Barn Doors for New Homes and Remodeling Projects
Above: barn door hardware comes in a wide variety of finishes and styles. Wiki Commons Photography
If you’re building a new home or remodeling with the intent to sell your home, adding barn doors will bring a higher premium and your house will sell by as much as 60 days faster, according to a recent study by Zillow. Think of barn doors as sliding walls that add flexibility to otherwise inflexible spaces. Hinged doors require more space to operate, while barn doors sit almost flush with the wall, making them better suited to small and large spaces, alike. Functionally, a barn door acts as a partition between two rooms, such as a living room and kitchen connected by a cased opening. Here are some reasons they make a good choice:
- Sliding barn doors take up less floor space than traditional doors, which makes them great for spaces that are limited on floor space.
- Barn doors are very adaptable and are not limited to one style of architecture. Whether your home is rustic, modern, contemporary, or traditional there’s a barn door for you.
- Modern design concepts are changing the way people use their homes, getting more flexible space options and unique design ideas from sliding barn door hardware collections, designs, and inspirations.
- The sliding barn door offers a unique design feature that shows off your high-end style and increases the value of your home significantly.
- Hardware and door options have increased in the years since barn doors became a popular addition to home decor. Explore all of your options to get the right look for your new home or renovation.
- Installing a full-swing or pocket door requires a lot more construction knowledge than installing a barn door, so if you want to do the work yourself, barn doors are a better choice.
- Barn doors have a powerful visual appeal, and can become a focal point, just like a piece of art.
Pocket doors have been the usual option in limited spaces, but pocket doors require a 2×6 wall to allow enough space for the door to slide inside the wall. So, if you are remodeling and you want to add a sliding door to a room that is built with 2×4 walls, barn doors are a great choice. As a general rule, barn doors don’t block sound, light or odors, because there is a small reveal between the door and the wall, so consider their placement carefully. If sound transmission is your top priority, most people will suggest using a full-swing, solid core door. At least one company makes acoustic barn doors which are intended for exam rooms, but can be—and have been—installed in homes, as well.
A few last words of advice: Be sure to purchase a door that will fit. In the homes we design, we specify barn doors that overlap openings by 2 inches on either side, so if the opening is 36 inches wide, we use a 40 inch wide door. Make sure you have enough wall space beside the door to accommodate a fully open door. Spend the extra money for heavy duty hardware, it will last longer, give you fewer problems and make a bigger statement. We specify hardware by Richards-Wilcox.
