Did you know that the current trend of smaller homes is making it so each home has fewer doors? With a lower number of doors, we need to pick what sort of entrances we desire carefully. Interior barn doors have picked up in popularity over the years to address this.
But what is it about sliding barn doors that makes them effective? If you’re interested in barn door installation, we’re happy to help guide you. Read on to learn the benefits of the best barn doors for your home.
1. Rustic Chic
One of the first benefits you’ll see is the rustic chic appearance that these doors can give. Many expect that a barn door is precisely as it sounds. Some anticipate a barn door to give an outsdoorsy, farm-like appearance.
Instead, barn doors give a chic, open feeling to a room. The sliding door rarely feels like it’s locking anything off and can make your home feel roomier.
The appearance of the doors aims for a more chic, modern appearance rather than farm-like. Don’t let the name deceive you!
2. Saving Space
Have you ever had to squeeze down a hallway to accommodate a door that swings outward? These issues sound minor on paper, but once you’re dealing with the problem, they present a massive headache.
Outward-swinging doors can restrict the decorations you can put in your hallway. Swinging inward, they’ll require clearance so that you can easily swing them open.
A barn door moves horizontally on barn door hinges. As a result, they save room and are easier to navigate. The best barn doors don’t take up any extra room.
3. Easier Functionality
We rarely think of doors as being difficult to use. In the average home, there are few features that are easier to use than a door. But that doesn’t mean there’s no benefit to using a barn door over a standard door.
Barn doors are made from lightweight materials that keep them easy to open and close. If you’ve had to carry a child to bed or open a door with your hips, you understand how great an easy-to-open door is.
Narrow corridors or small homes feel much larger thanks to these doors. There are few simple replacements you can make that will add as much functionality and ease to your home as a barn door.
4. Simple Installation
Speaking of installing, barn door installation is exceptionally easy. The task is easy enough that most people DIY the project.
The first thing you’ll need to do is ensure that you have enough room on your wall for the installation. With enough room, you’ve completed every prerequisite to installing a barn door!
Conventional doors need close measuring and are difficult to maneuver into doorways. They’ll require a large frame, properly drilled holes, and more.
Barn door hardware is installed on a rail that either you or a professional can quickly complete. Best of all, if you decide you want a different style of door, you can easily switch them.
Conversely, replacing a traditional door is more difficult. You’ll need to measure the area and ensure the new swing space doesn’t affect your layout.
5. Versatile Decoration
With how easy they are to swap off the rails, it’s no shock that barn doors offer versatile designs. These doors come in a wide array of designs and sizes that can fit any doorway.
Traditional barn doors are one sliding door on a track above the doorway. If this doesn’t fit your desires, you can use double-door configurations that give two doors. These doors will slide shut in the center, moving equal distances.
You can keep these on the same rail or install two perpendicular rails that meet each other. If you prefer, you can have them on two parallel rails to close in the position you find best. These doors are referred to as bypass doors and are best for small spaces.
Larger doorways such as those between main rooms of a home are the perfect spot for such large doors. Bypass barn door hardware is more effective for spaces like closets or pantries.
Whatever style of door you pick, you have a plethora of options. Decide on what best fits your needs and feel free to mix and match.
6. Handicapped Accessibility
Few of us design homes and interiors with the intent of making them more handicapped accessible. However, if you need heightened mobility or are designing a home to resell, this is a critical feature.
Standard doors are difficult for people with mobility issues to work with. If your hands are lacking some function, doorknobs and pushing doors open pose a challenge. Should you spend most of your time at home in a wheelchair, reaching for the handle is inconvenient.
Barn doors are significantly easier to move and navigate. You can view these double swinging hinges for a better idea of the heightened mobility that these doors can provide.
When you’re reselling your home, you can tout this improved accessibility. Make sure you’re installing barn door hardware that isn’t difficult to maneuver!
7. Sound Dampening
The final benefit to discuss is the sound dampening effects of sliding barn doors. Some people expect this to be the opposite. How can the doors dampen sound if they don’t always fully close?
Barn doors are often made of thicker materials since their railing guides them. When flush with the wall, they’re better at blocking sound than standard doors.
Standard doors have extra space below, above, and beside the door. You can install sound-dampening liners to sliding doors to help your doors block as much sound as possible.
Benefits of Interior Barn Doors
Interior barn doors are a great decoration that will improve function, spaciousness, and handicapped accessibility. They provide excellent sound dampening and are customizable to your preferences.
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