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DIY Dutch Barn Door Building Instructions

Written by Justin

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DIY Dutch Barn Door

Build a stylish DIY Dutch barn door from scratch, to your custom measurements. The lower section makes a perfect baby gate or pet gate. 

After I designed the barn door baby gate for the stairs, I realized that I could add the same type of door up above and make it into a Dutch barn door. Double the barn door, double the love! (See more of our favorite barn door ideas here.)

I do speak Dutch, so having a Dutch barn door door sounded like a genius plan to me! Between the Swedish mora clock we built, the classic full-height board and batten, and the Dutch door, this view of the living room has plenty of European influence in the design! Maybe now I should add my wooden Dutch shoes to finish it off.

Adding the top Dutch door to the baby gate adds both style and privacy to our living room. You could build this door to fit any doorway in your home where you’d like to keep kids or pets in (or out) or where you’d like to add some style with an adjustable level of privacy.

How to Build a Dutch Barn Door

This post contains affiliate links. Learn more and read our full disclosure policy here. 

The split barn door is basically just two wooden baby gates hung in the same doorway. Once you’ve built the first gate, adjust the height of the baby gate building plan to your desired height to fill the rest of the door frame.

Purchase the Dutch barn door instructions here. The woodworking plan includes step by step instructions for the half door gate as well as tips and a measurement/calculation worksheet to determine the dimensions of the Dutch door.

This is a great farmhouse door: rustic wood, barn door design, and the split door resembles a stall door, too!

We also have another Dutch Door DIY Tutorial which starts with an existing solid wood door.

Tips for Building a Split Barn Door

All these tips and details are in the woodworking plan as well for easy reference. 

Cut the main pieces of the door to length, but wait to cut the cross braces so you can cut them to fit exactly.

After you’ve built the frame, check it for square with an easy measuring tape trick. Just measure one diagonal, then compare it to the measurement of the other diagonal. If the piece is square, they’ll be the same length. Adjust the pieces (by squeezing or pulling apart the corners) until the measurements match, then secure the frame for a practically perfect square.

IMG_9148

IMG_9145

Once the frame is squared, use the exact dimensions of the frame to mark the angled cuts for the cross braces to ensure the best fit possible.

DIY dutch barn door (41)

After cutting all the pieces, shave off all the square edges on every side of the board, with a razor blade, to give it a hand carved look. This was Cassity’s idea, and, as most of her ideas do, it turned out nice with the perfect rustic barn door look.

DIY dutch barn door (75)

DIY dutch barn door (77)

Lightly sand all the “hand-carved” boards as you assemble the door.

DIY dutch barn door (43)

As you install the back stiles, keep all your screws lined up on the back to keep it nice and clean looking. A neat line of screws makes the difference between looking “homemade” and “handmade” — a pro craftsman trick.

DIY dutch barn door (52)

After the door is assembled, sand it again before staining. You want it to *look* like an authentic barn door, not *feel* like it’s actually lived in a barn!

We used an awesome tool called the Dremel Multi-Max MM20 to get in the tricky corners.  This tool can sand in corners easily… along with a million other great uses, which I have been trying out lately.  Anyway I grabbed my new tool and lightly sanded off any imperfection with little effort.

DIY dutch barn door (7)

How to Stain a Wooden Dutch Door

After the Dutch barn door is assembled, it’s time to stain it.

We originally went with a gray stain for these doors.  We purchased Minwax Water Based Wood Stain at True Value, tinted Charcoal Grey.

We applied the stain and wiped off the excess almost immediately, to let the knots show in the pine.  We didn’t want to add anything else to it after the stain.  We wanted the rustic feel, so no shiny finish necessary!  (You could look for a wax if you felt like you needed a finish, or a satin finish.)

DIY dutch barn door (15)

Stain the back first and be sure not to drip stain through to the front.  If you do drip through, wipe it off right away, to avoid really dark spots of stain.  Start with one or two boards at a time. I used a foam brush to apply the stain in the joints first.  Then I brushed the stain on the length of boards and wiped it right off.  This is how it looked with wipe on, wipe off.

DIY dutch barn door (18)

Here is how it looked after staining it. Very nice!  We wanted the rustic feel and the gray wood stain did a great job of giving the look we originally wanted.

DIY dutch barn door (20)

Later, after we also painted our interior doors, we adjusted the color of the stain to match by using this easy paint trick.

How To Adjust A Wood Stain Color Using Paint #remodelaholic

 

Dutch Door Hardware and Installation

To match the rustic farmhouse look of the Dutch barn door, we chose outdoor gate hardware that was all black.

With this type of hinge, I had to hang it differently then you would a typical door hinge that would be hidden at the end of the door.  We wanted to see these hinges so they had to be hung on the outside if the door and on the door jamb.

Dutch Door Installed 019

You could avoid this if you wanted, by using regular door hinges (just adjust as you build so you’ll have room for a different hinge type!).

On top of the door I added a ball door catch, similar to what you would see on a bedroom closet door.  This helps the door stay closed without needing a latch.

We wanted a simple handle and latch that so we could lock the door by drilling a hole into the door frame.  But just by opening the top door you can unlock the door from either side.

Dutch Door Installed 013

In order to open the full door together, I added a small piece of molding on top of the baby gate to push the upper door open at the same time as you opened the bottom gate.

Dutch Door Installed 027

Here is the final door put together in all it’s glory.

Dutch Door Installed 015

Dutch Door Installed 012

(This is a view from the stairs side.)

Dutch Door Installed 011

Dutch Door Installed 010

And here’s the updated FINISHED product! (As finished as it’s probably going to get… just don’t look too close!)

Color Washing Paint Technique Finished Dutch Barn Door Split Door Baby Gate @Remodelaholic

This is after we stained it to match our interior door paint, installed new flooring, remodeled the stair riser and installed house numbers, installed floor-to-ceiling board and batten, built the Swedish mora clock, and built the console table from a thrift store find. Phew! That’s a lot of projects for just one wall of a living room!

More DIY Barn Door Ideas:

  • How to Upgrade an Existing Door to a Wood Barn Door
  • How to Turn an Old Door into a Rolling Barn Door
  • How to Build a Simple Barn Door
  • 35+ DIY Barn Doors and Barn Door Hardware Ideas

Originally published 09.25.12 // Last updated 10.16.19

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Remodelaholic is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Please see our full disclosure here.

Published: September 25, 2012Filed Under: *Our Projects, $20 to $250, Beginner, Build, By Cost, By Level, By Location, By Material, By Style, By Tool, DIY, DIY Project Plans, Doors, Farmhouse, How To, Intermediate, Living Rooms, Miter Saw, Remodel Inspiration By Room, Tutorials, Wood and Plywoods Etc. Tagged: barn door, building plans, Canyon House Living Room, doorknobs, Doors, dutch door, Project Plans, Safety, stain, woodworking, woodworking plans

About Justin


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Comments

  1. Els Manning says

    September 26, 2012 at 10:55 am

    Kan je echt nederlands praten? I am totally born and raised Dutch! Love the door. And thinking i may need to try that one! Good job!

    Reply
    • Cassity says

      September 26, 2012 at 5:03 pm

      Actually my husband can speak dutch and I understood what you wrote, but I can’t write anything in Dutch, I need to practice!! Tot Ziens!

      Reply
  2. Terry Moore says

    September 26, 2012 at 5:28 pm

    Wow, what a good looking dutch door and great tutorial!

    Reply
  3. Eileen says

    September 26, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    Wonderful! I’m a new follower and when I saw the baby gate I to my Dutch born husband I want that & I think you could add a top to make it a Dutch door. Funny coincidence that your hubby speaks Dutch as well Cassity. I don’t speak it but understand quite a lot when I hear or see it. What a small world! I’m loving both components of this project. Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Helena says

    November 19, 2012 at 1:16 am

    Prachtig! I fell in love with the baby gate, but adding an upper door really finishes it off! And I’m not just saying that cause I’m Dutch 😉 Thinking about making my own even though we don’t have children (yet). It really adds character to a room.

    Reply
    • Justin says

      November 20, 2012 at 8:01 am

      Helena, bedankt voor jou commentaar. Ik vind het ook prachtig!

      Reply
  5. Ginger says

    February 14, 2013 at 4:57 pm

    I am in love!
    I noticed the hooks you have hanging on the wall — my husband actually put up a piece of trim the length of the stairwell (on the hidden side) and installed hooks on it – 12 to be exact. It’s the perfect place to store and hide coats, jackets, backpacks, and purses. We love it.
    Now to beg hubby to make this door for me!

    Reply
    • Justin says

      February 18, 2013 at 10:19 pm

      Glad that you love it Ginger. I hope that your hubby will build you one.

      Reply
  6. paul jagerman says

    March 14, 2013 at 11:41 pm

    Goodmorning,

    I supplied a client with doorhardware, they sent me a picture of your door, it looks great. I do the same with recycled scaffold planks in Germany, I have a website which supplies the German market. I have now combined it with doorhardware.

    with regards,

    Paul Jagerman

    Reply
  7. With Wings says

    April 20, 2013 at 10:01 pm

    Justin and Cassity…….Loved the door!!! Such a very wonderful way to protect your small children. I have always wanted kitchen cabinet doors like this and even doors going in all of our rooms too. Did not know they are called “Dutch” doors. No wonder I could not get a good response when I would Google them. Was a cool thought to put a ledge on the bottom door for the top door to open at the same time. Would like some full-sized ones and will put them on my “Daydream List” and show them to my husband for our “Cabin in the Woods” in Texas. Thank y’all for sharing!!!

    Reply
    • With Wings says

      April 20, 2013 at 10:27 pm

      Justin, I just decided to “Google” the doors and had a question for you, since you are Dutch…..The design of the doors are “Barn” doors? Right? But, when they are split in half, is that what makes them “Dutch” doors? Grew up at an Elementary school where the doors were like this in our classrooms. We also have them going into our Nursery at church. Thanks again!!!

      Reply
      • Cassity says

        April 21, 2013 at 6:31 pm

        Yes, they have the look of barn doors and function like a Dutch door.

        Reply
  8. JoAnn @ SweetPepperRose says

    June 6, 2013 at 1:55 pm

    I really like this door! I’d love to make for my master bathroom. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Cassity says

      June 7, 2013 at 10:19 pm

      I think your list is getting longer by the second! good luck with everything you are working on!

      Reply
  9. Amy says

    July 21, 2013 at 11:51 am

    Thank you so much for taking the time to provide such detailed instructions! We desperately needed a way to keep our littles out of the kitchen! I will send pictures of our finished project if you would like. I will be building it this afternoon. Our opening is extra wide so i will have to build two that latch together. For the wide opening it is just a walkway, no way to do a Dutch door. However, I will be making the Dutch door for the kitchen to dining room doorway. I also plan on putting a shelf on the lower door to hold serving dishes when the top door is open. Once again, thank you! We sure appreciate the tutorials that allow us to build items that work perfectly for our family! God Bless!

    Reply
    • Cassity says

      July 22, 2013 at 10:15 am

      YES! Please send pictures!!! Can’t wait to see what you do, good luck! I am so happy it was helpful to you!

      Reply
      • Amy H. says

        August 6, 2013 at 7:07 pm

        I did it! I built two because our opening was so wide. After messing around with a couple different stains, I finally found a combo that matches our cabinets nearly perfectly!!! I can’t get your email link to work, but I will keep trying! Now to decide if I want a Dutch door or a sliding door on the other opening. 🙂

        Reply
        • Justin says

          August 6, 2013 at 11:39 pm

          Amy, that is awesome. I would love to see a picture of how it turned out.

          Reply
  10. Chris says

    July 31, 2013 at 9:58 am

    This is exactly like what I’m planning for my kids playhouse doors! Perfect! Could you share what hardware you used to link the door sections together so they can open as one when needed?

    Reply
    • Justin says

      August 2, 2013 at 8:08 am

      Chris, I used a black surface bolt. I added it after this post was published. I attached it to the top door and cut out a notch on the bottom door for it to lock in to. You can get them at most hardware stores. Here is a link for one at the Home Depot.

      Reply
  11. Anna says

    September 17, 2013 at 10:29 pm

    This is genius! Love your site, and you’re adorable. Can’t wait to read more how to’s. 🙂

    Reply
    • Justin says

      September 23, 2013 at 9:50 pm

      We are glad that you love our site! Come back anytime!

      Reply
  12. Tracy says

    October 2, 2013 at 8:13 am

    Love the door! Would this be applicable for an exterior door? Would love this as my front door! Would love any suggestions.

    Love your site : ]

    Reply
    • Cassity says

      October 2, 2013 at 1:54 pm

      It isn’t air tight, so you would need to modify it and maybe add another layer of wood and make sure whatever wood you use is sealed and can handle the heat and elements that a front door would have to handle. Also really good weather stripping in the door gap. Basically there would be some changes that would have to be made, but it could be done.

      Reply
  13. Bob says

    December 26, 2013 at 9:11 am

    Great project. What kind of wood did you use?

    Reply
    • Justin says

      January 1, 2014 at 9:21 pm

      Pine 1×4’s.

      Reply
  14. Michelle Pearson says

    January 14, 2014 at 12:22 pm

    I am wondering if you can guess how much just the bottom half of the door weighed when completed?

    Reply
    • Justin says

      January 25, 2014 at 8:31 pm

      My guess would be twenty to thirty pounds.

      Reply
  15. SuzanK says

    September 12, 2015 at 9:28 pm

    Luv your design, the door is absolutely gorgeous…Thank you for sharing this!

    Reply
    • Cass says

      September 12, 2015 at 10:24 pm

      Thanks for the comment, Suzan!

      Reply
  16. Diana Pike says

    April 11, 2016 at 4:27 pm

    I am in love! Thank you for sharing this!!

    Reply
    • Cass says

      April 12, 2016 at 4:03 pm

      Thanks for the love, Diana!

      Reply
  17. Marty says

    May 2, 2016 at 8:51 pm

    Amazing superio% work. Have started my bedroom doors from this. Thank you so much will be following all your hard beautiful work.

    Reply
  18. Lillian says

    May 4, 2016 at 5:15 am

    I am so glad I found your site. I am remodeling some rooms and we decided to do a Dutch door on one of the rooms. Now that door is in the same area as the rest of the doors. So, I should do them all Dutch doors. To make it look nice. Wish me good luck. Love your site.

    Reply
    • Cass says

      May 4, 2016 at 3:58 pm

      Dutch doors for EVERY room! 🙂 We’d love to see pictures when you’re done!

      Reply
  19. Chery says

    May 27, 2016 at 8:12 am

    In the pictures it looks like the top half of door is a taller than bottom half. Is that the case? If so, how did you estimate the dimensions for the bottom, it appears to be height is same as width from instructions. I bought the wood yesterday and I am getting ready to cut….

    Reply
    • Cass says

      May 27, 2016 at 5:37 pm

      Hi Chery,
      The plans for the bottom half are here, since it started as a baby gate: https://www.remodelaholic.com/2012/09/diy-barn-door-baby-for-stairs/

      Those plans can be adjusted for whatever height you’d like the top and bottom to be.

      Reply
  20. Lisa Peterson says

    November 13, 2016 at 9:41 pm

    Made this today for my front porch entry.for maybe $10.00 using old pallets and 2×4’s. I’ll be painting it to match the exterior house and trim.
    I have chickens that come onto the porch and if I leave door open come in….eeeek…..built this not only to keep them out but the dogs and grand babies safely on porch. It’s absolutely beautiful with my homestead/farm. Thank you for tutorial.
    Did I mention I am new to wood working and this is my first ever project? Was not hard to read or understand directions and only took 90 minutes. I look forward to many more projects like this.
    Lisa P
    Northern California

    Reply
    • Cass says

      November 15, 2016 at 1:13 pm

      Thank you so much for leaving us a comment, Lisa! What a smart solution for your situation and we’re so glad you found the tutorial helpful. You can send us a picture here (https://www.remodelaholic.com/share-brag-post/) or at [email protected] — we’d love to see your work!

      Reply
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Hey there, I am Cassity! Nice to virtually meet you!

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