This was a perfectly done how-to video...perfect. No fluff chatter, no distracting music or silly video tricks. Just clean solid information. I’ve got some decent sized barn doors to replace and you’ve made it into a doable project for one man. Thank you.
40+ years farming and building.. having a "how have I not figured this out myself" moment... Brilliant!!! Thanx for sharing. This gets filed into that 📂 of "work smart, not hard"..
This is true genius. I am going to use this method to make my garage doors. I am a senior on a limited budget and do projects by myself. This I can do; no heavy lifting. You are awesome!
Great step by step! As someone who wants to tackle such projects when we build, and not coming from a family background where these kinds of things were done, I greatly appreciate the simple and straightforward process. Thank you! Subscribed!
I've been researching barn doors for my carport and finding the 18 foot bypass hardware has been tricky. These look great and so much easier. Thank you !
Thank you for those instructions on building the doors in place. I have just completed a couple of 3x1,5 meter doors, and thanks to building them like this, there was no sag, and I can have minimal clearence to get them to seal up for a insulated winter garage. I had professional gates, but decided to build to make full use of the height by building doors, also they fit the esthetics of the farm better 🙌🏻 The only difference was that i wanted panel on the outside as well to insulate them, so i fastened the structure to the framing first, laid panel at the front, and then installed the hinges, and released the screws from the structure, with only one bolt on each arm of the hinge, and then fitted the rest. Perfect fitting! 👌🏻
Using your techniques, in one week my son and I replaced the ancient, creaking overhead doors on two cockeyed suburban NJ garages that hadn't seen a car in decades. My son used ceder for his doors. They look fantastic. Bottomless thanks!
I'm nearly 80 years old and been doing this since childhood considered a professional by all who know me. I am detail oriented and highly critical. My hat is humbly off to you. Besides the obviously best technique ( and like the other guy said "why didn't I ever think of this) I am now properly schooled. I plan to watch your every video to see what else I can learn. Currently building ( and allways am) more barns and out buildings. Thank you for sharing your skills. I have seen no equal. Dandahermit
Been watching so many door-building videos with pocket holes, glue, clamps and so much complication and this video just blew my mind. So glad I stumbled across this. I knew their had to be an easy, simple way. Thanks!
My elders taught me differently... {Maybe better...?! Who knows?!} Of course getting the load bearing surfaces of the pintles as level as possible to each other is essential. As best I can tell, he did a very good job with that. My methodology... Barn doors should always swing out! Level the 2x6 rails & hinge straps (yours are oblique*), then drill all holes in the hinges through the 2x6 rails. Insert bolts in all the holes (to keep the hinges in position). You only need to put one bolt all the way through with a nut & washer on the hinge at this point, (like you did). Leave all the other bolts flush to the face of the 2x6 rails. {I install all the bolts w/ nuts, washers and thread-locker. I then cut any excess bolt off for the lowest profile possible at the nut. As I lay on planking I counter bore each nut location in the planking and 'hide' the nuts behind the boards. It looks better and prevents tampering with the nuts. Lay out and transfer the "reveal" gap to both sides of the 'Title' (top) Rail and the 'Channel' (bottom) Rail. There is method to this madness... Read on. Now is when you want to mark the braces! They can be temporarily attached to the rails for marking as demonstrated, however by marking the braces at this point you can easily scribe the braces directly to fit the rails very accurately without using a "90 degree pencil". You can install the braces now or later as you wish. I choose to install the braces at this point by placing one long screw through each toe of the braces to hold them in place as I lay on planking. Also you can better see where to install the brace screws as you lay on the planking. (i.e. - No chalk-line to stain the wood!) If you did not choose to hide the nuts & bolts behind the face boards; after installation of the face boards, remove each hinge bolt in-turn, drill through the face boards and re-install the bolts. Proceed to finish the door as demonstrated. Some may choose a different method of separating the door panels at the "reveal". I use a sharp hand saw for better accuracy. It just looks better. Gravity - Not the 2x6 holds the hinges in the down position. They can be in any position you configure the bolt holes to, when you drill the 2x6. * The hinges should not be "in the downward position" 2:30. That puts all the load on a very small surface area. Doing so causes rapid and uneven wear on the eye of the gudgeon (strap) causing it to squeak much sooner and to increase the 'slop' prematurely. The gudgeon eye should bear full length on the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the pintle. Not just one small spot at the top, bottom and underneath. Also it is not very aesthetic with the hinges being out of parallel with the centerline of the rails. Again - It just looks better done well. 1
FANTASTIC video! I see old barns around here & wonder how the old timers could have lifted them massively heavy doors into place? Now I know. Thanks for sharing this!
Sir, I owe you for this video. I own a 100+ year old building with a barndoor and I need to build it on my own. This shows exactly what I need to do. Much appreciated!
Amazing process you've shown. This is excellent information for a Novice like me who is needing to build double doors for my newly constructed Greenhouse. I wanted to do them myself but have been hugely intimidated by the task. This is absolutely what I needed to see. Thanks for sharing!!!
I just used your instructions to build doors on a tractor shed. My only change was corrugated metal roofing instead of boards for the back. They turned out amazing. Thanks for sharing!
I've been watching DIY videos on RU-vid for years, and this video blog is one of the best I've ever watched. I have an old doorless garage that I've been wanting to put a secure door on for years and this video has shown me exactly how to do it. Congratulations on a wonderfully helpful video.
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to make doors for my old doorless garage for years but the job just seemed too daunting and too expensive to tackle. With your video, I know I can build them now! Yey!
Watched this video a couple yrs ago and liked it so much I went out bought the lumber I needed tore off the old barn doors and built a set just like these and they still hang perfectly what a great idea building the doors then cutting the main two boards last for a set of doors that match up perfectly . What an easy build too👏 thank you so much for sharing 👍
ASDF , Thanks so much for watching! It’s not bad at all. Take your time and you will be pleased with the results. If you haven’t, check out the other videos on my channel. Lots of different ideas and info on different topics from here in Lancaster County PA. Thanks again and good luck!
Best video I’ve seen so far on building doors, I’ll apply this technique to the double shed doors I need to build for my mother-in-law! Thanks for the awesome video.
Genius. Been trying to figure out the best way to build some doors on my garage/shed. This is it. The less math and figuring the better and quicker the result to get it in one go. Thank you
I'm so glad that I came across your video. I'm planning on replacing a metal up and over garage door with a pair of timber one's, and watching this ingenious method has given me a better idea of how I'm going to tackle it. Thankyou for taking the time to post this, and best wishes from Northern Ireland 👍🇬🇧
I used this approach on a barn with a 180 inch opening. I used 2x6 rails and diagonal bracing with cedar board facing. A total of 2 strap hinges on each door, each strap 48 inches long. When I cut the center, no sag. The approach worked for me. Glad I found this video.
Thank you for making this video. I just built a greenhouse and I was trying to come up with an idea on what to do with the large opening I have for the entrance. Your door plan is exactly what I needed to complete my project and make the opening closed and useful. Building the door this way is such a great idea since the width of the door is so wide. The details were great and on point. Good job.
I'm late to the party! Nice video. Really helped me think this out. I think if you had inverted the top pin -- not only would the door not come off (as others mentioned) -- but the straps could be straight. I think the inversion of the top pin prevents the door from "tilting" due to the "sag" in the hinge that you illustrated. In order to invert the pin you would have to have a temporary board to hold the two horizontal boards in place. All that said, this was one of the few videos I really enjoyed watching.
Personally I always put the finished side out and never never swing a door in. The first barn door 🚪 I build some 50 years ago I swung then in and the owner couldn’t close the doors when he put his boat in the barn. Swinging them out comes with its own set of problems and you have to make sure the door can swing clear without binding against the jamb and it needs to swing a full 180 just in case the wind catches it and breaks your door stop. Also you can’t open the doors after a snow storm until you shovel.I have collected some old barn door hardware that catches the door and holds it open until you release it. Having said that your engineering is excellent for the homeowner. Just saying.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting. We just prefer the bracing out as it’s more traditional in our area. The doors do swing out. I put a stop in hanging off the top plate to keep them from swinging in at all. Hope you have a great day!
Thank you. I'm 73 and built one of two, 9' x 8' doors I need this past Saturday, by myself. Propably would have gotten the second one started that same day if I hadn 't had to go back to the hardware store to exchange the wrong size carriage bolts I bought. Was skeptical when it came time to cut them apart, but the saw didn't bind and the doors didn't sag and they opened, remarkable! The hardest part was finding the tongue and grove boards (at a price I could afford), other than that, it went just like your video.
Thank you for such a cool video! I keep watching it over and over; first of all you picked a beautiful day to film, and second the barn is awesome. I'm building doors like this for my carport thanks to your very well made and easy to follow advice! Q: Are those front boards 6" or 8" wide?
Nice! Thanks for the education! Two things I see that may be an improvement. Finish the lumber before building Bolt on the door with the other 2 bolts before the last panel is installed. Remove the first bolt, attach the last panel, drill the holes for the first bolt and reinstall the bolt.
Wow, thanks so much. I have experience building shops, tractor sheds. I never knew of this amazing way to build doors to have them come out so square and true. Just completed building double doors for one end of my Fifth wheel storage building. I followed your video to the letter. Only difference I used metal. The two doors span 18’. Each door is 13’6” tall 9’ wide. Following your video made Building the doors so simple and square. I must admit I was a little nervous as I was cutting the two doors apart. Amazing, neither door dropped even a 1/8”. Anyone can build a doors using these instructions. Don’t hesitate, just do it, you won’t regret it.
You seriously have no idea how happy I am that I just stumbled across your video. My Dad is no longer able to care for the farm and the maintenance is left up to me. There are 4 large barn doors that need replacing and daily I will look at them and wonder how. After seeing your video I now know! Thank you for posting this! 😀
My elders taught me differently... {Maybe better...?! Who knows?!} Of course getting the load bearing surfaces of the pintles as level as possible to each other is essential. As best I can tell, you did a very good job with that. My methodology... Barn doors should always swing out! Level the 2x6 rails & hinge straps (yours are oblique*), then drill all holes in the hinges through the 2x6 rails. Insert bolts in all the holes (to keep the hinges in position). You only need to put one bolt all the way through with a nut & washer on the hinge at this point, (like you did). Leave all the other bolts flush to the face of the 2x6 rails. {I install all the bolts w/ nuts, washers and thread-locker. I then cut any excess bolt off for the lowest profile possible at the nut. As I lay on planking I counter bore each nut location in the planking and 'hide' the nuts behind the boards. It looks better and prevents tampering with the nuts. Lay out and transfer the "reveal" gap to both sides of the 'Title' (top) Rail and the 'Channel' (bottom) Rail. There is method to this madness... Read on. Now is when you want to mark the braces! They can be temporarily attached to the rails for marking as demonstrated, however by marking the braces at this point you can scribe the braces directly to fit the rails very accurately without using a "90 degree pencil". You can install the braces now or later as you wish. I choose to install the braces at this point by placing one long screw through each toe of the braces to hold them in place as I lay on planking. Also you can better see where to install the brace screws as you lay on the planking. (i.e. - No chalk-line to stain the wood!) If you did not choose to hide the nuts & bolts behind the face boards; after installation of the face boards, remove each hinge bolt in-turn, drill through the face boards and re-install the bolts. Proceed to finish the door as demonstrated. Some may choose a different method of separating the door panels at the "reveal". I use a sharp hand saw for better accuracy. It just looks better. Gravity - Not the 2x6 holds the hinges in the down position. They can be in any position you configure the bolt holes to, when you drill the 2x6. * The hinges should not be "in the downward position" 2:30. That puts all the load on a very small surface area. Doing so causes rapid and uneven wear on the eye of the gudgeon (strap) causing it to squeak much sooner and to increase the 'slop' prematurely. The gudgeon eye should bear full length on the vertical and horizontal surfaces of the pintle. Not just one small spot at the top, bottom and underneath. Also it is not very aesthetic with the hinges being out of parallel with the centerline of the rails. Again - It just looks better done well.
Thanks for watching and the suggestions. I am never too proud to try different methods! The doors do swing out. They also would swing in a bit if I didn't put a stop in hanging off the top plate of the shed.
Yes I agree with your comment about not fastening the hinge strap in the "droopy" position. It causes the load to bear on points instead of surfaces. However!!! To avoid sag in the doors when you cut them apart: The bottom strap&eye's (the gudgeons) need to be pushed *apart* from the centreline of the door before drilling and fastening to the rail, so the inner surface is bearing on the pintle. Opposite for the upper gudgeons which need to be pulled *towards* the centreline. That way the slop is taken out of the assembly, and the doors won't sag because the correct bearing surfaces are already in contact.. But yes, level them up, it looks much better and the whole surface is taking the load.
Measuring without a tape measure is preferable. How many times did he use the tape measure. Now imagine building these doors to hang them later.!!! Brilliant technique. Subscribed
Thank you for this video!!! Following your build-in-place method, just completed hinged carriage doors for my basement, for a 9 x 7 opening. They're made from 4 old hollow core doors. Very pleased. And yes, they do indeed open and close 🤣!
Smartest thing I've seen today. Building one big door and cutting it in half ensures everything works properly AND saves a tremendous amount of work. Mind blown.
This is an amazing video. I’m so thankful that it came up in my search to find swinging doors for my post barn. And thankful for you. I’m building almost the exact same barn for tractor and feed! Have a blessed day!
Thanks for watching and glad your doors worked out for you. www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/national-hardware-n235-309-15-bar-holder-zinc-plated-3540059?store=178&cm_mmc=feed-_-GoogleShopping-_-Product-_-3540059&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI5fGC1bmk7gIVZ-bjBx2c7QkqEAQYBiABEgJHlPD_BwE I mounted these on the sides of the doors and I drop a 2x4 in. I had to build up the middle to set against the door because my doors are inset.
Little late finding this one - great method and I will be using that to add doors to my shed this summer. Only change I'd make is holding off on that last board until after the other two carriage bolts are installed - then I'd take out the first carriage bolt and add the last board and put that bolt back in through both boards instead of drilling the board to go over the bolt so that all the bolts are consistent in their look and finish. Rubbing the chalk line on the back of the board!! Such a great hack!!!
Thank you so much for making this video. I made barn doors for my garage based on your work. I could not have done it without this video. You should have been a shop teacher! Thanks again!
The smell is great isn’t it? I think I may have found something better though...I was making a video this morning of a mobil grain roaster. The smell of roasted soybeans is pretty darn good!
Have you never seen hinges work before? Did you not expect the doors to swing? I’ll be sure to make a video of doors swinging just for you. I’ve never read such a stupid comment before. Remarkable.
Hey good point. I didn't see the doors open either!! ....so I suspect some monkey business here...some smoke and mirrors...some RU-vid shennagans! . I have a hunch the doors open "inside'" instead of "out" and thats why we didn't see the final result! I want my money back :) Hey....We're just playin' with you Garden Spot builder. :0 Good video. PS: My last swinging gate was built with those $40 brackets that guarantee an even non-saggy door for us non-builders. but it would have been nice to see them open hahaha:) thats called the "money shot" in some video businesses:)
@@LancoAmish Wow - you must be a real charmer with your wife. Do you call her stupid immediately whenever she asks a question? Good thing I read this - I am unsubscribing and stopping this video right now. Much better builds out there without buck tooth gaps you can fit an entire hand through. Remarkable.
I completed this project in 5.5 hours start to finish. I have to say I was skeptical, but wow did you deliver. Thank you for posting this valuable know how. Seriously thank you. Did it all for about $240.00 at Home Depot, way better than spending $600+ for some tacky basic garage door
Thanks for watching and commenting! I’m glad it worked out. The first time I saw this done I was helping on a pair of doors 24’ wide and 16’ tall. I was skeptical too!
Great job. Building both at the same time seems like a no-brainer after watching you do it. Why I never thought of it before is beyond me. I have always been thought of as a pretty smart fella. Wait until I unload this trick the next time I help a friend with a set of barn doors. Thanks for the lesson. That is brilliant.
Absolutely brilliant I’ve got to make some like this but I haven’t got a flat area to make them up this way you don’t have to make up and lift heavy doors on your own and there made to measure perfect thanks this is a good idea love it larrysullivan in London cheers
Thanks so much for watching! I know too well about not having flat areas for building as I used to live on a mountain. I think that caused one of my legs to be shorter than the other! 😂
You sir are a genius! I have been really dreading putting some new barn doors in andtrying to organise getting help to lift them into place. I can build all of this solo on my own time. Thanks for a great video!
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge in a very easy -to- follow way. This video is awesome, exactly what I was looking for.! Best regards. Frank
For sure thank you tremendously I am glad I watched your video it will make my job a lot easier... Really cool way to build doors !!!!👍👍 Update January 18, 2021... I finished my barn doors at home and they look awesome. I didn't have the confidence in myself until I watched your video, as I said and will say again thank you very much I'm very happy the way my doors turned out . I look forward to watching more of your building videos.
this is how i made my first set of barn doors. I didnt know it was a thing haha, few years later im watching to see if i can pick up new tricks, i enjoyed the video. work smarter not harder
Im building a pergola/carport and now I know how to make front doors. Dont want a garage door, want more of a barn /shed door cause ill be using it to store firewood as well. Perfectly done Ive subscribed and liked.
I have no idea how I never thought of this. It is so obvious and so simple. So much easier than what I've done before. It took just a couple minutes for it to all click. Never stop learning!
