A modern closet with sliding gray barn doors open to reveal a neatly organized interior. Clothes hang on rods, with shirts, pants, and other garments visible. The walls and ceiling are white, giving a clean and minimalist look.
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How to Hang a Modern Barn Door

ByLisa
6 Comments

Hello friends! A few weeks ago I shared our master bedroom makeover reveal and received tons of comments on the modern barn door. So I decided to write a post about it because we actually hung two! One between our bedroom and bathroom and one between our bathroom and my closet. A sleek gray barn door on a sliding rail system stands partially open, unveiling a closet brimming with clothes. Text overlay reads, "Modern barn door tutorial" and "www.GarrisonStreetDesignStudio.com" at the bottom.

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If you missed the beginning of the master suite renovation, you can start here, but to sum it all up, there used to be no door between the bedroom and bathroom. And before you totally freak out, there was a door between the toilet/shower area and the vanity, just not the bedroom and the bathroom. See the layout below.Simple floor plan labeled "Original Layout" depicting a bathroom with a shower, toilet, and vanity. A half wall separates the bathroom from the closet, while a stylish barn door replaces the traditional doorway for an elegant touch.With the master suite renovation our goal was to add a door between the two spaces and to open up the bathroom a bit by eliminating some of the door chaos we had going on. See what I mean? Master Bath Reno Coming Soon ww.GarrisonStreetDesignStudio.com That 70s House

Floor plan illustrating a bathroom layout featuring a shower with seat, toilet, dual-sink vanity, closet, and two barn doors elegantly marking entry and separation.While the bathroom is not completely done yet, this is the current view.A modern bathroom under renovation, now featuring an elegant barn door. It boasts an empty vanity with open cabinets and gold hardware, a tiled herringbone shower with a glass door, black floor tiles, and wall-mounted light fixtures. Towels are neatly stacked on an open shelf..

It seriously feels HUGE now! And we are loving the barn doors. So how did we do it? I like to think of it as the easy barn door method because we did not DIY the doors or the hardware. I have seen people do both, but guys, we have a bathroom that has been under construction for almost a year. We did not need to add anymore DIY projects to the list. Not to mention we plan to replace all the doors in the house eventually and would like them all to match. So we custom ordered our doors because they were not standard widths and normal slab doors are usually only 80″ tall and barn doors should be 84″ if you want your opening to be a standard height. I will warn you, these doors took a LONG time to get in without damage, so I would order them at least 3 months before you actually need them. We ordered two slab doors and a pre-hung door for the bedroom and we sent four doors back before we ended up with 3 in good condition.

Modern Barn Door Installation

We used the following tools:

Drill
Impact Driver
Drill Bits
Screw Driver Drill Bits
Screw Driver
Level
Tape measure
Stud Finder
Hammer
Pop Toggles
Pencil
Chalk PencilA set of tools displayed on a carpet: two yellow cordless drills, a stud finder, two screwdrivers, pencils, a measuring tape, wall anchors, and a level—perfect for installing your new barn door.

Step 1 – Measure and order doors. Make sure you measure your opening and allow for at least an inch overhang on each side. For example, the opening to my closet is 24 inches so we ordered a 26 inch wide door.

Door Opening + 2 inches = Minimum Door Size

Step 2 – Measure and order door hardware. This is the hardware we used. It does come in 79 inches and 96 inches if your opening is larger. When determining what size hardware to get, make sure your door will open all the way without blocking the opening. For example, for my closet, the opening is 24 inches and we used a 26 inch door. To accommodate that size we needed at least a 55 inch long track because you need to have room for the stoppers on the ends (about 1 1/2 inches on each end). Additionally, you need to have blank wall space on one side of the door way that is equal to or greater than your minimum door size plus 1 1/2 inches for your stopper. Here are some formulas to help you out.

(Minimum Door Size x 2) + 3 inches = Minimum Track Size

Minimum Door Size + 1.5 inches = Minimum Wall Space

For my closet, this is how these formulas looked.

24 + 2 = 26 inches ———— Minimum Door Size
(26 x 2) + 3 = 55 inches —– Minimum Track Size
26 + 1.5 = 27.5 inches ——- Minimum Wall Space

Step 3 – Paint the doors. We ordered our doors primed only because it was cheaper to paint the doors ourselves and I could pick a custom color. So before we could hang them, they needed to be painted. I chose Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron for the door color and used our paint sprayer to paint them.

Step 4 – Hanging the track. I’m not going to lie, the instructions that came with the hardware we used are not great and they look like they have been copied 100 times making it blurry and difficult to read. Lucky for you, we already figured it out, and in inches! No metric system here. 🙂 These are all the parts that came with the mounting hardware.A barn door hardware kit is elegantly displayed on a carpet. It features metal brackets, rollers, screws, spacers, and an installation manual, ensuring easy assembly. At the top of the image lies a long track essential for your barn door setup.

I should note, the mounting brackets come put together, and you need to unscrew them before attaching to wall. A small, metallic object with a rounded edge and a screw visible on top, resting like a forgotten treasure on a textured, barn door-hued carpet. Close-up of a small metal tool with an L-shaped hex key inserted into a round, brushed metal base, reminiscent of mechanisms found in barn door hardware. The object rests on a textured, light-colored carpet. Two metallic components and a hex key rest on a textured carpet, reminiscent of pieces from a barn door assembly. The components have multiple holes for assembly, with a small cylindrical metal piece visible between them.

First, we measured where the brackets would go for the rail. There were three mounting brackets for our 60″ rail and the instructions said to mount them as follows.Diagram showing a horizontal rail with three mounting brackets, suitable for a barn door. The distances are marked as 10 inches between the ends and brackets, and 20 inches between brackets. Blue arrows indicate measurements.So I measured 10 inches from the end of where I wanted the rail to stop and spaced the others out as instructed. Then we measured the height from the ground. This could vary depending on how tall your door is because you need to allow space for the door to clear the floor and sit on the rail once the wheels are attached to the top of the door. We measured it all out and determined 86 3/4 inches was where we needed the screw holes to be for the mounting brackets to sit at the correct height. Again, our door is 84 inches tall. Diagram showing a barn door sliding mechanism. Top view displays mounting bracket and rail with four wheels spaced evenly. Front view illustrates the barn door on the right with dimensions and an opening on the left. Door height is labeled as 88.34 inches.

Once you have marked where your holes need to go, use a stud finder to determine if you will be drilling into studs. The first mounting bracket we hung on the right hand side hit a stud, the others did not so we used Pop-Toggles to ensure the rail could hold the weight of the door. We have used these for a variety of projects including my Ikea mirror hidden jewelry storage, hanging our TV on the wall, and my mom’s open shelving. Note, our doors are solid core doors not hollow so they do weigh more.A package of Hillman Pop-Toggle wall anchors, perfect for securing a barn door, is on display. Highlighting a holding strength of up to 80 lbs in drywall, the package includes six pieces with screws. A yellow toolbox sits in the background.

To use these you need to drill a sizable hole in the wall for the plastic piece to fit. Measure twice, drill once because this will leave a big hole!A power drill is being used to drill a hole in a textured white wall, reminiscent of the rustic charm found in barn doors. The drill bit is partially inserted into the wall, and the tool is angled slightly upward.

Then gently use a hammer to tap it into the wall.

A white plastic anchor is inserted into a textured white wall, designed to hold screws securely. The wall's subtle variations in texture suggest a painted finish, complementing the rustic charm of a nearby barn door.

Once the plastic shaft is in the wall, use the little yellow tool to pop open the sides of the toggle in the wall. These are similar to butterfly anchors if you have ever used those. Note, the yellow piece is only used to pop open the toggle, you do not leave it in the hole.A hand holding a yellow screwdriver is scraping a textured white wall, like the rustic charm of a barn door being brought to life in this DIY project.

Then use a screw driver to screw the bracket into the toggle. You can also use a drill or a driver, but you don’t want to over tighten the screw.Close-up of a person using a screwdriver to fasten a metal bracket onto a textured white wall, preparing to install a rustic barn door.Once all your mounting brackets are secured to the wall, make sure they are level before you attach the rail. A person measuring a white wall with a yellow level tool, ensuring it's straight. The level is placed above a small opening in the wall, resembling where barn door brackets might fit, and two metallic brackets are visible on the wall.Next, you will want to attach the stoppers to the ends of your rail BEFORE hanging it if any of the sides butt up against a wall. If your door is sandwiched between two walls, attach both stoppers now. We actually forgot to do this and had to go back and loosen all the brackets to attach the stopper to the far right side. To attach the stoppers, just loosen the screws and slide it onto the end. Once it is positioned where you want it, re-tighten the screws.
Close-up of a steel curtain rod mounted in the corner of a white ceiling, reminiscent of sleek barn door hardware. The rod is secured with two brackets, and the wall has a slight texture. A logo for Garrison Street Design Studio is visible in the bottom left corner.

To hang the rail, position it against the mounting brackets and re-attach the front outer part of the bracket you removed in the beginning. I held the rail while Barry attached the first one. We attached the middle bracket first which allowed the rail to stay in place without holding it while Barry attached the rest and I took pictures 🙂 A person adjusts a silver curtain rod mounted on a white wall, reminiscent of the rustic charm of a barn door. Their hands are visible, working near a corner of the room. Below the rod, a small closet with folded clothes is partially visible.Once all the brackets are secured to the wall, check again to make sure it’s level before adding the door. A person is using a yellow spirit level to perfectly align a metal rail for a barn door mounted above a doorway in a room with pristine white walls.

Step 5 – Attaching the wheels to the barn door. This part is a little awkward because the door is so long. We chose to attach the hardware to the door in our guest room so we didn’t have to angle it around a bunch of corners to get it upstairs. We propped up the door on some pillows and towels so we didn’t have to lay on the floor to do this.

NOTE: Depending on the design of the door, there can be a top and a bottom. Our door has a distinct top so make sure you attach the hardware to the correct end. A pastel-colored beach towel, featuring orange, pink, and blue sections with palm tree patterns, props up a large, flat piece of wood reminiscent of a barn door on a carpeted floor. An open doorway and part of a ladder are visible in the background.

First, we marked where the holes needed to be drilled for the wheels. I used my chalk pencil so I could see the marks better. Close-up of a hand holding a barn door roller assembly against the edge of a black tabletop. A pencil is pointing at the screw hole on the metal bracket for precise alignment. The background is blurred with colorful elements.

Close-up of the edge of a black tabletop with two small white markings on it, resembling the subtle charm of a rustic barn door. The background is blurred and colorful, featuring shades of blue and orange.

Then we drilled the holes. Tip: When drilling large holes you can get a more precise hole by first drilling on your mark with a small drill bit and then coming back and re-drilling the same hole with a larger bit. We did not do this on the first door we hung and the holes were literally just a hair off which made screwing the hardware in very difficult.A person uses a yellow drill to make a hole in a dark-colored barn door, stabilizing the surface with their other hand. The focus is on the drill, held horizontally.

First we drilled the hole with a 1/8 drill bit.

A yellow DeWalt drill bit set is open on a carpeted floor, displaying various sized drill bits like the organized planks of a barn door, each resting in its respective slot marked by size numbers.

Then came back and drilled the same holes with a 5/16 drill bit.
A yellow DeWalt drill bit set with various sizes is neatly arranged in a plastic case, resting on a light-colored carpet. The case's cover reveals labeled drill sizes and types, making it perfect for anyone ready to tackle projects like installing a rustic barn door.

Next, we screwed the metal anchors into the door. A close-up of a hand holding a screwdriver, working on a screw set into a dark metal barn door surface. The focus is on the screw and screwdriver tip, with the rustic texture of the door softly blurred in the background.Close-up of the end of a black wooden barn door with two metal screw holes. The board stands vertically on a red fabric surface, against a blurry background revealing parts of a room.

Then we attached the wheels. To make this part go faster, we used a hex drill bit with our impact driver rather than the Allen Wrench that came with the mounting hardware. It was just too awkward to turn the Allen Wrench around the wheel and it was taking forever. But we did already have this bit, we didn’t buy it just for this. A hand grips an L-shaped hex key, while a cordless screwdriver with a hex bit rests nearby, ready to tackle the barn door assembly. A tool case is partially visible in the background.A close-up of a power drill with a Black & Decker bit attached, driving a screw into a metal bracket on the edge of a dark wood panel, reminiscent of barn door construction. A colorful fabric is slightly visible in the background.

We did this to mount the wheels to both ends of the door.

A person uses a yellow DeWalt drill to assemble a piece of furniture, effortlessly attaching a hinge to a dark-colored board, reminiscent of barn door wood. The word "BLACKS" is visible on the tool, while a countertop and small plastic bag sit subtly in the background.Close-up of a black tabletop with metal brackets and black wheels attached to its edge, reminiscent of a barn door. The background reveals a carpeted floor adorned with colorful fabric and a blue plastic bag.

Step 6 – Very carefully, move the door into place and lift it onto the rail without hitting the ceiling! Seriously, watch the ceiling! It seems like a no brainer, but if you have 8 foot ceilings, you are a lot closer than you realize. And don’t panic. When we stood the first barn door up in the room and looked at the track, we could have sworn we did it wrong and it wasn’t going to fit. It was just an illusion, thank goodness!A sleek, dark gray barn door on a sliding metal track is partially open, revealing a closet with clothes hanging inside. The modern design beautifully contrasts against the crisp white walls.

Step 7 – Adding your second stopper. If your door is sandwiched between two walls, you should have completed this step when you were hanging the rail. I even put it in bold for you in case you only look at the pictures. 😉  Our door has an open end so we waited to attach the second stopper until the door was hung so we could better gauge where we wanted the door to stop. A person using tools to adjust a barn door-style metal curtain rod mounted above a doorway on a white wall. Their hands are in focus, demonstrating the careful adjustment process.

Step 8 – Attaching the door handle. This mounting system comes with a double sided circular handle. The instructions recommend drilling a hole with a spade blade, but I was weary of that looking clean and then there would be no going back and we would have a large hole in our door that took four months to get in. Sounded terrifying! So we chose to drill a hole and surface mount the handle. In my opinion, it worked out just fine. We drilled the hole at 36 inches from the bottom of the door. Close-up of a drill making a hole in a gray wall, with dust particles visible around the bit. The drill is angled as if crafting an entryway for a barn door, blending utility with rustic charm. A close-up of a gray wall with a small circular hole drilled into it, reminiscent of the rustic charm of a barn door. Fine wood dust is scattered around the hole, while blurred in the background are some clothes hanging in a closet. A sleek, modern silver doorbell is installed on a gray wall, reminiscent of a contemporary barn door aesthetic. The background features a subtle white texture on the left side, with "Garrison Street Design Studio" in small text below.

Because barn doors sit off the wall a bit, this handle clears the wall with no problem.  Close-up of a modern barn door with a metallic handle, partially open, revealing a textured wall to the left and gray tiled flooring in the background.

I want to point out that we chose not to install the floor track on either door because we didn’t want to risk damaging our new floors. And so far, it’s been working just fine for us.

Now we have two barn doors that save us SO much space!A modern bathroom with dark floor tiles and a sliding barn door reveals a neatly organized closet filled with colorful towels. The wall features a herringbone tile pattern, complementing the stylish design, and a toilet is subtly tucked in the corner.The modern bathroom showcases a sleek gray tile floor and pristine white walls. A striking dark barn door slides open to reveal a closet filled with neatly hung clothes, while a white vanity and unique light fixture add sophistication to the space. A modern closet with sliding gray barn doors open to reveal a neatly organized interior. Clothes hang on rods, with shirts, pants, and other garments visible. The walls and ceiling are white, giving a clean and minimalist look. A minimalist hallway showcases a sleek barn door sliding smoothly on a metal track against a light gray wall. With dark gray tiles underfoot and a crisp white baseboard, the space merges rustic charm with modern elegance. A sleek gray barn door, partially open, reveals a neatly organized closet with clothes hanging and storage shelves. The modern metal hardware of the barn door adds a contemporary touch, while the dark-tiled floor enhances the room's elegance.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and it inspires you to re-think the doors in your house. Know someone who wants to tackle a barn door? Share this post on Facebook or hover over an image and save it to Pinterest for future use! Want more home ideas? Subscribe now so you never miss a project!

 

As a thank you for being awesome and inviting me into your inbox you will receive exclusive access to my free printable library! 🙂 And I have some good ones coming soon!Modern interior with a dark barn door gliding smoothly on a metal rail. Wall text reads, "Modern Barn Door Tutorial The Easy Way" accompanied by a website link. The space showcases sleek white walls and elegant dark floor tiles.

This post, How to Hang a Modern Barn Door, appeared first on Garrison Street Design Studio.

6 Comments

    1. Thank you so much Tatyana! We ordered our doors through Home Depot but the brand is Jeld-Wen. Hope that helps 🙂

      Reply

  2. I saw reviews where people complained about having issues with painting Jeld-Wen doors. Did you have any issues?

    Reply

    1. We did not have any problems painting the doors. I sprayed them with our paint sprayer. But we did send a few doors back because they were damaged.

      Reply

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