Ryan Canedy : DIY Barn Door Window Treatment

This barn door window treatment plays off the current barn door trend in home decor. Kristen Whitby of Ella Claire Inspired came up with this cute idea for her boys’ bedroom, but it could work in any number of rooms where you’d like to add some character and privacy.

Follow along as Kristen shows how she created her barn door window treatment.

DIY Barn Door Window Treatment

When I designed a little room makeover for my boys, I wanted to incorporate a unique and masculine window treatment. It had to serve two purposes: add character to the space and function to block the hot afternoon sun that pours into the room during their naps.

I loved the look of the barn doors that I have seen trending in home decor and thought it would be a fun way to incorporate them in this space by hanging a shorter version over the windows. I am so thrilled with how this barn door window treatment project turned out!

If you decide to build this project, you will need to customize your door measurements to fit your window, but I will give you the general tutorial for how I designed mine. The process will be the same for most standard sized home windows.

Please also note- I chose materials to be lighter weight, but the hardware supports heavier and larger doors. You can adjust your material width and weight according to package instructions.

Materials

2 sheets of sanded birch plywood, cut to the size of your doors
Trim pieces cut to outline door and create “X” if desired (I used MDF)
Wood glue
Brad nail gun and brad nails
2 Barn door hardware kits (mine is in stock in Home Depot stores, but they have many available online to choose from)
1 Track connector (sold right next to track kits)
Various tools according to package instructions

Step 1: Cut the Wood and Secure Them in Place

First I cut all of my board pieces to size, then I used wood glue and brad nails to secure them in place.

I chose to add this X pattern to add a little extra charm, but you could be as simple or ornate as you would like when trimming out your doors. This barn door window treatment project is a great opportunity to be creative with the design of your space.

Step 2: Paint and Install Hardware

I painted my barn doors using some old trim paint I had in my garage and let it dry thoroughly before installing the barn door hardware.

Don’t forget to read the instructions that come with the hardware before beginning your project. I adjusted the measurements of the hardware instructions a little to accommodate the smaller doors.

Step 3: Hang the Barn Door Window Treatments

I installed a 2 x 4 x 10 ft. stud over the window to hang my barn doors. This pulled the doors away from the wall enough to keep them from hitting the window sill.

You should pre-drill the holes for the steel track before hanging the 2 x 4 stud. I didn’t do that and regretted it.

I had a friend cut my barn door tracks down by a few inches to better fit the space, so please note that the tracks are typically longer than shown here. Follow package instructions to install track to the stud.

I left off the track that goes at the bottom of normal size doors. The doors run behind my sons’ beds and a dresser that goes in between, so they didn’t really need a bottom guide.

Hanging the doors on the track was my favorite part of course. I love how they turned out!

They somehow make the room look larger, too. You can check out the full room makeover here. The doors add so much character and charm to an otherwise plain room.

This project ended up being easier than I thought it would be, and the hardware wasn’t too difficult to install with a little careful patience. I highly recommend installing a set of barn doors (or window doors) in a room in your home. I smile every time I pass their room.