Today we will show you how to add a lock to a barn door. This was a major concern of ours and we are very pleased how it turned out! Remember this little gem of a bathroom?
It was quite the undertaking, and we still can’t believe it looked like this last spring. But good bones and such, because ugly ducklings turn into beautiful swans.
Or some other analogy here that sounds really good.
The old bathroom door opened up awkwardly into the space, blocking the closet on the inside. So this time, for the new door, we actually ended up building a barn door and placing it on the outside to save space.
We considered a pocket door, but the wall space was limited for the project since underneath this wall is a staircase to our {still not finished} basement. And above on the other side of the wall, was a closet. It was complicated. So not only was the barn door our simple go-to, practical solution for this one, it also adds a lot of character.
How to build a barn door.
So barn door it was. Here’s the step by step on how to build it, here.
We were so close to the wire with moving in, the doors were actually being installed on move-in day. We were moving boxes past some trim guys while they were installed since we needed a door on our bathroom. Because of that, we were then immediately buried in boxes for a while, and there was a little finessing that needed to take place with the finished door, that wasn’t completed until this last week.
It wasn’t a major issue for us, in our immediate family. We have a rule that if the door is closed, someone is occupying it. So that worked in the meantime. But there was a definite lack of privacy when guests came over and needed to use the facilities.
how to add a lock to a barn door
So, despite the fact that the doors were in tact and looked amazing, there was no real finished look to them, and they certainly didn’t lock.
Also, there was a giant gap on the sides with the door closed, due to the nature of how barn doors work with trim work, in the house. That meant that people could actually see into the bathroom, if they really wanted. Or even if they weren’t creepers, and just heading up the stairs… It was unfortunate.
So the biggest question we received from this makeover was, how do you lock your bathroom door?! And… the second most asked: Is there that much privacy?
Yes, now that we finished them. I successfully over-explained our situation so that you now know why it took us so long. We have some solutions we wanted to share today, if you were following along with how to build a barn door.{another tutorial, here} . So here’s how to add a lock to a barn door.
We absolutely love artisan hardware for all things barn door hardware sources, and barn doors.
They’re the best. We actually used their hardware to hang said doors throughout the house. And while we’re at it, the’yre also offering all our readers 10% off your entire cart by using the code handmadehome at checkout.
Here’s how we remedied both of these things with the bathroom door… We’re adding them to the closet doors, too.
how to add a lock to a barn door – flushed handle
We were so glad to grab up a great flushed handle from Artisan Hardware, along with one of their tear drop latches. Sometimes, when working with an existing house, you have to make adjustments based on the canvas you’re given. We needed a recessed handle because of the framing on our door.
While this handle can also go directly into a barn door with a little routing, we decided to place it on a piece of wood, and mount it to the existing barn door. This was to make it work with our framing. #rehabproblems
how to add a lock to a barn door – handle cut out
To begin, we grabbed a piece of wood – we literally have enough left lying around that it prevents most trips to the store these days. The piece we used was a 1 x 10 and we cut it down to about 8 inches, but you can vary that based on your handle and lock, just make sure the handle fits!
With our wood in hand, we simply traced the outline of the handle so we would know what to cut.
Cutting
Don’t you like our straight line cuts?
we were a little lazy here, but we figured it didn’t matter because none of this would show, and the router with a bit already in it was literally 2 feet away – so why look for other tools?
I digress.
But to make this cut, we simply used a router to vaguely cut the shape we needed. Side note: If you are setting the handle directly in the door, a router (with the correct bit, etc.) would also be the best tool. However, if you are adding the piece post-installation like us, you could also use a drill to bore a hole and then a jig saw to cut the outline for more straight lines. Just bore a hole at all four corners, for easier cuts.
Installing
Once you have your hole cut, simply paint the piece and attach the handle.
Then we used a little glue and our nail gun to secure it in place, and finished it off with a little wood putty.
The lock is even easier with a few simple screws – you can attach it without any cuts. It’s helpful to have an extra pair of hands, but not necessary.
When you mount the latch to the side of the doorway, it literally acts as a lock for the door.
Isn’t the design oh-so-clever?
And back to that privacy situation: {AKA step two of what we did to alter the door} We also added two strips of wood to the outsides of the door, that overlap the actual door oh so slightly, and close in that gap where it meets the trim. That way, when you’re coming upstairs, you can no longer see through the mirror to the person exiting the shower.
So potentially awkward, even though the kiddos are the only ones using this bathroom.
This is a simple process involving a 1 x 3 x 8 for our door. We measured the height we needed to match, and also the width from the edge of the door – to the edge of the frame, and took off 1/4 off an inch, to make sure there was no scraping of the door to the frame. Then we cut the pieces to size, painted them, applied a little glue to the edge of the door, and nailed them in place.
Also, the doors definitely look more finished off this way.
privacy at last!
Tada! Privacy and locks on the doors.
We hope this helps answer any of your questions. It’s all in the details.
We love Artisan Hardware’s clever designs.
Don’t miss their coupon – the’yre offering all our readers 10% off your entire cart by using the code handmadehome at checkout.
We hope you have an amazing day!
Rita Joy says
Thank you so much for your great explanation on both locks and privacy for barn doors. I’ve been wondering about both of those issues. Your solutions are absolutely beautiful. Thank you for your beautiful inspirations. Reading your posts is part of my daily morning routine. Thanks!!:)
ashley @ the handmade home says
Thank you so much for your sweet words and stopping by! We hope it helps! ;}
Rochelle says
The privacy issue prevented me from putting a barn door on our guest bathroom when we built our house. I wonder with your solution: can you hear what’s going on in the bathroom? do odors and steam escape to the rest of the house? A barn door would still be perfect for my guest bathroom, if these two issues are addressed. I love the way it looks!
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! No odors or steam here with the old configuration – but the new one just sealed the deal. Literally. The doors are also solid wood so they hide more sound than our others in the house. The new little “end cap” additions on each side of the door helped tremendously. They’re definitely not your typical door and each house is different, but these other items you listed with our design shouldn’t be an issue. ;} Hope that helps!
michelle says
I have ONE bathroom in my house (hello Southern California) and I’d like to use all the space possible so I thought a barn door would be great but everyone is talking me out of it. Would you suggest the barn door? Do you you know..hear stuff or is the door pretty flush against the trim etc?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hey! The door is pretty flush against the trim – especially with the new changes we made. Before we made said changes, if that was a concern, I would say not to as well. But now that we’ve made the changes, it’s more private than our other doors in the house because it has the trim that is flush, and the door is also made of solid wood. I hope that helps!
Cheryl says
Love the barn door design! Such creative ways to customize it for a bathroom. I want a barn door in our house now!
Teri Smith says
Could you send a close up picture of the trim you added? also was it added to the actual door? I had one installed this week and I am looking for a remedy for the gap.
Jamin Mills says
The only remedy to cut the trim close enough to the door framing, but you will most likely not achieve and complete closed fit without putting some type of rubber stripping on it.
Deisi says
Can I buy the locks for the barn door?
ashley @ the handmade home says
Hi! check them out here
HorseWeb says
Thank you for the article! Now I know for sure that I want a barn door in my new home, and it should fit perfectly into my farm house.
Christine says
I realize I’m very late to the party, but wanted to tell you how nice your bathroom looks. I’m picking up privacy locks for pocket doors and these Artisan Hardware pieces look beautiful.
I realize you’re done, but if you think outside the box — and have the space — you can always build a pocket door’s pocket on the outside of a wall. That’s what I did for my garage/mudroom access. The wall is load bearing, so I didn’t want to cut into it. I just built a 2×6 pocket, hung my track, and Boom! Pocket Door. And now it’s getting a lock.
Thanks again for a really well explained post and hardware referral!
Jane Oliver says
Installing a slider lock is easy because all you have to do is set the lock on the track and tighten the screws. This type of lock’s major benefit is that it will allow you to lock your sliding door when it is opened.