| | |

DIY Sliding French Barn Doors With Custom Fretwork Panels

My DIY sliding French barn doors with the custom circle pattern fretwork panels are finally finished! I got the doors all painted (Behr pure black in a satin finish), added Gila frosted privacy film to the glass, installed the glass in the doors, and got the trim around the doorway wood filled, caulked, and painted.  (I still don’t have baseboards.) 

I finally finished up reinstalling the rolling door hardware and the doors at 11:00 last night, so please kindly overlook my filthy floor that I had neither the time nor the energy to mop last night.  🙂

I don’t know if this is my all-time favorite project, but it’s definitely in the top three.  Here’s how they look!

DIY French doors with circle fretwork panels, installed in inexpensive DIY barn door hardware

I absolutely love how these turned out, but wow…it took a while to get here! Here are the steps I took to make these doors…

1. Install DIY hardware for sliding French barn doors.

This is how these doors looked after I added a “frame” around each door, and installed my DIY rolling door hardware…

DIY rolling barn door style doors with inexpensive hardware

These doors came from my office and our bedroom closet.  I’ll be replacing all of our interior doors, so I wanted to find uses for the old doors I’ll be removing.  I had a total of four 30-inch doors, so I used two of them here, and then I’ll be using two of them on the doorway that I’ll be building between the entryway and the music room.  Those doors will eventually look identical to these sliding French barn doors.

Step 2: Cut out the center of the doors with a Dremel Multi-Max

My final doors are a far cry from my original plan.  I had originally thought I’d just remove the top section and install glass there.

DIY rolling door painted in two shades of yellow from Behr - jackfruit on the left and warm muffin on the right

I had something like this in mind.

Black rolling barn door style doors with six panes of glass of unequal size on top

But something about that design just wasn’t working for me.  It had a very casual country vibe to it, and that just didn’t look right next to my kitchen.  So I proceeded to cut out the entire center part, not quite knowing what the heck I’d do from there.

repurposed old door into french door

Step 3: Make fretwork panels to go inside the cut out portion of the doors.

After searching for inspiration, I finally found the one — these doors from the Palazzo hotel in Las Vegas.

So I set about making my own circle fretwork panels for the sliding French barn doors out of 1/2-inch MDF using a jigsaw.

fretwork panels 1

Step 4: Add trim to finish out the rough edges.

I added trim around the edges of the fretwork panel where it met the cut out opening in the door. I also added trim around the outside edges of the door face where the door met the 1″ x 2″ lumber that I attached around the edges of the doors to make them appear larger.

sliding barn door style french doors - adding trim to the door 3

Step 5: Prime, Paint and Add Glass

And after some primer, paint, glass, frosted window film, and the cutest little peacock pulls I’ve ever seen (oh, okay…they’re the only peacock pulls I’ve ever seen), I ended up here.

DIY French doors with circle fretwork panels, installed on rolling barn door-style hardware

I took that picture last night right when I finished and then proceeded to darken the sunroom even more in my photo editor because frankly, that room and the patio outside currently look like a tornado went through.  I have tools, scrap lumber and trim, old drywall that I ripped off of this wall, and lots of other junk strewn about that I didn’t have time to clean up last night, but I didn’t want to do the final “taaa daaaa” post without showing at least one view of the doors open.  I’ll get everything cleaned up and take a better picture soon.  It’s just too bad that these doors lead into what’s probably the ugliest room in the whole house.  Oh well.  Y’all know it won’t stay that way.  🙂

I forgot to get brass screws for my peacock pulls, so right now each pull is held on by two tiny silver screws.  I’ll get those switched out today.  But aren’t these the cutest things?!  They make me laugh and remind me to not take my decorating quite so seriously.  I bought them on Ebay.

Brass peacock door pulls

The Finished Sliding French Barn Doors

So that’s it!  My finished sliding French barn doors on very inexpensive barn door-style hardware.

DIY French doors with circle frework panels, installed on DIY barn door hardware

Now I have doors that are perfectly suited to sit right next to my kitchen.  And as soon as I can, I’ll take a picture showing the view from the music room where you can see the door and into the kitchen.  They look just right together.

And speaking of kitchen, I suppose it’s time to get back to it now that these doors are finished.  🙂

Helpful sources and products:

Did you see how I made the DIY hardware for barn door-style rolling doors? You can see that here…

If you missed how I made the fretwork panels for the center of these doors, you can see that here…

And if you missed how I trimmed out the doors to give them a finished look, you can see those details here…

Update:

I ended up building bookcases around these doors so that the doors now function more as pocket doors. Here’s a peek at them now…

You can click here to see more pictures of how this turned out…

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

129 Comments

  1. These are AMAZING! I am so impressed by you thriftiness and skill with power tools. This has quickly become my go-to site for inspiration in the morning. Because you are knocking down walls and changing things around, I feel like I can take baby steps to get there too. Can’t wait to see the kitchen finished! Keep it coming!

  2. Kristi, Now that the doors are in place ( and they look amazing, by the way) Would you get the same feeling of substance from a hollow core door?

  3. WOW!!! They are stunning. I remember you writing about the downside of having a small home is that you have so many ideas and not enough space … come to my house … you can do anything you want 🙂 Love, Love the door handles.

  4. I know you are proud of these doors and you should be, they are just stunning!. How much was the total cost of this project if I might ask?

  5. They look awesome! The “elegant but with a dash of whimsy” vibe perfectly matches the kitchen! Those peacock pulls are amazing.

  6. Your doors are lovely! The design is spectacular and the peacock pulls are absolutely perfect! Thanks so much for sharing your tutorials with us. You really give great details and breakdown each job in a manageable way. Your journey has been so much fun to watch and I look forward to each day you blog!

  7. I LOVE the way these tuned out!!! AND the peacock pulls are fantastic!!! I’ll definitely be looking to get a couple for my own living room (which has a peacock motif going) once we get moved!

    Congrats on another amazing project!

  8. You’ve hit another one out of the ball park. I’m in awe of your carpentry skills, and the peacock pulls are delicious (if that’s possible.” Well done and brava.

  9. I am awestruck at your talent. You have great vision. Love, love, love these doors! Can’t wait to see the rest of your projects.

  10. The doors are absolutely beautiful! You constantly amaze me. Is it just me or does the left door pull look crooked? I don’t mean to criticize but i keep looking at it.

    1. The doors are stunning especially given how they started out… but I too thought the pull on the left was not looking quite straight… great job Kristi… you are an inspiration.

  11. Those doors are beyond fantastic! I was skeptical at first….but I swear girl….you perform magic! Everything about them is perfect. You are wonder woman and all that! Congratulations on another job well done.

  12. Now those are what I call “custom” doors if ever I have seen any….they are absolutely gorgeous!! You are such a talented & “fearless” lady….you go where few tend to venture!
    Fantastic work on your home thus far….

  13. WOW! You did such an amazing job! I love that you repurposed doors you already had and made something so elegant out of them!

  14. Amazing Kristi!!! (I can’t believe how late you work into the night!!) The doors are perfection. Only thing I’m wondering about is the height of the pulls…I know they are only on temporarily right now, but can Matt reach them?? They look too high for someone in a wheelchair. Or perhaps Matt has really long arms…if so, please disregard this comment! 😉

    1. I hate to comment on this but I think the door pulls look too high – their placement was the first thing I noticed. Then I took in the rest of the project; it’s fabulous, without a doubt.

      1. I tend to agree. And the one on the left looks slightly angled. I was thinking that this might be because they haven’t been permanently fixed yet. Having said that – what an incredible job!

  15. Kristi,

    These are amazing. Once again, you leave me speechless. I know that you mentioned that your barn door hardware cost $60 and you already had your doors, but will you let us know the total you spent on this masterpiece?

  16. Doors are stunning—but my ‘eye’ immediately felt like the pulls were up too high. I saw where the fretwork design was etc and figured ‘it was just me’. But when I scrolled down to your inspiration page I noticed (again immediately!) that the pulls were mounted lower then the center of the fretwork. You probably had good reason for it (perhaps it’s easier for Matt) but I was just wondering.

    1. I thought the same thing. Decided it was just me but when I saw your comment I went back and looked again. I agree they should be lowered like the inspiration picture. they just seem a little off even though I LOVE THESE DOORS!

    2. Its funny I thought the other way around…I thought that the holes were originally too low. I like it centered the way that it is right now. But that’s just me….But now I’m going curious enough to check out my own door knob placements at home.

  17. Astonishing. Thank you for a powerful lesson with the large scale of your decorative scrolls. I find it easy to get absorbed in small patterns or lovely colors that look so wonderful up close, and just fail when I step back. Your doors are inviting, compelling, very satisfying to look at. Thank you!

  18. Swoon! What a phenomenal job! Absolutely fabulous as usual! Kristi would you consider going into detail on how you attached the fretwork to the door and if it would work if the glass was already there?

  19. wow, you are so Amazing!!! these look so good. i want to do my doors black and my husband is very hesitant about it but after my looking at this he will have to adjust lol!

  20. Truly amazing! I have followed your progress on these doors (and your kitchen), and I am so impressed with your creativity and skill. You take DIY to a whole new level!

  21. Well done!!! Again!!

    I must say I am really looking forward to the completed kitchen reveal but this has been an awesome ‘detour’

  22. They look beautiful! I don’t think anything that you did was that difficult (not mentioning the brainstorming it took to come up with the idea), other than the fret work. You manage to come up with projects that, maybe not all women can do, but if you have a man that is handy, or a handyman, nothing seems that impossible. That is the best thing about your blog. For those of us who may not have the strength or stamina to do what you do, you give explicit instructions, so we can boss someone else around and get it done. Thank you for that! I don’t think I would do the fret work, but I will steal your rolling door idea and the hardware you used. I like rolling on the floor, rather than on a track mounted on the wall. Can’t wait till the kitchen is done. Blessings. Also, can I get an address, I have a little something that I bought at Barneys in NYC a few months ago when you were hard at work on the kitchen, just a little gift that, I think, will add to your look.

  23. Amazing project from start to finish. They definitely bring the WOW factor – what a great introduction to walking in to the kitchen. Which, by the way, I can’t wait for you to get back to, finish up, and show it off with it styled all pretty!!!! I’m guessing even Cameron Diaz and her designer would be pretty darned impressed!

    As has been suggested before, any chance you’d submit the kitchen to Houzz? I bet they’d pick it up in a heartbeat!

  24. I don’t even have words to say how beautiful this project turned out!!!!! You never cease to amaze me. I don’t think you realize how talented you are. Everything from your idea/vision, to your attention to detail…..just WOW!!! All the time!!!!

  25. OMG! I’ve been impressed, super impressed, and downright envious by the things you’ve done to this house, BUT this is The Bomb! The Rock! The OMG! You’re obviously part genius part wizard. Kudos to you! They’re gorgeous.

  26. LOVE LOVE LOVE these doors!! It is my favorite thing to date. I agree with your mom also. Leave the other doors in the hallway simple and black. I want these doors so bad I am ready to build a new house. They just wouldn’t fit in mine! The peacock handles are perfect although I also liked the style of towel bar you were thinking of. Truly OOAK and they are in YOU house. yes I am a little bit jealous!

  27. Another awesome job! You just blow my mind. I now need to find a place to do something similar. Just asked the husband if he had the tools. I’m definitely going to try to do this myself. Now back to painting my hallway. Cheers

  28. You are definitely the queen of making something glamorous and amazing out of almost nothing. I wish I had half your vision. Love the peacock pulls. They are the perfect jewel for the doors.

  29. WOW! Just WOW! These look even more amazing than I thought they would! I LOVE them! They don’t “match” your kitchen colors/styles exactly, but they go with them really well without being the same. Excellent job once again, Kristi!! 🙂

  30. Very pretty. They look very art deco. How did you install the fretwork to the glass, or to the door? Whatever you did, it is lovely.

  31. Amazing what you manage to do, Kristi! Very elegant and beautiful in black. Yes, I agree with others that the handles are too high, but will lowering them cause any problem with using the doors?

  32. Kristi,

    They are beautiful, wonderful! I am constantly amazed by the things that you accomplish! You are truly an inspiration to all of us!

  33. I mean….just…wow. These came out so phenomenal! I hope you’ll do a post showing how you actually installed the fretwork and the glass? Awesome job, girl!

  34. Still trying to find SOME way to fit “barn” doors in my house. I might have move.

    Kristi, another job well done. They are perfect!

  35. I just absolutely love these doors, Kristi! They look really, really good. I am so glad I subscribed to your blog. It is most definitely the highlight of my day to see that you’ve put a new post up for us all to see. I’m glad you are sharing your home remodel journey with us. Thank you!

  36. I am in awe of all you are able to accomplish – even when you say “it took a while”! Your projects are such an inspiration. Keep up the good work!

  37. WOW!!! I was getting really worried during the planning stages, but these doors turned out fantastic. I am sooo impressed! I have been keeping really close tabs on your progress because I would really like to use this idea at my cottage. I have one question though, I am thinking of using this sliding barn type style door on a bathroom. It is located on a semi private hallway which can have a locked door, but I would still like there to be enough privacy if I forget to lock the hallway door. I was thinking of using only one door panel and having a hook type of lock on the inside of the door. Do you think this will offer enough privacy?

  38. I WISH I could find something unique to say – that’s not already been said about the doors and YOU!! INCREDIBLE, Just INCREDIBLE is what comes to mind.. I too, think it’s my favorite project at this moment!!

    New Slogan for A2D

    CAN’T IS NOT IN KRISTI’S VOCABULARY !!!!
    Blessings, Cheryl

  39. Absolutely gorgeous!! Everything you do just amazes me:) You are some sort of super woman that I aspire to be just like. Only in my dreams could I ever do anything like you do.

  40. I love these doors – for me they definitely range in the top three of your projects and might even be no 1!!! Congratulations! I don’t think you have to change the position of the handles if you both are comfortable with them – but if you thought about lowering them (because so many readers have commented on it), I can imagine that they might look ok further down, even if they then aren’t perfectly aligned with the fretwork anymore…

  41. They are beautiful. Never doubted you. I’m so jealous. I wanted barn doors to cut down on the swinging space that regular doors need, but I didn’t want to sacrifice the profile of my trim.

  42. Whew! Could NOT figure out how the fret work was going to accomplish the privacy you were wanting with clear glass. Must have missed the post on the frosting you were adding. BTW – what DID you use to frost the glass?
    Anyhow, as usual you knock my socks off with your finished project!! The doors are spectacular! And the pulls are darling – I love to add a touch of whimsy somewhere to keep things from being too serious. Awesome job Kristi!!

  43. These turned out amazing!! I hope you are able to give a detailed tutorial on installing the glass at some point. Understand the kitchen may take priority for now.

  44. Ah-MAZING! Just like everything else you have done. Kristi, I am in total awe and complétely transfixed watching you create your beautiful home. Will you consult with me on a house that I plan to build in Central México in this next year?

  45. Ah-MAZING! Just like everything else you have done. Kristi, I am in total awe and complétely transfixed watching you create your beautiful home. Will you consult with me on a house that I plan to build in Central México in this next year?

  46. I also think the handles are in the perfect position. I think being smaller than the ones on the doors you got your inspiration from, any lower wouldn’t look right.

  47. Gorgeous! I can’t believe you made those- I mean I can, but, you know what I mean!! I LOVE the peacocks. So- where did you get the frosted glass film and would it work on shower doors??

  48. These doors are absolutely gorgeous. Could you share your process on how you went about attaching the glass and trim to the doors?

  49. Dang girl, how did I miss these?!?! These.ARE.FABULOUS. Seriously, people would pay big bucks for these doors. I love these and the peacock handles are making me go out of my mind (in a good way!). Wow.

  50. they look fantastic! Will you please direct me to the the “inexpensive barn style hardware” that you reference? And a brief explanation? Also, did you install a t-guide or track on the bottom to hold the door in place?

    Thank you!

  51. Hi Krisiti,

    I don’t know if you can reply to an older post; but I would really like to know how you painted your metal pipe? BTW, your method is popping up all over blogs now:-).

    1. I actually never got around to finishing the painting on the pipe. I did purchase some Rust-Oleum oil-based black paint (comes in a quart size) from Home Depot, so that’s what I’ll eventually use to finish it up.

  52. I love your home! I end up on your blog or at other places that have pictures from your blog all the time when I am googling for inspiration on what I have in mind for my own home. There’s usually some combo of “emerald, gold, brass, white, chinoiserie, regency, black, malachite” (you get the idea 😉 involved and what you have done in your home runs so parallel to my taste, but you accomplish it so beautifully. I always know what I’m going for in my head, but I’m not great at pulling it all together and my tastes are usually just quirky enough that I don’t find a lot of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your home and posting such detailed, informational posts about how you accomplish it. I love it!

  53. These door are AWESOME!! I just found them (and your BLOG) on Pinterest! Thanks for sharing! You should be proud that you made these yourself! One of a kind.

  54. – I need help. My husband installed doors like these but the rail is crooked. The door slides open on it’s own. Any ideas on how to raise one side about 1/4 inch? I appreciate any feedback. =]

  55. You’re amazing. Im trying to figure out how to do this to my plain wood closet door, except I want it to be mirror behind it. I need to keep researching but this is a great start.

  56. I found the tutorial on the hanging hardware – should have known there would be one on a Kristi project. Thanks for the help.