Every house is incomplete until you add a beautiful door in it. From the bedroom to the living room, and even the kitchen also needs a compact and functional door.
Most of the people think that doors are primarily used to ensure privacy for an enclosed space. But, they often forget that doors also add great aesthetic value to your house.
And making a small switch from the traditional swinging door to the modern sliding barn door will increase the exquisiteness of your house. Most importantly, you can do it within one afternoon!
But before installing you need to have the top-rated barn door hardware kit for your project. If you are looking for the best barn door hardware kit for cabinets, healthyhandymen can help you to find the right products.
Wanna know how to install an exterior sliding barn door? Follow along!
Step by Step Process of Installing an Exterior Sliding Barn Door
Before heading to the installing process, you’ll need to gather the required tools first. Let’s have a look at what you’ll need to complete this process –
- A door mounting kit,
- Goggles,
- Ladders,
- A socket wrench,
- A measuring tape,
- An awl, and
- A mounting board.
If you have all of these in hand, proceed to the first step.
Step 1: Attach a Mounting Board
Attaching a high-quality mounting board is the very first thing you should do. This board will not only secure the door track but also add support to your heavy barn door.
Make sure that the mounting board is larger than the door. Thus, the door will get enough space to slide and also withstand the weight of the door. It will be better if the board is twice the size of the door.
Step 2: Drill Holes in the Board
Get the door measurement and mark the board where you will need to drill. Once all of the points are selected, you are ready to start the drilling.
You can get the door measurement from the “Installation guide” you’ll get with the door package. Nowadays, almost every door manufacturer offers a user manual with their products. If you’ve lost it, you can manually get the measurement by using a measuring tape.
Remember, this measurement should be perfect. Otherwise, your door won’t fit with the mounting board.
Don’t forget to wear goggles before starting the drilling process. It will keep your eyes safe from wooden dust or other harmful elements.
Step 3: Attach the Screws and Rollers
When you are done with the drilling process, it’s time to attach the screws and rollers on the board.
Make sure that you have attached all of the hardware that comes with the mounting kit.
Once the screws are attached, it’s time to pay attention to the rollers. You’ll need to attach the rollers on the top and bottom portion of the board.
The smoother sliding of your door mainly depends on these rollers. So, do this process carefully.
You will need the carriage bolts, nuts, and washers to attach the rollers. And don’t forget to tighten these properly. A socket wrench will do this job properly.
Step 4: Hang the Door
Here comes the most crucial part. In this stage of your DIY project, you have to hang the entire door on the mounting board. Make sure that you have attached the door on the right track.
As the doors are generally more substantial, it is recommended to seek help from your friends or family members.
Step 5: Test the Door
Yes! You did it! Now it’s time to test your project. Slide the door both in the forward and backward direction. If it slides smoothly, that means you have completed your project successfully.
However, if the sliding doesn’t feel smoother enough, recheck the rollers. Rollers are primarily responsible for sliding smoothness.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to make a barn door track?
Making a barn door track might be one of the easiest DIY projects you may do in your backyard. Follow the tips below to make a barn door track successfully.
At the initial point, collect two steel plates. The first plate will be attached to the door mounting board. And the second one will be used for the rollers.
The first plate should be twice in size than your door, and the second plate should be about 6 feet.
Now, start drilling the first plate and create 3-4 holes. You’ll need these holes to insert screws.
Then, take the second plate and heat it until it becomes bendable. Now, cut it into three pieces and blend all of these pieces in U-shape.
The U-shaped pieces will work as a pulley. Now, insert the roller wheel into the pulley and place it on the top of your door track.
That’s it! Your barn door track is ready!
How to install a barn door track system?
Before choosing a beautiful door, you need to ensure a top-notch track system. The durability of your door mainly depends on the track system. So, you cannot but help yourself to install a perfect door track system.
Before starting the process, make sure that the track is twice in size than the door. Otherwise, you won’t be able to open the door properly.
Now, check the holes of the track and start drilling your wall. You can also get the dimension of the required hole from the installation guide.
After completing the drilling, put the track against the wall and keep it attached by using bolts, screws, and washers. When it’s done, put the rollers on both the upper and lower portion of the track.
As soon as you’re done with the rollers, your door track installation process is complete!
How to build a door using 2×4?
A 2×4 door is an excellent choice as the front entrance. To build this door, you have to get the height and width of your desired doorway first.
Then, choose some excellent quality lumbers. The typical lengths of 2x4s are 8, 10, and 12 feet. Check all of the lumbers thoroughly for straightness.
Now, cut the selected lumbers according to your desired door height and width. Thus, you will get your battens.
It’s time to ready your cross-pieces. Use a miter saw to make 45 degree angled cross-pieces. It helps to keep the battens attached tightly.
Now, attach the battens together and put the cross-pieces on either the top or bottom. You have to use wood glue or screws to keep the pieces in place.
Conclusion
That’s how you can easily install a stylish and trendy barn door in your home. I hope that this guide has successfully answered your query about how to install an exterior sliding barn door.
Don’t forget to let us know which project you are planning on doing next!
Happy installing!
