How to Make Bypass Closet Doors Into Sliding Faux Barn Doors

Barn doors are a big trend right now (see this post), thanks to the rise of farmhouse style and the fact that sliding barn doors offer the space-saving features of a pocket door but with an easier installation. But, what to do when you love the barn door look but don’t have the wall space for the sliding door rail? Get creative and fake it with a regular old bypass closet door, like our reader Laura did!

Not only did Laura build the barn doors and get creative with the hardware, but she used the doors on a closet she made out of an odd alcove in her master bedroom, and then dressed up the doors next to the new closet for a more unified look, too. That sounds like a Remodelaholic to me! Here’s Laura with the full details: 

How to Turn Bypass Closet Doors into Faux Barn Doors

by reader Laura from Use It Or Lose It DIY

2 years ago I purchased my home…complete with a very ominous colored ‘no-tell-motel’ dresser set up flanked by two small closets. We were in desperate need of more closet space and knew the only option was doing something with that Motel 6 dresser area.

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I still cringe when I see this picture!

Painting helped a bit, but still, offered no extra closet space.  We mulled hundreds of ideas around for months, okay it was actually two years. Some projects you really have to think through!  We discovered we’re fans of ALL the beautiful sliding barn doors, EVERYWHERE. Our initial idea was to replace the existing closet doors and cover the entire wall with two very large barn doors on a bypass track….that was until we priced that option. I knew there had to be a way to utilize salvaged products and achieve the same look and result. Then that old light bulb lit, and we were on our way to my favorite haunt, Habitat for Humanity Restore. A half hour later and only 20 bucks lighter, we packed two hollow core sliding closet doors into G-man’s truck.  We stopped at the Depot and purchased 2 packages of cedar paneling, a sliding door track kit and some construction adhesive.  I designed the barn door pattern and G-man got to work measuring, mitering and muttering.

(lots o’math, lots o’cutting!)

Framing the opening was the next step.  2×4’s were cut and screwed around the existing opening to accommodate the doors. G-man installed the by pass track and we painted the doors white.  We were working with G-man’s very precise measurements with track placement to ensure the doors wouldn’t slide against the dresser fronts, yet remain flush with the outer trim.

Love that G-man!

The doors were hung and with just a few adjustments, slid effortlessly!  G-man did his magic and installed the casing and trim.  We had to make a decision as to how we would cover the chunky header created out of 2×4’s that held the track. We entertained a few good ideas, and G-man came up with a brilliant one!

Since he’s a certified tin knocker, he decided to fabricate a piece of steel that would mimic the metal header above a real barn door.  He also fabricated the steel faux hinges. All were spray painted hammered black and screwed into place.

The same look could be achieved with wood trim and hinges that have had the actual hinge part cut off.

Done deal!

During the process we decided to trim and paint the existing closet doors, hinges and door knobs to make the whole design cohesive. I also added an under cabinet, fluorescent strip light to the backside of the closet header.  All totaled, the project cost about $70.00 in materials. So, good riddance old ‘no-tell-motel’, hello beautiful barn door style!

More barn door DIY ideas and tutorials:

DIY Barn Doors

DIY rolling or sliding barn door hardware

Affordable barn door hardware sources