C.J. Braden • 5 Minute Read
Our Favorite DIY Barn Door Kit
Upon moving into our Sanibel Island bungalow home in 2020, we knew there were many “little” things that needed to be done. We didn’t mind, as any “little” home renovation is better than the total and complete renovation we had to do on our last home. I’ll take painting walls over knocking them down any day.
One little thing we started tackling almost immediately was replacing some doors. Replacing a door can not only help with the overall aesthetic of a room, but it also can help with heating and cooling a home by improving air flow.
Read on to learn about our favorite DIY Barn Door kit and learn some helpful tips and tricks that you won’t learn in the kit directions.
How to install a barn door kit
My husband and I were in need of a new door to our closet. We organized the closet and the space outside the closet area, but now we needed to finish it with adding a new door. The existing pocket door was not very functional and after researching how to fix it, it wasn’t something we thought would be an easy thing to DIY.
We used a barn door to replace a pocket door
So, we decided to seal it up within the door frame with some wood strips (which we haven’t done yet, but will soon), and add a sliding barn-style door. We already replaced some doors in our home to a modern glass and wood paneled “shaker” style door and wanted to create consistency by adding one to our closet.
Wanna see a barn door we actually built from scratch? Click this link for our tutorial: How to Build a DIY Barn Door
Shaker style barn door kit
We did a search on Google for “DIY Barn Door Kit” and came across one on Lowe’s website that was in the exact style we needed. Based on the sizes listed on the site, we knew it would work for our space. We also needed one that had a track that mounted on a wall and this fit the bill too.
When you are looking for barn-style doors, tracks and kits, there are some that mount on the ceiling , which we didn’t want for this area. Make sure you look at all the specs before making a purchase.
Mounting wood for the barn door track
The kit we purchased was the Renin Easy Build Pavillion 36-in x 84-in Bright White 4-Panel Frosted Glass Prefinished Mdf Single Barn Door (Hardware Included). It comes in a variety of styles, including a traditional barn door look. We needed the shaker style in white, saw it was in stock at our local Lowe’s, and went to purchase it the day we saw it online.
It fit in our SUV at a angle (with our back seats folded down) as it was completely packaged up in a slim box. It was heavy though, so it took both my husband and myself to put it in the car. We also bought a pre-stained 1”x 4”x 8” piece of wood for mounting the track, which we found in the shiplap area of the store.
We decided to mount the track on the wood instead of on the wall because we wanted to make sure it would clear the wood trim around the door frame, give the track a little bit more to grip and to add a bit more style to the area. If you have a light switch in the area the door will slide over, mounting the door on wood is a good option for this too.
We used a piece of shiplap for the track
The kit came with the tracks, handle, door, and everything you’d need EXCEPT tools like a drill, level, measuring tape, adjustable pliers and a socket wrench (all things the box lists as tools you may need).
Our door was in 10 separate pieces in the box, and had to be assembled. My husband has lots of experience in putting together furniture from his time working as a Vendor Display Manager for Lowe’s stores, way back in the day. Even with his experience though, he read the directions carefully and put it together slowly. It took him about 30 minutes to successfully put the door together.
Mounting the barn door on the track
After putting the door together, he mounted the wood for the track on the wall. He put it a little higher than the door frame to ensure it would clear the rug I had on the floor. He screwed the wood into studs, which he used a stud finder to locate.
The completed DIY barn door kit
After the wood was up, he mounted the track on it, then added the door. The kit also came with some “bumpers” to help the door stop from sliding off the track.
He then mounted the wall guides on the wood trim of the wall (near the bottom of the door), which helps the door from swaying. Lastly, he mounted the handle. He ended up using some leftover shorter screws for the handle because the ones that were meant for the handle seemed to be little too thick.
The barn door slides easily back and forth
Putting the door on the track was simple and fast. It opens and closes very softly and looks amazing. We LOVE how it turned out!
The barn door slides easily over my rug and wall trim
If you house has any kind of slant (due to age), we’d recommend putting the track on a slight slant as well. That’s one thing we didn’t do, so sometimes the door wants to slide a bit to the right after we open it. It’s not a bad thing, but it’s something to take in consideration for the next one we install.
You could also install a magnet latch like we did on another barn door in our home. See the video below.
Modern DIY Barn Door Kit Installed
The door is nice and solid and feels like it was much more expensive than it was. It also looks expensive too! I’d recommend it to anyone wanting to update a doorway or closet in their home. Before buying one, make sure it’s wide enough and tall enough to cover the area you want to cover. You can also get a double barn door track and mount two doors if the space is very wide.
C.J. Braden is a regular contributor and editor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Little Ways to Get Back To You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her visiting our About Us page.