bottom of the doors so that you will be able to open them if the building settles.
Step 3
Sketch the door design, using a Z pattern for the support boards at the top and bottom and across the middle of each door. Do the math to figure out how many 2-by-4 boards you will need based upon your measurements. The Z frame will be on the inside of the door, and you will need to decide whether you plan to hinge the doors so that they will open out or in, depending on your weather and light conditions and the amount of space inside your barn.
Step 4
Cut upright boards to your desired height, and lay them side by side on a flat surface. Measure to make sure that there will still be enough room for the hinges and that the doors will latch when joined together.
Step 5
Cut the support boards to the width of the doors, and nail the top and bottom boards of the Z support about 4 inches from the top and bottom of the lined-up boards. Use only one nail per board on the inside of the door. (You will nail it again with two nails each from the other side, once the door is completed.)
Step 6
Cut two 45-degree angles on the ends of your cross beam for the Z. Then nail it across the frame on a diagonal. Turn the door over, and nail it again from the other side.
Step 7
Repeat the instructions with the second door. Then attach the hinges: one at the top, middle and bottom of each door. Screw in the lag bolts using a drill, and tighten them with a ratchet.
Step 8
Have someone strong help you attach the doors to the barn frame.
Step 9
Install a latch on one door, with its receptacle on the other door.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Create Dutch doors by halving the dimensions of the Zs and sawing the long boards in half before nailing. Add an extra pair of hinges so they will be able to swing separately. Install a heavy slide bolt to keep the halves together.
- WARNING : Be sure that no nail ends are sticking out of the door where they might scratch someone. Use nails of the appropriate length for the wood width.
Resources
