are barn doors recommended for room entrances?

4 years ago

I'm designing a bedroom with a walk-in closet and attached bathroom. I thought to use barn doors with frosted glass panels. Since they are not fixed at the bottom, would they be too easy to push in? Would they swing back n forth as air pressure changes with HVAC?

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Featured Answer

kudzu9

4 years ago

Air pressure is not likely to be a problem. However, I think that barn doors are past being trendy. I suggest something more timeless, like pocket doors.

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Comments (29)

felizlady
4 years ago
Frosted glass needs to be heavily frosted to provide any privacy for a bathroom. I wouldn’t want barn doors either, because the door isn’t airtight and you won’t have sound privacy either and steam can escape.
You mentioned an attached closet. If you mean that the closet is attached to the bathroom, that is a poor idea because steam and moisture from the bathroom can get into the closet and affect the clothing.
ricardo_d thanked felizlady
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Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
4 years ago
Hi Ricardo,

We LOVE our barn door to our bathroom, no problems. A swing door takes up way too much space in our situation.

The millennials in our building always comment how "cool" our barn door is when they come in.
ricardo_d thanked Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
PRO
JAN MOYER
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
A total fad. Get regular doors or pocket, You can do either with the same look
ricardo_d thanked JAN MOYER
hummingbird678
4 years ago
They are certainly the trend right now. I went to my area's Parade of Homes, and EVERY SINGLE HOME in the parade has them (and yes, in many cases, on the bathroom entrance). Personally, I dislike them - I don't get the same feeling of privacy as I do from a door that closes securely. And they use a lot of wall space - if I have somewhere that won't support a swing door, I'd much prefer a pocket door over a barn door. At least with a pocket door you can still hang artwork, or whatever, on that wall space.

But in the end, it's a personal preference. If you like them, go for it - you certainly won't be alone right now. But also be aware that it's a fad that's likely to pass - so make sure you like them because you TRULY like them, not just because everyone else is doing it.
ricardo_d thanked hummingbird678
PRO
Cawood Architecture, PLLC
4 years ago
I have done them for clients for master bathrooms, but we have talked through the pro-cons. Biggest in the pro category is that with a nice door it becomes a very nice design feature. It is also a way to use a charming antique door (grandma's door from her old cottage or a cool salvage find that may have come from an estate in France) that may be too warped/racked/fragile to be used as a swinging or pocket door. But in the balance they are not very practical over a pocket door. In then end, I tell them to think of it as a large piece of wall art ;)
ricardo_d thanked Cawood Architecture, PLLC
RedRyder
4 years ago
The inability to completely create privacy is a negative. However, if you like them, you can certainly make a design statement with a unique one. I’ve been in hotels that use them for the bathroom and they don’t make me feel like it’s completely closed in.
ricardo_d thanked RedRyder
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
4 years ago
I have pixelated glass doors on all my bedrooms and bathrooms they provide total privacy unless you put your butt up to the door as for barndoors I don’t have an issue in one between the bedroom and bathroom in a master suite but not beween a hallway and a bedroom they also work between closets and bedrooms or bathrooms again in a master suite. They certainly will not move with air currents fron HVAC what I dislike about them is the amount of wall space that need to function so I would always go pocket door if it is possible.
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PRO
HALLETT & Co.
4 years ago
Correctly installed barn doors have a guide at the bottom hidden in a kerf in the door that keeps it from swinging.

All the other listed negatives remain.
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della70
4 years ago
Only room I'd install a barn door is into the hayloft.
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Helen
4 years ago
Are you considering barn doors as a look or because there is inadequate room for a swinging door?

Based on aesthetics, I would say this is a trend that is going to be undesirable in a few years and depending on construction, might cause problems of changing.

Based on functionality, if space is an issue, I would use pocket doors. I have limited space in my master bath and considered pocket doors but because of plumbing, this couldn't be done. I did change the swing of my doors so that the door swings out instead of in which is fine because it swings back against the end of one of my closets which was more or less dead space anyway.

In terms of glass, I used Lamina which is completely opaque but still is much brighter and lighter than a wood door. I had gone to a door store and they used it in their public rest room. Even with the light you couldn't even see a shadow of anyone inside the bathroom.
ricardo_d thanked Helen
biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
4 years ago
I am installing one in my master bath remodel, but only because we weren't able to do a pocket door due to plumbing/electrical constraints, an inswing door takes up too much space and an outswing door was impractical given the layout of the bedroom. I would not have considered one otherwise, and I would never use one in a hall bath where privacy is a larger concern. Our master is ensuite and DH and I leave the door open 99% of the time anyway, LOL.
ricardo_d thanked biondanonima (Zone 7a Hudson Valley)
User
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I've encountered these in boutique hotels many times before and can't stand how much effort it takes to open and close them. they seem heavy and rumble kind of loudly --- bad if you are the type of person who needs to pee in the middle of the night but still wants to close the door. oh, and I've been known to smash my finger when it's dark because I was trying to keep it from slamming loudly, but I couldn't see what I was doing.

and... you can't put furniture or shelving near the doorway.

I would only recommend these for spaces where you only sometimes need to close a door. or in a space where a regular or pocket door absolutely will not work.
ricardo_d thanked User
ricardo_d
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago

Thank you everyone for your comments and ideas. I am concerned about trends and would rather design for long term usage and eventual sale. I am going to use pocket doors for the closet and bathroom entrances. I'll need to check the exterior wall to decide to swap the toilet and shelving. There may not be plumbing in that exterior wall.

I guess Star Trek doors would be too cheesy :P

Felizlady, considering the current design below and using good ventilation and pocket doors, would you still consider this design to be faulty?
Janice jones
4 years ago
My late husband was a contractor. When these doors first became the trend, he just laughed. He said someone got so lazy when asked to install pocket doors that they decided to go the easy route. Because it was someone on TV, people jumped on it. Shiplap and barn doors will date your home. You can walk into someone's home and know exactly when they decorated last. When you install items that need to be done by a professional like those things, it's very expensive to remove when you get tired of them. We actually owned a ranch with a barn. I would never want one or that hardware in my house. It really doesn't coordinate with, or enhance anything other than a barn. And the same thing with shiplap. It destroys your walls and when it's removed, it becomes a very expensive fix. Remember when paneling was a big deal, those funny cone shaped Swedish fireplaces and shag carpeting came with a rake so you could fluff it up? Things that are fads today quickly become the eyesores of tomorrows.
ricardo_d thanked Janice jones
PRO
Cawood Architecture, PLLC
4 years ago
Ricardo-if you do pocket doors make sure to specify quality hardware-Johnson has a heavy duty soft close track that works well and hafele also has nice systems, and accurate or emtek have very nice pulls/locks, though expensive and require mortised installation. Also look into a quality door since a warped or swelled door may not work well-trustile is one of my go-to products, but a solid core Masonite can also work well. Pocket doors are one instillation were quality materials will make all the difference.
ricardo_d thanked Cawood Architecture, PLLC
wacokid
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Cawood is right, pocket doors can be nice, if installed just perfect. We have one in the house we bought, it is okay. A pain to open and it does not open into the framework correctly. Also it separates the kitchen from the dining room so hanging cabinets on the kitchen side was another pain. Nothing wrong with a "barn" door, which the ones you display are in name only. Probably much easier to open and close and like you said, you have to have the room for pocket doors inside the wall. And really, who wants to invite someone over that is going to "date" your home by how you decorate.
User
4 years ago
Janice jones Remember when paneling was a big deal, those funny cone shaped Swedish fireplaces and shag carpeting came with a rake so you could fluff it up?

I have a midcentury house and I wish it came with those things! one person's "dated" is another person's vintage dream. to each their own!
PRO
Cawood Architecture, PLLC
4 years ago
Wacokid- one of my tricks for pocket doors with cabinets on the other side is to use 2x2’s or 2x3’s on the cabinet side to furr the wall out-it also helps with electrical boxes and small plumbing lines.
kudzu9
4 years ago
wacokid-

I've had pocket doors in several of my homes. They were good quality doors and the hardware was heavy duty; never had a problem with them opening or binding or coming off the tracks. The oldest of the doors was originally installed almost 70 years ago and is still working just fine. I suspect that your different experience may have to do with the quality of components used.
felizlady
4 years ago
It will work if you keep the closet doors closed and the exhaust fan gets turned on for five minutes after a shower or bath.
wacokid
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Like I said, they are a pain. And Kudzo, I live in a custom built home, not by me and I am sharing my experience. Bring your own experience up and leave me out of it. You do not know my house....
Janice jones
4 years ago
Wacokid, isn't this a place where people ask for advice and for someone else's personal experience or thoughts on something? Sometimes, when they do, others get angry or defensive because it's different than what they expected or contrary to their thoughts. A discussion needn't get heated. It's just a DISCUSSION. We don't need to agree with each other and we don't need to think alike. Kudzu9 was just responding to you specifically without any malice.

We live in different parts of the country and have different ideas. Decorating styles and choices are frequently embraced by different areas of this country. Some of us plan to live in our homes until we die, and others plan to sell in a few years to upsize or downsize or just to increase our buying power. Some are empty nesters, handicapped or have boatloads of children or pets. And BF is right. We all have our own likes and preferences.

None of us "know your house", but are here to get or give our "asked for" advice. No need to take it personally. It's like people going insane because someone posts in caps, or misspells something, or has a punctuation mishap. We are all different, thank God. Life would be so boring if we all thought and talked and decorated alike. I like reading other people's takes on these things and find it interesting. I think if we all sat down face to face and shared a glass of wine, we'd get along a whole lot better. Have a fabulous week to you all.
wacokid
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I gave my personal experience with pocket doors. Kudzo then claimed my personal experience was an "inferior product". She does not know what is in my house or the product I am using. Like I said, bring up your personal experience and leave mine out of it when you have no idea about mine. That is civility and discussions move smoothly, which is very rare on houzz. People here would be better off just saying they were sorry and moving on instead of rambling excuses...like yours........
hummingbird678
4 years ago
wacokid, a product becomes "inferior" when it doesn't hold up to conditions that others of similar style do. If your pocket door breaks down (by your own admission) in conditions that other pocket doors survive fine - yours is inferior, regardless of price, or brand name, or anything else. A product's true quality is told by its ability to withstand time, which you told us yours couldn't.

It's not an attack on you personally. She (or he, I have no idea) was just stating that there are other products out there that can withstand those conditions. She responded to you because she was contrasting her experiences against yours. It's just a discussion.
wacokid
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
You and kudzo are making my point, not all pocket doors are "that great". Get it? That was my point, some are good and some are not. Mine is not the only "inferior" pocket door. If there is only one type of pocket door that is so good and it works perfectly, then fine, but there isn't. But you and Kudzo are trying to say my pocket door is an exception and the rest of them work perfectly. Mine does not work "that great" that is my experince. Don't take me not thinking pocket doors are "that great" personally....Its just a discussion....
hummingbird678
4 years ago
No one here said yours was the only exception. No one has a problem with you disliking pocket doors. You stated you had a problem with yours, kudzo followed up by saying she had a good experience with hers. That was normal discussion up to that point. But then for some unknown reason you took her response as a personal attack? That's the part where I get confused.

Anyway, not my battle. I'm out.
PRO
RealCraft
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Hey Ricardo! Thanks for posting that picture of our door. We use bottom guides to keep doors aligned so they do not sway back and forth or bump the wall. The most popular style we have is called a C-Guide - check it out here.

We also have laminate glass so the panels are completely private and opaque for a bathroom. You would need to call and special order that type of glass. For privacy, we recommend that a sliding barn door overlaps each side of the frame by 2" and on top by 1". You can use high quality weather stripping around the casing for extra noise dampening.

And lastly, we have pocket door hardware too! We love these systems because they slide like butter and don't come off the track or get jammed. They're super easy to operate with minimal effort. Happy to answer any questions you might have, please let me know if I can help out! -Rejina
gjharris
4 years ago
One additional thought: if you go with pocket doors-get good ones with a quality installation. Pocket door adjustments are difficult once the wall cavity is sealed.

are barn doors recommended for room entrances?

kudzu9

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are barn doors recommended for room entrances?

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