Easy Barn Door Hardware

Alicia W
by Alicia W
10 Materials
$30
2 Days
Easy
Barn doors are really on trend as you know but the hardware can be really expensive. Here is how you can make it for $30.
The wheels are made with plastic clothes line pulleys. These can be found at most home improvement stores for around $2. You will need two wheels per door.
You need just the wheels which means you must remove the plastic.
A-Using a wire snips, cut the plastic off
B-So the axle will be exposed
C-The axle must be cut. I used a Dremel but you can also use a hacksaw
D-If the entire axle isn’t cut entirely through, use a wire snip to cut it
E-Remove the wheel from the axle
F-In the center of the wheel, is a metal cylinder. Remove it by inserting a screwdriver in one side and pushing it out the other side.
G-You’re left with the wheel.
For the rods that are attached to the door,
A-Measure your length. I made my rods 8”.
B-Cut the bar using a circular saw with a grinding blade
C-Cut two bars of the same length
Add three holes to each bar; one where the wheel will be attached, two where the door will be attached. You will need a titanium coated drill bit to drill metal.
A-Clamp your bar to your work surface
B-Place the wheel near the top of the bar and mark where to drill the hole
C-Drill your first hole
D-You need two additional holes; measure and mark where the holes will be located
E-Measure the width of the bar and make you marks in the center of the bar
F-Drill the additional holes
Place everything on to a drop cloth and spray paint the pieces black.


For the wheel assembly, you will need:
wheel = 2
flat bar cut to size = 2
1/2” hex bolt = 4
1” hex bolt = 2
1/4” washer = 8
1/4” locking nut = 2


For the track assembly: (instructions below)
1” plastic spacer = 2
2 1/2” hex bolt = 2
1/4” washer = 4
1/4” nut = 2
Putting the wheels together:
A-For each wheel bar, you will need - one wheel, one 1” hex bolt, four 1/4” washers, one locking bolt.
B- Holding the 2 1/2” bolt, add one washer
C-place the bolt and washer into the top hole of the flat bar
D-add another washer
E-add the wheel
F-add a washer, then the locking nut
G-The finished wheel bar
Track
You will need an additional metal flat bar to use as the track where the wheels will ride
A-Measure the cabinet where the door will be placed then transfer those measurements onto the flat bar. Drill two holes in the flat bar
B-Clamp the flat bar to the cabinet
C-Use a level to make sure the flat bar is level
D-Using the holes in the flat bar, drill holes in the cabinet
To attach the track:
A-a 2 1/2” hex bolt, B-Washer, C-flat bar, D-1” spacer, E-washer
Place into the hole and through the cabinet
Secure with a 1/4” nut
Attach the wheel bars to the door using 2, 1/2” hex screws
Hang the door by placing the wheels on the track.
No one will know that your barn door hardware only cost $30...unless you tell them.
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  3 questions
  • Kathy Schneider Rubinic Kathy Schneider Rubinic on Feb 03, 2018

    Nice work, great idea! Will be showing my oh-so-handy hubby!

    On another note..........where did you get your cast iron Scottish Terrier?! I have a Scottie and LOVE the breed dearly. I have one cast iron door stop but would love to have one like yours. Thx!

  • Lauren Schafer Lauren Schafer on Feb 03, 2018

    Would this work for a full sized door? My husband and I just refinished some old barn doors we found in the attic of our garage. I’d love to use them to close our office off from the main living space but was shocked at the price of the hardware. are these strong enough to hold a big door?

  • Heather Heather on Apr 14, 2018

    Your project looks great!!!! Question: With the obvious back & forth motion of the cabinet door, my concern is the spray paint wearing off the hardware pieces, particularly the track and wheel. Have you found that to be the case over time and use or did you put on a protective coating after spray painting? If you did apply a protective coating, what product did you use and was it effective?

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  • TwistedSwisher TwistedSwisher on Mar 20, 2018

    This excites me greatly because I have a cabinet that needs a barn door. I have a few full size barn doors in the house, but could not find cabinet size hardware, nor could I figure out how to make the wheel hardware- I have the rest easily figured out. Thank you!

  • Terri Terri on Feb 11, 2019

    This is my question also, I too want to close off my office but my door are regular size which means my track has to be twice as wide and my doors have glass in them. Can I still use plastic wheels. If any one has any suggestions I would really appreciate it. I am ready to do this!

    Thanks.

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