How to Measure for a Barn Door in Your Home

Breaking Down Custom Barn Door Installation into Simple Steps

Everyone here at Walston Architectural Products is pretty handy with a set of tools. After all, we’re in the business of making handcrafted custom barn doors. If you want to make it in this game, you’ll have to know your way around a wood shop.

That’s how we’re able to make some of the best custom barn doors this city has ever seen. We’re true artisans of woodworking and craftsmanship. No need to take our word for it. Check out some of the past work that we’ve done.

However, just because we’re well versed in the world of barn doors doesn’t mean our customers are. Beyond making the doors, part of our job is helping our customers ensure they’re getting the right door for their space. We’re not just talking about the design and aesthetic of the barn door, but the size as well.

Since we make all of our barn doors by hand here at the shop, that means we’ll need to get measurements from our customers so we know what size of barn door we’re building. It’s a simple job, but a very important one that will dictate the rest of the project.

All you need to do this is a steel tape measure, which you can get at any hardware store for about $10. Here’s how to measure your space for a barn door installation.

Step #1 – Measure the Height

The first measurement we need is the height of your door. To get that, use your tape to measure from the floor up to the top of the trim on the door. If there’s no trim, you can simply measure to the edge of the cased opening.

For your custom barn door, we recommend going with something that’s at least an inch taller than what you just measured.

Step #2 – Measure the Width

Starting with the outside trim on the door, measure across to the other outside trim. If there is no trim, measure the cased opening instead. For your custom barn door, we recommend that your door be 3” wider for door openings with trim and 5” wider for doors without trim.

If you are getting bypass hardware for your custom barn door, we recommend that your doors' combined widths be between 6-8” wider than the opening (trim included) to account for the overlap between the two doors.

Step #3 – Measure from Floor to Ceiling

We need to make sure that your custom barn door is going to have enough room for the hardware, so we’ll need you to take a floor to ceiling measurement. Ideally, you have at least 6” above your door to accommodate the hardware.

Step #4 – Measure Your Wall Space

Since your custom barn door will slide horizontally along the wall, we’ll need to make sure that there’s enough wall space. First, determine if your door will slide to the left or the right. Most people go with whichever side affords them more space, but it’s up to you.

Measure the wall space and make sure to include the door trim in your measurement. It should be at least as wide as the barn door you intend to get installed.

Once you’ve taken this final measurement, you should have everything you need to send over to our team at Walston Architectural Products in Kansas City. If you don’t have a direct contact yet, you can send over your measurements to contact@walstondoorcompany.com and a member of our team will get back with you as soon as possible.

Needing Barn Door Installation Near You? Here Are Your Options

Once your custom barn door(s) are ready, you’ll have three options for shipping. You can either pick them up from our Kansas City shop, have them brought to your home and professionally installed by our team, or you can have them shipped with self-installation instructions.

Please check out our Delivery, Installation, & Shipping page for detailed info on that.

Ready to Shop for Custom Barn Doors for Sale? Walston Architectural Products in Kansas City Makes It Easy!

As the leading custom barn door company near you in the Kansas City area, we’re proud to be able to offer a wide variety of barn door designs and styles made to suit any aesthetic. We carry everything from rustic to modern with tons of customization options. The best way to see what we offer is by checking out our online shop of barn doors.

Want to see our barn doors in person before purchasing? Set up a one-on-one consultation with us at our shop and we’ll be happy to show you around. Our experienced team can help you find the perfect barn door for your home or office.

Have more questions about custom barn doors or the installation process? Contact us directly via our contact form or call us at (816) 726-3841.

We look forward to working with you!