How to Build a White Oak Barn Door

I didn't want a regular door going from our master bedroom to the master bathroom. This is such a pretty space I wanted a beautiful design element to bring the 2 spaces together. So, I built a white oak barn door.

You can view my master bathroom here and my master bedroom here

Supplies to Build a White Oak Barn Door

4'x8' white oak sheet of plywood
(4) 4" thick x 8' long white oak
wood glue
brad nailer
miter saw
table saw or skill saw
clamps
barn door hardware
door hardware
Drill

Instructions for Building a Wood Barn Door

How to size an oak barn door - My door is 3'wide x 8' tall. To determine what size to make your barn door measure your door opening and add at least 4". The wood barn door should overlap the door way a minimum of 2" on each side and on the top.

First, I cut my white oak plywood to the exact size I wanted my door. I used white oak to frame out the door and give it strength. I glued the white oak straight to the plywood and I used a brad nailer from the back to help hold it on.

Creating the X's on a White Oak Barn Door

Find the middle of your door and cut a diagonal piece to fit nice and snug. Tip: I lay my wood on the door how I want it and mark each side so I don't have to find the angle.

For the next diagonal piece I again lay it over the top where I want it and mark where it needs to be cut. Tip: cut it too big and slowly trim it down until it fits perfectly.

This is how the X's should look in the middle. Take your time and get it just right.

Once the glue is tried stand it up and it will be ready to hang.

How to Hang a White Oak Barn Door

When hanging a barn door you need to install it into wood for strength. Wood barn doors are heavy and moving all the time. I used white oak for the header. To get the measurements on how big you need your header: first, measure your barn door hardware. Second make sure it is at least 2x the size of your door opening. Otherwise the door won't be able to open all the way.

Find the studs in the wall and use finish screws to anchor the header to the wall. We used 2 screws in each stud all the way across. Once your header is in place you can add the barn door hardware to the header.