The barn door has existed in one form or another ever since humans first began using agriculture and farming to sustain themselves and finally produce more than they needed to generate profit or barter products. A barn door is typically a smaller access point within a larger one that allows people to enter their barns without opening the bigger door and risking livestock wandering out.
Borne of convenience and practicality, the barn door has seen rises and falls in popularity through the ages, not just in outdoor farming buildings but also in residential ones. A recent resurgence in their popularity is not difficult to fathom, as barn doors perfectly balance simple convenience and attractive, statement-making aesthetics.
Typically, barn doors are created using a rail above the doorway. The wooden door is then suspended from this by metallic batons with rollers that sit in the rail, allowing the door to slide open and close easily. Their original design was one of pure practicality, and very little thought was given to their appearance, but times have changed, and those once basic entrances have become a symbol of chic, modern styling.
As tastes changed and a growing appreciation for more rugged, rustic materials blossomed, the barn door found itself being used in a wide range of commercial and residential settings. Once favoured for their simplicity, convenience, and practicality, designers and trendsetters began to view the raw, rugged nature of these wooden doors as a feature to be highlighted and used to enhance both interior and exterior spaces.
One fantastic feature of barn doors is their ability to have almost any appearance and be customised to fit any doorway. From the ultra-modern minimalism of penthouse apartments to the cosy, traditional vibes of converted cottages, the barn door effortlessly fits into each scenario.
In compact rooms and residences, maximising the available space is one of the best ways to give a greater sense of space and increase functionality. Sliding barn doors are unrivalled in this endeavour and require no clearance space in front of the doorway as hinged doors do. It should be noted that any sliding door requires a space of at least its own width to slide into, so doorways with no adjacent wall space are not suitable. However, traditional swinging doors made from appropriately-styled wood can still achieve the desired aesthetic.
Nothing has a more significant influence on the smooth operation of your barn door than the mounting and alignment of the track. Ensure perfect form and function with the following tips:
Beyond their unrivalled practicality and style for room entrances, barn doors are the perfect choice to divide a space stylishly. Open-plan areas can be compartmentalised for privacy when required or opened up into welcoming communal spaces. Separating the kitchen from the living area might be helpful if strong cooking smells pervade it or you wish to isolate bedrooms from their adjoining en suite bathrooms.
For spaces that require maximum accessibility and ease of passage, sliding barn doors are second to none. With a smooth sliding action that makes them feel almost weightless, they can be opened easily by anybody and are great for wheelchair users. As the door does not need perpendicular clearance, the chair can be as close as necessary to the door and not prevent it from sliding open or closing.
Inspecting the track regularly is the key to ensuring barn doors are safe and secure. It must be firmly attached to the wall, and the rollers must be seated correctly. Stiff, jerky movements when sliding the door may be due to blockages in the track, so be sure to check carefully and remove them. Depending on the type of rollers used, it may be helpful to facilitate the smooth action of the bearings with a spritz of appropriate lubricant now and then.
If you would like to learn more about Rock Solid Doors and our exceptional range of products and installation services, please do not hesitate to contact us today. Our representatives are ready to assist you however they can and offer all the advice, guidance, and information you need. We cover all of London and the Home Counties, and all our prices include the following:
Graham Kidd2 November 2023100% recommend Paul and Harry a great father and son team! I'm so pleased that we used them to supply and fit our new front door. Straightforward to deal with from start to finish and communication throughout was excellent. They are extremely knowledgeable and were able to offer advice and suggestions when we were choosing the door we wanted. Nothing was rushed during the installation with great attention to detail. They took away our old door and frame and left everything clean and tidy at the end of the job. Thank you, Harry, for taking the time to go through everything with us at the end of the job, much appreciated. I would not hesitate in using Paul and Harry again. Thank you both so much, we are so pleased!
Andrew Brant30 October 2023Had a door fitted today. Extremely happy with the quality of the finish, attention to detail. Left site clean and tidy. Very impressed. Would highly recommend
Daniel Ashworth6 October 2023Had a door fitted by these very friendly chaps about 18 months ago. We're very happy with it. When an issue arose with the mechanism, they came out and fixed it in about 5 minutes and it's as it if is brand new again. Very pleased, would highly recommend.
L Edwards2 October 2023Communication with Paul was faultless throughout. He was polite, knowledgeable and efficient. Harry and Paul installed our new door, problem solving along the way. The finish was neat and tidy and they offered us excellent after sales service aswell. Would highly recommend.
Susie22 September 2023Highly recommend. We had our front door fitted by this lovely team. They were friendly, helpful, willing to listen to me debate options and provided helpful advice for choosing the right door for us. When he had a slight issue (no fault of their own) they came out to us the very next day and sorted it. Such a good supplier to work with!
Ed Barkham21 September 2023Brilliant service. No hidden costs or fees and no heavy sales tactics. Very open and clear from the start, and they worked really hard to fit a great new door in our thinner than average doorway! Great value and great result. Will be recommending to all.
fiona richards10 September 2023Highly recommend Rock Solid doors. We have used this friendly family company several times and have recommended them to others who have been equally impressed with the high standard of work and the product. We have received quick service and found them to be very reliable knowledgeable with no hard sell. The installations have been carried out professionally and they go the extra mile to ensure you are happy with everything. The external doors are robust and we are impressed with the quality of the product.
James Cooper24 July 2023Faultless customer service from a fantastic company to do business with. From start to finish it’s been a pleasure buying composite doors from Rock Solid Doors – in fact, we were so impressed with the front door and installation service they provided (we opted for a Solidor Ludlow 2 with 2 x fully glazed side lights) that we got them back to supply our utility door (Windsor Solidor – fully glazed) shortly afterwards. Paul dealt with our initial queries promptly, came to measure on site and provided a competitive quote very efficiently. These guys are first-rate craftsmen and know their stuff: evidenced by working around a couple of quirky construction issues without any problem – leaving us really impressed with the end product. It’s great to come across a local business that takes pride in what they do, going the extra mile for customer satisfaction – we cannot recommend Rock Solid Doors highly enough! Thank you Paul and Harry!
Simon Gould25 June 2023Brilliant service from Paul at Rock Solid; our letter box seal had gone causing a slight leak - he responded immediately, attended this week and fixed with a new gasket. Would highly recommend the product and the service.
Lidia Duncan16 June 2023I ordered my Vogue Rock door with the Ocean glass from Rock Solid Doors at the end of 2021. I had a number of criteria when searching for my new entrance door. It’s ability to insulate had to be A rated. I also wanted it to have a good quality locking mechanism that is smooth in action. My new door needed to be modern with a pane that lets plenty of light in and thus goes lower than the half line on the door, while leaving sufficient height for the letter box, so it is sufficiently high to be comfortably reached by our postman. The Vogue Rock door provided all that and more. I love sailing and the Ocean glass design evokes the lines of a sail in a beautifully minimalistic fashion. It also makes the door look unique, which is always a bonus. During my search for the perfect door I had lots of technical questions too. Only Paul and his colleague from Rock Solid Doors were able to answer all my questions and provide a door that offered what I was looking for. They supplied and fitted my new door in early 2022. My heating bill has gone down noticeably, as a result. With the golden oak wood grain on the outside, my door looks beautiful and elegant. Everyone who comes to the house for the first-time comment on it. The multi-locking mechanism has a smooth action and it is easy to use. The white wood grain on the inside finishes off the hallway like a designer window and door in one. Paul and his colleague went out of their way to make sure that I have the door and the finish just, as I wanted and that it worked seamlessly there on. We could not be happier. Thank You!
