The Easy & Affordable Way To DIY Your Own Rustic Barn Door

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Incorporating barn doors into your interior design creates a beautiful farmhouse look in your space. Once you find the best place to put a barn door, it can help save space, supply a functional and aesthetically pleasing design, and enhance your home. For many homeowners, the problem of including a barn door is that it comes with a hefty price tag — custom barn doors can cost anywhere from around $500 to over $1,000. If you're looking to update your interior by adding a barn door, there is a less costly option to get the look. You can make your own DIY affordable rustic barn door with some furring strips cut to size, a track kit, and some simple hardware. This cost-effective option lets you customize the look for less.

Furring strips are thinner pieces of wood. They are widely used in structures to level walls and ceilings, make space to put insulation in, or keep out moisture. In this case, however, you can screw the furring strips together to make a flat barn door. Start with at least 12 to 15 furring strips — you'll want 1x4 strips that are 8 feet in length (around $2 to $3 per piece). You'll also need some wood stain in your preferred color, a drill, screws, wood glue, a track kit, and your choice of hardware for the door handle.

To build your DIY rustic-looking barn door, simply measure and cut your furring strips to the length you want. Push them together as hard as you can, using the wood glue to hold them together if needed, and make sure that they are level and even. Then, you'll need three more pieces that are cut to the width of the door for the top, middle, and bottom. Screw those three boards on top of the vertical door boards to keep them into place. You can also sand them if you locate any sharp edges or rough areas. 

Now, you'll add extra wood pieces to create the look of the barn door. You may want to use the strips to make a Z pattern with boards positioned diagonally. Or you could create an X shape with pieces crossing over the door. Once you choose your pattern and cut your pieces, screw them in place on the front of the door.

Once you have cut, measured, glued, and screwed your strips into place the way you want them, you can stain your door. Simply follow the instructions for your stain to roll it or wipe it across the strips, allow it to dry, and then add additional coats as needed. With furring strips, it can be helpful to apply a pre-stain conditioner before you stain. You can also paint the wood, but the stained look offers a more rustic appearance.

Not only is the hardware functional, but it can also add decorative detailing that enhances the rustic feel. How you display your door may depend on the hardware you choose. To save more space, you can put in a sliding barn door. Install an easy track with wheels, like this SMARTSTANDARD sliding barn door hardware kit. Measure the doorway to find a sliding track kit that fits the space. Then mark the spots to screw the track into place, and anchor it to the wall per the product instructions. Then, you can mount the wheels after attaching them to the door. If you want to build two doors for one opening, you can use barn door bypass hardware, which allows the two doors to slide in front and behind one another.

The other hardware where you have some creative options is with your door handle and any accents. If you're going for a rustic look, this inexpensive and simple National Hardware pull is an excellent handle to use. Or you can go with something larger and more ornate if it better fits your decor. Make sure your handles are both decorative and functional to keep the door easy to open and close. 

Depending on your budget, you can incorporate extra pieces of hardware for style, such as these Foxwake barn door decorative corner brackets. Decorative door hinges also add to the rustic look depending on the design you choose. Simply follow the instructions on the hardware kit to mount the handle and accents, and screw them into the door to complete your rustic look. When you add it up, the cost for your affordable DIY rustic barn door could total under $100 if you choose cost-effective hardware options.