How To DIY A Stunning Barn Door Using The Door You Already Have
If you're thinking of jumping on the barn door trend, you'll be happy to know that you can save some money by upcycling an old door instead of buying a brand-new one. Taking this on as a DIY project will give you full control over the look because you can design the door to fit the location you want to place it in and choose all the colors and materials. A TikTok by Marcia Socas, @myhomegoals, shows how to do this by preparing the old door, adding the necessary boards, painting it, and fixing the new hardware.
A barn door can be a great addition to virtually any room in your home. You can use it for your bedroom closet, kitchen pantry, or inside your mudroom. Per her website, Socas, a home renovations and DIY enthusiast, decided to upgrade the old, boring pantry door in her dining area and share the process on TikTok. The new barn door is very specific to her place, so we've provided variations and tips to keep in mind when working on yours.
What you need
The materials needed for this DIY barn door are paintable caulking, sandable wood putty, sandpaper, paint, Liquid Nails, a nail gun, and a saw to cut the wood boards if you're using any. You can get Liquid Nails from Amazon for $4, DAP paintable latex caulk from Lowe's for $3, and Bondo wood filler from Amazon for $27. To add height to the door, you'll need two or more 2-inch-by-2-inch furring strip boards. One costs $4 at Home Depot.
For the 1-inch-by-4-inch trim boards, the number depends on how many you want for the design on the door. For example, you can have two vertical boards for the sides and two, evenly spaced boards placed horizontally. Or, place a board on each side and one across on the diagonal. They are about $17 a piece at Home Depot. If you don't want any raised design on the door, then you won't need the 1-by-4s at all; just make sure you cover up the handle hole extra well.
A different approach to consider is to choose a door that has something interesting about it like a unique grain or distressed texture. This way, it won't need any extra patterns on it. Note that you might have to strip off old paint to uncover this. For the door track, National Hardware has a very handy kit that contains everything you need to install it. The track is a simple design and comes in brushed gold and matte black. You can get it at Lowe's for $249.
How to do it
As demonstrated in the TikTok, first take the door off the hinges and remove the hardware, including the handle. Fill in all the holes with sandable wood putty, let it dry, and sand down those spots. At this stage, we recommend checking to see if the door fits in the new location. If it's too big or small, you'll need to add boards or trim it down. The door Maria Socas, @myhomegoals, uses is too small, so she nails 2-by-2 boards to the top and bottom of the door to make it taller.
Next, cut two 1-by-4s to the length of the door and use Liquid Nails to vertically adhere them on the front to the sides, conveniently covering the hole of the handle on one side. Cut as many 1-by-4s as you wish to be placed in your design on the front of the door. Secure all the boards with a nail gun. If you don't have a saw or are uncomfortable using one, many home improvement stores will cut the wood for you.
Socas recommends caulking all the gaps where the boards meet or touch the door. "So that everything will look seamless," she said (via TikTok). Finally, paint your upcycled door in your desired color, screw on one of the many handles or pulls out there, and it's ready to go on the track. If you are unsure about installing the door yourself, hire a professional for this part to ensure the installation is efficient and the door is safe for use.