With great inspirations from Houzz – here’s a look from Rustica Hardware.

Sliding barn doors are increasing in popularity, for every room in the house – the possibilities are endless for this beautiful alternative to the traditional door.  Sliding track doors are a great solution for rooms with a tight layout. And unlike pocket doors you don’t have to tear open a wall to install one.

The look is totally up to you, with so many types of hardware and door variations – you can customize to fit your tastes, and yes, it can be a fairly easy do it yourself project.

However, there are a couple of other things you need to keep in mind before installing:

Making Room
Your  new  door will take up the width of the door and casing x 2 – so it’s important to ensure that you have the wall space for when the door is open, make sure there’s nothing in the way like light switches or vents that will be covered up.

Make sure there’s room on the wall for the door when open. Watch out for switches and plugs that could pose a problem. Thanks to Houzz for this great looking door.

Handling the Weight
Consider the fact you’ll have a hefty slab of wood balanced with powerful hardware.  Houzz cautions “while all modern homes are built with sufficient framing, older homes, additions and arched doorways should be double-checked before you start drilling.”  Studs are not enough, make sure your wall can handle the weight. “At every interval that you will be attaching the barn door track,  you should have either a stud or a wood block underneath the drywall to add sufficient support. Drywall anchors are not advised in lieu of wood blocking, because they are not made to withstand heavy use and can potentially come out of the wall.”

Life With Fingerprints offers a handy step by step guide to make this sliding door.

Privacy Needed
Although these doors look fantastic and will certainly enhance the decor, they really aren’t meant for every room.  Consider the fact that the door essentially hovers over the opening, and doesn’t “seal”  the opening like a conventional door, this may not be the best option for a bathroom or rooms where privacy is preferred.  Also keep in mind that single-hung doors are not meant for locking, and trying to add a lock could prove problematic.

Make sure your door fits the room. Better Homes And Gardens shows you how to link with colour.

Creating the Look
As mentioned previously, there are so many options for the look of your door.  From reclaimed wood, to old doors, even glass:  choose a door that not only fits the look of your home but the purpose of the room.

This windowed door is ideal for the laundry room. Thanks to homejelly.com for this unique look.

Consider the Hardware
What truly sets the Sliding Barn Door apart is the hardware.  Whether you go for oversize wheels, or sliding door hardware kits you can get at the hardware store, just keep in mind the placement of the door, the overlap and how much room you have to the ceiling.

Using the right hardware will make all the difference in the world.

Sliding Door Alternatives
When looking in to the charm and unique look of sliding barn doors, I came across a few alternatives to the traditional use. This technique also works well for:
The television:

Barn door for your television – thanks to Gwen Moss for this great idea!

A Message Centre:

Remodelaholic suggests adding a chalkboard to create the ideal message centre.

An Outdoor Kitchen:

Cleanandscentsible.com takes it outside: Sliding barn doors reveal an outdoor kitchen.

Now that you’re ready to install one in your home – you’ll find a really good step-by-step tutorial here.  And just think, when you’re done, you’ll never have to listen to a slammed door again!

Here are some solutions for sliding doors for small spaces, thanks to A Beautiful Mess.