Structural Support Required for a Barn Door
Sliding barn doors can be heavy—especially oversized ones—and you need the proper structural support on the wall for a door to safely operate. You can either build the support into the wall or install a header board to carry the weight of the door.
Installing a Barn Door on a New Wall
When building a new wall to install a barn door onto, you need to
- Install structural support in the direction the door will open.
- Add blocking that is long enough to support the entire length of the hardware plus 2 inches.
- Cut the 2X4 or 2X6 blocks to the correct lengths between the wall studs.
- Place the blocking at the appropriate height.
- Position the wide face of the blocking so it is flush with the front surface of the wall studs and securely fasten.
Installing a Barn Door on an Existing Wall
To safely mount the door, you will need a header board to carry the load of the door without having to open the drywall to modify the studs. It’s very important that you only use clear straight lumber for the head casing. A 1x4 in clear pine, poplar, or other hardwood is recommended. Do not use MDF or other composite casings, they do not possess the strength needed.
WARNING: Don’t add a new header to your existing door casing, remove the casing and install a new header.
- It is far easier to paint or stain the head casing before attaching it to the wall.
- Install head casing in the direction the door will open.
- Cut the head casing to the desired length, it can be longer than the hardware.
- Properly find and lightly mark the location of the wall studs.
- Place, and level, the head casing.
- Using appropriate fasteners, securely screw the head casing to the wall studs at the marked locations.
If you prefer to have a matching header, we sell header boards in the same finish as our doors. They can be purchased at checkout.
If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re available during business hours to help you select the right product or answer any questions you may have.
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We've been building custom barn doors since 2013. All of our wood is sustainably sourced from the Kitchener-Waterloo area and our doors are constructed at our workshop in Mississauga.
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If you don’t feel comfortable adding the structural support for a barn door, don’t do it. Always use ear, eye, and dust protection for all home renovation projects.