More about Exterior vs Interior Barn Doors

Northshore Barn Doors can handle some exterior projects, depending on the situation, but we typically do not address wood rot or major structural issues. In some cases, we install systems supported by added post-and-beam framing that carries our brackets and rails independently of the building. These systems can be fastened inside jambs or mounted to casing and wall surfaces, making the sliding door assembly removable and largely independent of the structure.

All exterior work is reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

·         We can build door slabs (panels) for pickup and installation by others. For projects requiring hinged doors, we provide slabs only. Exact sizing and hardware clearances must be discussed in advance, and minor woodworking touch-ups to edges or ends may be needed for a precise fit.

·         We can coordinate with your builder or other trades as needed. Email, text, and photos of framing or wall conditions shared in advance can help save time and cost.

·         We can also build and install certain exterior barn door systems, depending on the project.

For most exterior slab-only projects, we use 1-inch-thick, shop-dried aged sawmill pine and seal every edge, cut, and face with a high-quality exterior sealer, available in clear and tinted finishes. Other wood species, including some marine-grade options, may also be available.

Customers often ask about finishes for exterior barn doors used on sheds, outbuildings, barns, and garages. We recommend proven exterior sealers, including long-lasting tinted options. The products we use are typically water-based, and the clear versions are nearly invisible on the wood. To help prevent cupping, we seal every edge, cut, and end, coat both sides of each board before assembly, and apply a final coat to all surfaces once the slab is complete. We typically use a matte finish.

Our Amesbury workshop is stocked with aged pine ranging from 50 to over 300 years old, which reflects our signature style and approach. If you prefer cedar, some species require substantial lead time. For example, red cedar may be easy to source, while white cedar often requires advance notice because availability varies by season and supplier. Board width limits, material costs, and exterior fastening requirements also vary by species.

Some projects require machine planing or additional preparation, but our typical rustic and semi-rustic styles usually do not. Most exterior pine door projects are built from rough-cut stock.

If we need to source a specific wood for your project, it may need time to dry in our workshop or at your site before it is ready for fabrication and installation.

There are several ways to make exterior barn door systems work. Barn doors are typically built wider than the opening and often slightly taller as well. Some systems extend beyond the casing, while others cover the opening but still leave part of the vertical casing visible when closed.

Sliding Barn Door Hardware:

Our premium custom hardware, designed and manufactured in our Amesbury workshop for interior systems, can often be adapted for exterior use. We also create oversized hardware, custom parts, and metal fabrication for a variety of projects. In some cases, we install exterior doors using a similar overall approach to our interior systems, though exterior applications require different methods.

We can also use certain standard barn and outbuilding hardware, including track systems with hidden wheels and other common barn or shed styles. If a building owner provides hardware to match an existing system, we must first assess it for compatibility and condition.

Structural vs. Finish work:

North Shore Barn Doors is not a general contractor.

·         Exterior openings need proper casing and solid framing, including secure wood-to-floor attachment around the entryway.

·         Because our hardware supports sliding door systems, everyone involved should understand where the parts and fasteners will run. We can advise your builder on the placement of trim boards, headers, beams, studs, and similar elements. These systems often require more width and structure than people expect, so please allow time for layout and planning. If a builder adds ledgers or trim to prepare for barn doors, we need to confirm that the setup will work with our installation methods.

·         We can perform minor wall or trim touch-ups and may need to open small areas to confirm there is enough solid wood to support our hardware.

·         Openings and walls for barn doors must be structurally sound. We do not typically use toggles; instead, we rely on lag screws, structural fasteners, engineered materials, and robust metal components suited to supporting large moving doors.

·         We do not typically install valances. If you already have an awning, you likely will not need one. If you want a valance or other trim work, that is usually best handled by a builder or finish carpenter you hire separately.

·         We do not perform major structural work. However, we can create an independent system that fits within your entryway while any required structural modifications are completed by others.

·         Where needed, we can recommend and install fire-rated substrates. If a frame or ledger is added, we can use fire-rated wood as a structural support or concealed mounting element.

·         Permits are the responsibility of the builder, homeowner, or on-site contractor. Interior doors generally do not require permits, though other requirements may apply. We can work as a subcontractor and provide proof of insurance, but we do not currently carry workers’ compensation coverage. We are an insured LLC, and if extra help is needed, we can discuss how to handle that on your site.

More about Project Scope:

Northshore Barn Doors usually prices work by project, though hourly rates may be available for certain jobs.

We have also restored older barn door systems in homes and exterior buildings when the condition and setup are a good fit. If tracks or wheels are loose, doors rub against floors, walls, or trim, or base guides are failing, we can often help. We have completed many barn door repairs throughout New England, often where buildings have shifted over time and hardware needs adjustment or replacement.

In some situations, we can make small adjustments outside our usual scope, especially for customers who have already hired us for interior sliding barn door work. We try to stay focused on our core specialty and do not currently have capacity to expand much beyond it. If you need help with related projects, we may be able to offer recommendations. We can also build shelves for others to install, and we can make beams and mantels, which we may install when we are already on site for sliding door work.

We can repair, refurbish, and repurpose old doors or doors supplied by others, and we have many examples of this work. However, installing store-bought hardware kits and mass-produced doors is not typically our preferred approach. In many cases, the refurbishment required makes it more practical to rebuild the door using our hardware and methods. We can sometimes reuse certain metals or fittings provided by others, but if you have a mass-produced kit, it is often better to return it and let us build a more durable system.

Making a previously installed kit door work properly can add significant cost, and we cannot guarantee another party’s work. If we bring a door to our workshop to reframe or repurpose it, that is a different situation, and we have done that many times.

The Most Important Feature of all Sliding Barn Door Systems:

One of the most important parts of any barn door system is the bottom guide. We offer several adjustable guide styles for both large and small doors, indoors and outdoors. The best type and placement depend on your wall conditions. We can explain the options and tolerances in more detail, especially in New England where walls are often not perfectly straight.

Base guides are essential to every sliding door system we install. We offer two types: hidden and exposed. If you plan to add your own weatherstripping later, you will need the hidden guide. Most of our doors are built with a hidden guide slot in the bottom so that option is available during installation.

Some larger and wider doors (interior or exterior) may require additional guiding systems to prevent wobble.

Weatherstripping: In general, we do not work with these products. After our work is complete, you may source and install them yourself.

In some cases, we can apply garage-style stripping for certain entryways, but we do not typically provide weatherstripping.

If your building has radiant floor heat, we need to know that in advance. Our base guides are usually adjustable L-brackets mounted to baseboard trim or casing near floor level, resting just above the floor, tile, or carpet. In some interior and exterior cases, however, we may need to fasten directly to the floor, so we must know what lies beneath the surface.

Northshore Barn Doors cannot install sliding doors on exterior openings that serve as entryways to dwellings. Code requirements vary, and these systems do not provide the full perimeter sealing needed for residential exterior doors.

We have also developed woodworking methods to reduce the gap between the back of the door and the wall, or between doors in a bypass system. We call this feature “sideboards.” It is one of the details that sets our work apart and helps address the common concern about gaps behind sliding doors.

Exposed brick and exposed cinder block can often be used to mount hardware directly or to support a substrate and ledger or beam. Other masonry surfaces are reviewed case by case. If masonry is covered with strapping, it must be fully exposed and inspected before we attach anything, so we can confirm it is securely fastened to the structure.

For metal stud walls, a ledger or beam must be added, and exact stud locations must be provided. If electrical wiring is near the studs, that must be fully disclosed. Our detectors can identify metal but cannot distinguish between studs and wiring, so we cannot be responsible for striking a concealed wire.

Northshore Barn Doors can work with clear, frosted, and raindrop-style glass. For insurance reasons, we use only laminated or tempered glass. If you or your builder supplies the glass, it must be properly framed and meet safety requirements. We cannot use old windows or non-safety glass, but we can build the frames, make recommendations, and provide batten trim so you can install and finish the glass later.

Sliding barn doors are not typically insulated. To improve privacy, reduce sound and light transfer, and provide more protection from the elements, doors can be built wider, taller, and thicker, and can include our sideboard feature during installation.

Lead Paint = NO!

Please do not ask us to receive, remove, or work with wood that contains lead paint. In rare exterior cases, we have encapsulated lead-painted boards within a sealed assembly so the painted surface is never exposed again. Even so, if wood contains lead paint, the safest approach is to dispose of it properly rather than ask anyone to work with it.

In general, The Barndoorist is proudly unhinged. Here’s what to know:

North Shore Barn Doors does not typically work with hinged swinging doors. We can offer some recommendations, but in those cases we would provide slabs only. Sliding doors are our specialty and core focus.

If you have existing hinged doors, they can sometimes be refurbished and reused. If they are in good condition and need only minor touch-ups, we may be able to build them out to fit over the opening or reduce the opening with added posts and beams so they function properly as sliding barn doors.

Northshore Barn Doors specializes in sliding door systems. We build our own wheel-over-rail hardware and guides so our systems operate smoothly, even when openings are not level or plumb. Because walls and trim are rarely perfectly straight, each installation requires careful on-site adjustment to achieve a clean, reliable fit. That expertise comes from 11 years in business and hundreds of completed projects across the Northeast and beyond. While many people can install store-bought kits, sliding barn doors are our specialty and our focus.

Although many customers ask about other home and business projects, The Barndoorist works within a focused scope, which is described in detail on our website. We invite you to explore our work there and on social media.

Installing a hinged door professionally is challenging and often requires a different mindset, skill set, and level of focus. For that work, it is best to consult an experienced carpenter or builder who regularly installs both standard and specialty hinged doors.

Hinged doors may look simple, but they are difficult to install because they must fit precisely within an opening that is rarely perfectly square or plumb. A sliding barn door, by contrast, hangs over or in front of the opening. With hinged doors, even a small measurement or hinge-placement error can cause binding, dragging, or poor closure.

This work requires extreme precision for several reasons:

Microscopic tolerances: Hinges typically need about 1/8 inch of clearance on all sides, and exterior doors often require more. If the hinge recess is too deep, the door can bind; if it is too shallow, the door will not close flush.

Out-of-square framing: Walls and jambs shift, bow, and settle over time, so the frame often must be carefully shimmed into a true rectangle.

Gravity and weight: Even a slight tilt on the hinge side can cause the latch side of the door to sag or swing open on its own.

Hinge binding: If the hinge pins are not aligned in a perfectly straight vertical line, the door will resist opening and closing.

Natural movement: All buildings shift over time because of settling, temperature changes, and seasonal movement.

Northshore Barn Doors can build wood door slabs for customers to install themselves. Minor touch-ups with a hand planer or similar tool may be needed, but hinge installation is left to the customer. We can also coordinate with builders when installing our sliding door systems.

Setting exterior strap hinges at a slight hinge-binding angle is an old carpenter’s technique used to help pull an outswing door or gate tight against the frame. It works by positioning the hinge knuckle slightly inward.

The angled hinge trick explained

1.     The principle: Instead of mounting the hinge strap perfectly level at a 90-degree angle to the frame, it is set at a slight angle so the barrel tilts inward toward the jamb.

2.     The result: When the door opens, it lifts slightly. When released, gravity helps pull it closed so it sits snugly against the stop, reducing rattling and sagging.

How to Begin Work:

To get started with your exterior door project, whether we are providing slabs only or we are doing more for your project, the best next step is to send photos of the building. Please take straight-on shots from a distance that show the full entryway from the ground to above the opening, along with the wall space on the side where the sliding door would travel. Close-up photos, additional angles, and videos are also helpful so we can assess access for installation and our work trailer. Please show the walls wherever doors will travel to when fully opened. Multiple photos or videos are helpful and welcome.

Even if we plan to visit your site to discuss project possibilities, we need to see what the project is to get our creative mind flowing and think about what works best for everyone.

Again, we invite everyone to look at our website and media for information and ideas.

Thank you!