SUPPLIES
- Rough cut lumber of approximately the same thickness
- Sawhorses
- Circular saw
- Safety glasses
- Framing square
- Speed square
- Galvanized builder's screws (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches)
- Electric screw gun
- Mechanical wrench
- Two pipe clamps
Overview
One kind of barn-door style that is seen in a lot of places--and especially on older barn buildings--features horizontal ledges with a diagonal "X" pattern between them. You can build a door like this for your shed or garage, and if the door opening is large enough you can even build a set of double doors. Make sure the "X" pattern ends up on the exterior side of the building so that visitors can admire your handiwork.
How to Build Old Style Wood Barn Doors
Step 1
Get an ample supply of rough cut wood. (Milled lumber also works.) The wood should be thoroughly dry but not cracked or brittle. It should all be the same thickness or close to it, with anywhere from 1 inch to 1½ inches being a good range.
Step 2
Measure the opening to determine the size of the door. Also, check the door frame for plumbness. Then you must decide on a set of dimensions. These instructions are for a barn door that is to be 4-by-8 feet. (That's 4 feet wide.)
Step 3
Lay out enough lumber to cover the 8-foot height and 4-foot width with single vertical pieces. Cut each piece at exactly 8 feet, using a circular saw and speed square. Use a pair of sturdy sawhorses to hold your lumber.
Step 4
Lay the cut boards next to each other and put pipe clamps at the top and bottom in such a way that the clamps span the entire 4-foot width. Tighten the clamps and check the width. You will most likely have to rip one board from end to end to get the correct width for your door. Do this, and you are now ready to assemble the door.
Step 5
Cut two pieces exactly 4 feet in length. These are your top and bottom ledges. They will be installed approximately 6 inches from the top and bottom of your door.
Step 6
Put the door together using the pipe clamps. Use 1¼- to 1½-inch builder's screws to attach the bottom and top ledges to the face of the door. Make sure that each intersection receives at least three screws.
Step 7
Cut the vertical pieces that run between the two horizontal ledges. Measure for each piece separately, or you can hold the board in place and make marks with a pencil. Install the piece of lumber using the same builder's screws. Now you are looking at a box pattern on the face of your door.
Step 8
Hold one long board in place across the diagonal dimension, and with a pencil and a framing square mark the cut for each end.
Step 9
Cut this board with a circular saw and install it across the diagonal dimension with a screw gun and builder's screws.
Step 10
Take another board and hold it across the other diagonal length. This board also gets marked and cut, but in this case there will be two pieces for this diagonal piece, because one diagonal has already been put in place. Go ahead and mark the cuts with a framing square and then cut the two pieces with a circular saw.
Step 11
Install those two pieces across the diagonal dimension with a screw gun and builder's screws.
Step 12
Attach three large, wrought-iron "T" hinges. They should be 6- or 8-inch hinges. Drill pilot holes for each lag bolt and attach the long part of the hinge to the surface of the door. Now your door is ready to hang.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Barn doors look best when painted. Also, they hold up very well against the elements with a couple of coats of fresh paint.
There are other, more elaborate styles of doors that also might be considered "Old Style."
