Need help installing barn door... pictures

[bpatters69]

Hello All,

My wife wants me to install a barn door in our bedroom for our master closet. There are a quantity of 5, 3/8 x 4" lag bolts that I need to install to attach the barn door support bar. Moving from left to right as you face the wall, the first two lag bolts will be installed in metal studs which are directly above the doorway. Please see the attached picture. Bolts 3 - 5 will be installed in wood studs. As additional information, there will be a spacer between the wall and the barn door support bar and the wall which will allow the door to roll up and down the support bar on wheels.

I know I cannot use lag bolts for the first two bolts because they are going into metal studs. I really do not want to have to cut into the dry wall but if that is the only option, I will.

The piece of plywood is a temporary support to hold the support bar in place.

Thanks, Bill

[BobW]

How about drilling #1&2 all the way through to the inside of the wall in the closet, and then use 6" bolts fastened on the back side with nuts and fender washers.

[bpatters69]

How about drilling #1&2 all the way through to the inside of the wall in the closet, and then use 6" bolts fastened on the back side with nuts and fender washers.

Thank you Bob. That is an interesting idea. The closet doorway at the top is about 5 1/2" wide.

[Bob10]

I don't know the weight of the door you are installing but I will guess a bit heavy due to your concern.  I would cut the drywall inside the closet and install blocking.  As for the patch replace drywall, paint and if that isn't acceptable install a larger piece of trim 
  The wall exposed to the room can be left intact

[Roly]

I don't know the weight of the door you are installing but I will guess a bit heavy due to your concern.  I would cut the drywall inside the closet and install blocking.  As for the patch replace drywall, paint and if that isn't acceptable install a larger piece of trim 
  The wall exposed to the room can be left intact

Sounds like the correct plan to me.   Roly

[Stwood_]

I don't know the weight of the door you are installing but I will guess a bit heavy due to your concern.  I would cut the drywall inside the closet and install blocking.  As for the patch replace drywall, paint and if that isn't acceptable install a larger piece of trim 
  The wall exposed to the room can be left intact

+1

[bpatters69]

I don't know the weight of the door you are installing but I will guess a bit heavy due to your concern.  I would cut the drywall inside the closet and install blocking.  As for the patch replace drywall, paint and if that isn't acceptable install a larger piece of trim 
  The wall exposed to the room can be left intact

Thank you all for the suggestions. Much appreciated.

Bob,

You seem to have the most popular answer. I want to make sure I understand what you are saying. Step 1 is to cut out the drywall (on the inside of the closet) as shown in the picture below with the red triangle. I may have to remove the metal studs and replace them with wood because I already drilled the holes in the Barn Door Support bar. My other thought was to install a 3/4" piece of wood first and then install the support bar in the 3/4" piece of wood. I would have to install another stud/blocking so I could attach the 3/4" piece of wood. When you say "blocking" i assume you are talking about wood structure.

Thanks, Bill

[brianwelch]

Hello All,

My wife wants me to install a barn door in our bedroom for our master closet. There are a quantity of 5, 3/8 x 4" lag bolts that I need to install to attach the barn door support bar. Moving from left to right as you face the wall, the first two lag bolts will be installed in metal studs which are directly above the doorway. Please see the attached picture. Bolts 3 - 5 will be installed in wood studs. As additional information, there will be a spacer between the wall and the barn door support bar and the wall which will allow the door to roll up and down the support bar on wheels.

I know I cannot use lag bolts for the first two bolts because they are going into metal studs. I really do not want to have to cut into the dry wall but if that is the only option, I will.

The piece of plywood is a temporary support to hold the support bar in place.

Thanks, Bill

What I have done in a plaster situation is cut back the plaster back to the wood studs and installed/screwed in layers of plywood (leaving it a scootch low) and taped/spackled the entire area, to blend it back in... Been over 5 years and no telegraphing of the joint has occurred

[KC]

Happy wife, happy life... but is there a(nother) compelling reason to replace the door that was already there with the other?

[Roly]

Wondering why they would install metal studs just over the doorway.  Seems like this would be a lot more work than a couple of 2x4's when the rest of the wall is wood.  Roly