Interior barn doors

[Jamisjockey]

Anyone ever done a set? Looks pretty freaking easy.

We're house hunting in the great wastelands of NoVA, and most houses here have front sitting rooms.   One we might put an offer on has a smaller opening, maybe 6' to the sitting room, which would make it a prime candidate for the doors so we can convert it immediately into an office for the wife. 

[Fly320s]

Yes, we have two.  Neither is a "barn" door.

For one, we used a salvaged regular interior door hung on the track.  For the other, we custom made a door with a magnetic stainless steel center to hang the kids' art on.

[Jamisjockey]

Yes, we have two.  Neither is a "barn" door.

For one, we used a salvaged regular interior door hung on the track.  For the other, we custom made a door with a magnetic stainless steel center to hang the kids' art on.

Yeah I was watching some DIY ewetoob videos on making them out of various materials.  One simply used wood siding and then built a door like frame to make it look like a barn door.
Interior doors might work too.  Theres a few habitat restores around where I could probably find some stuff, as well as antique shops etc.  I like the look, but really it's about function without having to do a major remodel to create an office space.

[tokugawa]

It is a piece of cake.  Make sure the walls on each side have the width, and check for stuff obstructing door travel

Some track has brackets to attach to the wall, others need a ledger.  Track is everything from $$$ polished stainless to low dollar aluminum- smoothness does not necessarily equate to cost.  Cost will equate to appearance- most of the $$$ track is designed to be exposed, no valance.  You can guide them with a floor pin , or shoe that engages the door bottom, or a full track in the floor.
 The doors can be anything from a old barn wood to modernist aluminum and glass to Japanese shoji style.
 Make sure you remember to over lap the doors over the edge of the opening.  In some cases it may be desirable to replace the molding.

[Perd Hapley]

Just going by the pictures I'm seeing online - looks really out of place in a residential setting. That is to say, ugly.

[Jamisjockey]

Just going by the pictures I'm seeing online - looks really out of place in a residential setting. That is to say, ugly.

Your opinion.  The ones I've seen look nice as long as they're done nicely.  And it can be removed pretty easily to bring the house back to original specs.

[Fly320s]

Things to watch:

1. Make sure the door will clear the jamb, if there is a jamb.  Many sliding barn doors assume there isn't a jamb.  Our rails came with spacers.
2. If you will use solid wood doors make sure your lag bolts go into the studs.  Or use a ledger attached to studs then attach the rail to the ledger.
3. Make sure the door you choose is wide enough to cover the opening and long and wide enough to stay on the bottom track thing.
4. Figure out where you intend to mount the bottom track.  On the floor or on the jamb?

[Hawkmoon]

Pocket doors. The hardware comes as a kit.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_743795-77999-743795_1z0viy8Z1z0yk7k__

[Jamisjockey]

Pocket doors. The hardware comes as a kit.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_743795-77999-743795_1z0viy8Z1z0yk7k__

Very 1980's and requires just as much remodel as throwing a set of french doors in would, without the added benefit of an up to date look.

[tokugawa]

 Style is style- the operation of a set of doors is key. A sliding door can look and fit with most any style, if it is designed with that in mind. .  Every door type has a certain set of parameters it must meet.

 for example- French doors require swing room. a surface mount barn door requires wall space to slide the door or, or else a bipass setup where half the opening is blocked at any one time. And no art on the walls, unless it is in a niche. A pocket setup avoids that, but necessitates a empty wall cavity. Etc.

 I have fit hundreds of homes with sliding doors which looked beautiful and pleased the clients immensely. And also, on some occasions, advised them to seek other options.

[eileenenriquez]

Very honestly, At initial stage I did not have any idea about what barn doors are. But after reading this thread, I have collected many more details about it. Doors and windows are certainly very essential component in order to contribute in home safety and security. Being an interior decorator, I often look for the newly updated renovation ideas, I got many such terms from this source which helps me a lot to upgrade my knowledge. Thanks for sharing this wonderful info about barn doors.