I'm considering making painted barn doors for my wife's office instead of buying pre-made ones. We're looking at needing two 42"x96" doors and one 36"x96" door. There are two styles available online: one from Wayfair for $500 that has some visible screw holes, and another from Amazon for $700 that has received some complaints about warping. I do have the tools and skills to build them myself, and I'm leaning towards using 1/2" MDF for the base, as well as potentially incorporating plywood. However, I want to know which material would be more stable and less prone to warping. Is MDF or plywood the better choice for durability and ease of work? Also, can I achieve a clean shiplap appearance with plywood and is it necessary to use brad nails for attaching the MDF design or can I just use adhesive?
6 Answers
Seriously, use fence planks—it's what barn doors originated from! I made some for my mother-in-law and it was both cheap and easy. ?
Unless you really love woodworking, just buy the doors. Trust me, even if making them seems cheaper, when you factor in the time you’ll spend, it might cost you more!
I made a door for my bathroom a few years back using only MDF for the core and trim. It was heavy but way cheaper than buying doors, and it turned out great after sealing and painting!
If you're new to this, I’d recommend buying the doors instead. Getting the look you want might be tricky if you haven't done this before, and MDF and plywood are both pretty challenging for doors.
I used cedar fence pickets for my door and some inexpensive hardware from Amazon; total cost was under $200, and it looks fantastic!
Consider using V groove project panels made from plywood. They’re probably the simplest and cheapest way to get your desired look! Just glue them together or use pine battens if necessary.
Definitely go for V groove panels; it’s the best budget-friendly option!
That's a neat idea! I could frame it out and attach panels to both sides. I might even throw in some MDF pieces for enhanced design and possibly add foam for soundproofing—thoughts?