The decision to replace the shutters between our Guest Bedroom and our Great Room with a sliding barn door was simple. The implementation thereof was considerably more complex.
We selected reclaimed barn wood purchased at a local hardwood store. The wood was, presumably, some type of cedar and was very user friendly; no cracking from KREG screws and cut / glued very well. We did have to run the stock through the joiner first, however, as the edges were weathered, warped & gouged. We didn’t sand or finish the wood in any manner and it looks exactly as it did when it was part of a standing barn.
The significant challenge for this project was joining the planks together. Many of the boards were cupped and of varying thicknesses. Rather than use a surface planer, we decided to go for the “very rustic” look. We selected planks and their respective locations based on color and the pattern of how the knots were placed.
We used TITEBOND No-Drip glue, which is typically used for molding. While it is stronger than TITEBOND II but not as strong as TITEBOND III, it is much easier to work with. Since we didn’t intend on sanding / finishing the wood, we didn’t want to use a glue that was too runny. Reclaimed barn wood is very porous and excess glue would quickly inter-digitate with the wood. Excess TITEBOND No-Drip glue was easily removed, once in a doughy state, with the gentle scrape from a sharp wood chisel.
It took us over 6 hours to join the 8 planks as we were very careful in plank positioning so as not to shoot KREG screws through the front. Since plank placement was so crucial, we used pipe clamps and each board was individually clamped and screwed as opposed to trying to do several at one time. Much to our delight, 1 ½” course thread KREG screws had impressive purchase. The frame was glued and secured w/ ROCKLER 1 ½” finishing screws that have a 3/16th fine thread which countersink easily as the thread is wider than the head.
The dimensions are 51” (x) 46.5” and 2” thick at the frame. It took us 30 hours to build and hang. The final cost was about $550 ($300 – wood / $250 - hardware) which is much less expensive than the $1500 - $4000 price range seen on the internet.
This was not a particularly difficult project, but did require patience and some luck along the way. If a barn door is of interest to you, the savings in cost is well worth the effort.
We finished off the room using scrap wood for picture frames.
Comments
Hmccarty
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 12:07
Beautiful!
I love your finish on this piece. :)
spiceylg
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 12:15
Beautiful
Beautiful build and finish. Love all of your decor. So cozy and pretty.
REASMOM
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 13:54
This is beautiful!
Love this piece, very nice!
carriesty
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 14:34
Thank you all for your
Thank you all for your comments! It means a lot to me. ;-)
timberandsoul
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 21:30
The finish
Great job on this piece! Can you explain in detail about how you achieve that finish and the aged look?
Thanks
carriesty
Wed, 12/03/2014 - 22:19
Finish on the Aged Aqua Cabinet
Hi Timberandsoul -
I'd be glad to share it with you.
I first stained the cabinet using Minwax Provincial. I lightly sanded it (220 grit) and then put small amounts of vaseline on a few of the edges and in places where natural distressing takes place. This ensured that my peice would look more authentic. The vaseline prevents the paint from sticking to the stain and gives it an aged look. Then the fun started.... I mixed 3 different paint colors and applied them to all the pieces expect the top piece. Here are the colors I used: Beh;r Song Bird, Ralph Lauren; Reservoir Blue and Americana Decor Chalk Paint in Tresor. After it dried, Ilightly sanded it again and then applied Annie Sloan clear and dark wax. It was a long process, but definitely worth it. The top piece is stained using Minwax Provincial.
I hope this helps. Thanks for leaving me a comment.
handmadewithash
Fri, 12/05/2014 - 12:09
LOVE the finish! Excellent
LOVE the finish! Excellent choice of colors and I really love the door handles :) I've been nervous about painting a console I'm working on, but this gives me confidence that it should turn out well :)
kmkare
Fri, 12/05/2014 - 16:27
Gorgeous!!!
Is there any way you could post the build steps? I love this cabinet, but I am a beginner. You did such a great job!
In reply to Gorgeous!!! by kmkare
carriesty
Tue, 12/09/2014 - 14:35
Aged Teal Cabinet Modified Plans
Sure, I'd be happy to. I should have it for you in a few days.....;-)
Ana White
Mon, 12/08/2014 - 13:06
Beautiful!! Love the finish
Beautiful!! Love the finish and great tree too!!
Ana White
Mon, 12/08/2014 - 13:06
Beautiful!! Love the finish
Beautiful!! Love the finish and great tree too!!
NicoleSlack
Wed, 12/10/2014 - 05:07
This is so beautiful
This is so beautiful
NicoleSlack
Wed, 12/10/2014 - 05:11
I am wondering how you were
I am wondering how you were able to achieve that finish. Directions would be so awesome.
carriesty
Wed, 12/10/2014 - 13:28
Using Vaseline to Distress Aged Aqua Cabinet
http://ana-white.com/node/13613
carriesty
Wed, 12/10/2014 - 13:34
Using Vaseline to Distress Aged Aqua Cabinet
Hi!! Happy Wednesday. I posted plans on how I achieved this finish on Ana's website:
http://ana-white.com/node/13613 and on my new blog. www.27knockoffs.com. Hope you enjoy.
Ana White Admin
Thu, 12/11/2014 - 11:40
Thanks for sharing!
We really appreciate you sharing all the details!
VRColeman
Sun, 01/11/2015 - 10:57
Light dividers
How did you do the light dividers on the doors?