11 Ways to Make DIY Barn Doors for a Closet

If you want your closet door to exude a little more pizazz and character than a typical builder-grade design, this post is just for you, boo! Today, I am sharing 11 of the best tutorials for building DIY barn doors on a budget…

While there are certainly ways to elevate the look of a ho-hum bifold closet door, as far as character and rusticity are concerned, there really is nothing like a custom barn door to completely transform the vibe of a room.

Whether your style leans modern or farmhouse, this design trend can be adapted to make sense in any space- all depending on the hardware, detailing and finish you choose. Don’t believe me?

Take a little bit of time to study the world of interior design – whether on Pinterest or in national publications- and you will see barn doors used in conjunction with almost every type of architecture and aesthetic.

So now that I have made the case for why you need a barn door in your own home, I am going to cold-heartedly crush your hopes and dreams…

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but true barn doors are expensive AF!

Whether you are seeking estimates from your local carpenter or browsing pre-fabricated options from big-box retailers like Lowes or Home Depot, you better be ready to drop anywhere from $400 to $1,000 for just one stinkin’ closet.

But not to fear, my friend! Anything is possible with a little creativity and elbow grease; and that is why, directly below, I am going to share 11 DIY projects to help you re-create this barn door look for a fraction of the price.

**To read each detailed tutorial, be sure to click on the caption below the images.**

1. DIY Modern Barn Doors to Replace Bifold Doors-

Here in my old laundry room, using 2×6 lumber and MDF, I was able to build these paneled barn doors for under $50 per door – replacing the outdated bifold closet doors that used to be there.

While the sliding hardware itself was more expensive than the actual doors at $100, for a total cost of $200, this DIY barn door project still came out cheaper than buying pre-built doors. For a modern, dramatic look, I painted the doors Tricorn Black by Sherwin Williams.

2. Barn Door Look for Tight Spaces-

If you don’t have enough wall space for a sliding door function and/or hardware kit, you can always give standard closet doors a rustic, farmhouse feel with accent wood or trim boards. For under $100, I was able to build these custom closet doors out of tongue-and-groove and common boards.

Using a special staining technique, I was then able to make the raw wood materials look like true barn wood.

3. Up-cycled Antique French Doors-

If you aren’t all that comfortable using a table saw or kreg jig to build your doors from scratch, you can always go thrifting for antique doors which you can then refinish and install on sliding barn door hardware like Wildfire Interiors did here in this beautiful space.

4. Modern Barn Doors for Under $100-

If farmhouse or rustic isn’t your vibe, these sleek DIY sliding doors by Lindi & Russ would be a great option for any modern organic home. Using plywood, wood glue and a router, they were able to mimic the look of custom oak closet doors for a fraction of the cost.

While the reeded detail on these doors is a little time-consuming, the finished product is totally freakin’ worth it. The matte black barn door handle takes the piece to a whole new level of awesomeness. Obsessed!

5. Sliding Closet Barn Doors with Windows-

Show off your fabulously organized bedroom closet by adding DIY windows to your sliding barn doors. For under $120, Houseful of Handmade was able to build these fancy doors using mostly pine board.

Tip: A white spray paint finish is a great choice for anyone wanting to brighten a space or lean a bit more feminine (versus the masculine and rustic aesthetic associated with wood-tone finishes).

6. Rustic Barn Door with Diagonal Piece-

If you are a farmhouse fan through and through, you are going to love this DIY interior door tutorial by DIY Beautify. Utilizing some pine boards and tongue and groove wall planks, she was able to get the look of custom barn doors for just $100 (not including the sliding track).

7. Double Barn Doors with Chevron Detailing-

Craving some playful detailing for your own barn doors? Be sure to check out Reality Daydream’s step-by-step guide for building these rustic beauties. She also includes the build plans for free!

8. Wood Block Sliding Door-

While this DIY sliding door by A Life Unfolding was actually built to be a bathroom door (originally her bathroom opened right into the bedroom), depending on the size of your door opening, you could recreate this wonderfully unique look to use as a closet door as well. Using simple materials (plywood and wood boards cut into blocks), she now not only has privacy to potty….but so much more visual interest.

9. Detailed Barn Door with Wood Shims-

While this barn door by The Handyman’s Daughter looks super expensive and custom, she actually built it with nothing more than plywood and shims. Of course, the rich stain she used to finish the piece makes it look all the more elevated.

10. Sliding Barn Door Track Installation-

While I have mostly included build ideas for the individual door panels, installing the sliding hardware itself can be a little tricky. Not to fret, Chalking Up Success has a very helpful tutorial for how she installed the track to these beautiful closet doors pictured above.

11. Easy Pre-fabricated Door Hack-

If you are going for a simple and clean look, these sliding barn doors by My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia are a great option to consider. Believe it or not, she actually found the pre-fabricated doors on clearance at Lowes for under $50 a piece. She then customized the look with a fresh coat of paint and added the barn door hardware to it herself.

Tip: If you aren’t that into DIY-ing, it never hurts to shop around big-box home improvement stores first! You can always repurpose a standard or french door to be a sliding barn door.

Whether you partially DIY your sliding barn door project or build your doors from scratch, I hope you emerge from this blog post ready to conquer your unsightly closet situation. The possibilities are truly endless.

Thank you so much for stopping by and spending some time with me. It would mean the world to this small business of mine if you could share this post with a friend or on social media!

Now get out there and design some good vibes along with a fabulous life!