Barn doors have transitioned from farms to homes. They are homely and sturdy options for homeowners. If you are planning to get a barn door for your home, the biggest question is; How do I lock a barn door? Can I lock a barn door from both sides?
Yes, you can secure a lock to your barn door on both sides. One false impression about barn doors is that they do not provide privacy or safety as you cannot lock them. However, this is far from the truth, as there are several barn door lock options for your single, double, or sliding barn doors.
This article will detail how to lock your barn door from both sides, the available door lock options to choose from, how to install a lock to your sliding barn door, and many more. Keep reading to find out.
Contents
Can You Lock A Barn Door From The Inside
Yes, you can lock a barn door from the inside — the first step is to pick the type of privacy lock you like. You can get a simple, inexpensive, and easy-to-mount tear-drop latch that allows you to secure the door from the inside.
While barn doors are perfect for rooms that do not require privacy, like the utility room, store room, etc., if you intend to use a barn door for your bedroom or bathroom, you must add a privacy lock on the inside of the room. You do not want anyone busting in on you at inconvenient times.
You could also consider getting a hook, an eye latch, a cane floor, a barrel slide, or a surface-mounted bolt. Let us describe the mechanism of each of these interior privacy locks.
1. Tear Drop Latch
The tear-drop latch comprises two parts; one part is screwed to the door while the other is attached to the jamb of the frame or the wall. Once the door is jammed shut, the tear-drop part slides into the latch, and your door remains closed.
The teardrop latch is perfect for bedrooms and bathrooms where privacy is highly valued, as it offers more security and privacy than other interior privacy locks. However, its only shortcoming is that it can only be opened from the side installed.
2. Hook And Eye Latch
The hook and eye latch have two parts; a hook attached to the jamb and an eye latch screwed to the door. It locks by sliding the hook into the eye latch. It is the most straightforward privacy lock to figure out and is best suited for bathroom barn doors. Its only shortcoming, just like the teardrop latch, is that you can only open it from the side it is attached to.
3. Cane Floor Bolt
A cane floor bolt is designed so that a hole is drilled in the floor, and a cane-like bolt attached to the bottom part of the door moves into the hole on the floor to secure the door. It is an unsophisticated and inexpensive privacy lock option.
4. Barrel Slide Bolt
A barrel slide bolt is composed of a metal rod that runs through a barrel attached to the door and slides into a holder attached to the door jamb or wall. The barrel slide bolt is made in new designs that you can open from both sides with a key; some even come with a security password, so it is considered a security lock.
5. Surface Mounted Bolt
The surface-mounted bolt is very similar to and works like the barrel slide bolt, but it is more fancy and easy to install. All you need to do is to screw the bolt part to the door and latch the hole to the jamb or wall.
Can You Open A Sliding Barn Door From Both Sides?
Like other types of doors, a sliding barn door can be opened from both sides. However, to enable the opening of a sliding barn door from both sides, you need to get a lock type that can be accessed from both sides.
A simple option to try is the modern surface-mounted lock that comes with a key that can be used to open or close a sliding barn door on the inside and outside. A popular choice for sliding barn doors is the Mortoise latch lock with a key.
If you want a less complicated option, you can install different lock types on each side of the sliding barn door. For instance, you can use a cane floor bolt inside, while a barrel slide bolt is used outside and secured with a padlock.
How To Lock A Sliding Barn Door From Both Sides
To lock your sliding barn door from both sides, a lock that can be operated from both sides should be installed. This leaves you with a barrel slide lock mechanism with a key or a lock that can be operated outside with a key and locked on the inside with a bolt.
You can also install a hook and eye lock and latch it with a padlock to secure your barn door from the outside. A simple cane floor can be used inside to ensure privacy.
How To Lock A Barn Door From The Outside
For most homeowners with interior barn doors, all they need is a privacy lock that they can use to ensure their privacy is not infringed upon. However, if you need to protect your valuables or simply want to keep people out of your room, then you need to go for a lock option that allows you to lock your barn door from the outside.
The best option we recommend is the Barrel slide bolt lock mechanism. This lock enables you to lock your barn door outside by initiating the lock with a key. You can use the bolt part to activate the lock if you also need to lock your door from the inside.
How Do You Put A Lock On A Barn Door?
The importance of privacy locks cannot be overemphasized. One good thing about barn door locks is that their installation is straightforward so that you can do it yourself. Here is how to install a simple barrel sliding lock to your barn door:
Step 1
Choose a convenient height to place your barrel slide lock on your door. Mark the spot with a pencil, then align your lock to check that it is leveled.
Step 2
Drill in shallow holes on the marked spot; these holes would make screwing in easier.
Step 3
Hold firm the main body of your bolt, using a screwdriver; drive the screws into a shallow hole to hold your bolt firmly.
Step 4
Hold the bolt holder unto the frame to ensure that it is leveled with the bolt part on the door. Make an outline by drawing around the bolt holder.
Step 5
Using the penciled outline, make a shallow recess to ensure that the bolt laps into the holder properly. Do not just screw the holder onto the surface of the frame.
Step 6
Check that the holder fits into the recess made. Drill in shallow holes in the recess for the screws.
Step 7
Fit the bolt holder to the recess and hold it firmly while driving the screws into the holes. Test the lock to see that the bolt slides freely into the holder.
How Do You Put A Lock On A Sliding Barn Door?
The procedure to install a barrel slide bolt to your sliding barn door is the same as fitting it into any other type of barn door. However, in the case of a sliding barn door where the two doors meet in the middle, the bolt and holder placement is different.
The bolt holder is affixed to the jamb for single barn doors while the bolt is installed on the door panel itself. In the case of a double sliding barn door, the bolt is fitted onto one door, and the holder is held to the other. When the two doors meet in the middle, the bolt on one door slides into the bolt holder, securing both doors shut.
Where Do You Put The Handle On A Barn Door?
A barn door handle is a must-have whether your door slide pushes or pulls to open, as it provides the ease you need to operate your barn door. There are different aesthetic barn door handles with varying features, durability, and installation technique.
Whatever your preference, the barn door handle placement is the same. Ideally, barn door handles should be installed 36 -42 inches from the bottom on the exterior part of the barn door.
The flat handle, flush or finger pull, is usually mounted on the interior to allow easy entry and exit from the room.
You can choose which side you want to mount your barn door handle on, but this choice should depend on whether your barn door is inward opening (opens into and occupies wall space in the room) or outward opening (opens to the outside of the room).
Do You Put A Handle On Both Sides Of A Barn Door?
Yes, handles are mounted on both sides of a barn door to enable ease and convenience of operation. However, the handle mounted on the inside is usually not the same as attached to the exterior.
Ideally, while the prominent handle is attached to the door’s exterior side, especially if it is an inward opening barn door, a flat handle called the flush or finger pull is mounted on the interior side of the barn door.
Can You Put Two Barn Doors Together?
Most people wonder if they can put two barn doors together instead of getting a double barn door. Yes, you can put two barn doors together; this setup is a double or bi-parting barn door. You can work with this setup instead of getting a pre-made double barn door designed to work together.
You must determine how the two doors would work together. You can install a track joiner so that both doors slide and meet in the middle. For this to work correctly, you must ensure that doors are replicas of each other, having the same height and width. Ask a professional to guide you on how to get this setup done.
What Is The Difference Between Single And Double Bypass Barn Doors?
The topic of which is better between a single and double bypass door is popular. We do not think one is better than the other. Depending on your preference, the size of the doorway, and the available wall space, any of the two would be perfect for your home.
The main difference between a single and double bypass door is the number of tracks the door panel runs on. Let us briefly go into the mechanism of the single and double bypass doors and their pros and cons.
Single Bypass Barn Door
Both door panels are held on a single track instead of two separate tracks in a single bypass door. The doors do not overlap but meet at the center when closed. Its installation is easy, and it allows you to open both doors.
Pros of Single Bypass Barn Door
- It is easy to install as all you need to do is install the track and mount both doors on either side of the track.
- Single bypass doors are easy to maintain and modify since you have only one track to deal with.
- It is perfect for a large doorway.
- It allows you to open both doors hence providing a broader pathway.
- It is also an aesthetic but sturdy option.
Cons Of Single Bypass Barn Door
- Single bypass door uses too much wall space and makes wall space unusable for other purposes like decorations.
- It is also not a good option for small doorways.
Double Bypass Barn Door
In the double bypass door, both doors run on separate tracks and overlap each other, making it perfect for rooms with small wall space. You would also require the help of a professional to install it as its installation is a bit more tricky.
Pros Of Double Bypass Barn Door
- It is perfect for a small entryway.
- It does not take up wall space.
- It has a reasonably low maintenance cost.
- It is also an aesthetic option.
Cons Of Double Bypass Barn Door
- It uses two tracks and is more expensive to repair or replace if both tracks go bad.
- It is not ideal for large doorways.
- Its installation process is more tricky and would require the help of a professional.
- Its installation cost is more expensive since two tracks need to be installed.
Barn doors are now a trending choice for almost every room in the home, including the bathrooms, closets, bedrooms, and even studies. If privacy has been a primary reason you have been hesitant to incorporate a barn door into your home, worry no more. With simple privacy locks like the ones highlighted in this article, you can enjoy the privacy, safety, and aesthetic barn door style you desire.
