This project was built and designed by Alex from Bevelish Creations. It’s a modern take on a classic sliding barn door—designed to look sharp, function smoothly, and resist warping over time.
Alex revisits one of his earliest builds with a smarter, sturdier approach, combining construction-grade pine, careful wood prep, and clever reinforcement techniques. The result is a stylish, long-lasting door suited for almost any interior space.
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Rebuilding a Door With Lessons Learned
Alex’s very first woodworking project was a sliding barn door. It worked well at first, but over time the pine warped and caused the door to drag on the wall.
This new version keeps the same style but solves the issues from the original. By letting the wood dry indoors before milling and reinforcing the final panel, Alex built a more durable and dependable door.
Wood Prep for Stability
The door starts with 2×12 pine boards, selected for their affordability and wide coverage. To prevent future warping, Alex stickered and stored the lumber indoors for several months before beginning the build.
He flattens each board with a hand plane, just enough to remove high spots. Then he runs them through a planer and jointing process to square the faces and edges, followed by final ripping at the table saw for uniform width.
Reinforcing Weak Spots and Matching Grain
Some of the pine had knots that needed attention. Alex applies quick-setting epoxy to reinforce them and then planes the surface smooth after curing.
Laying out the boards side by side helps align grain patterns and minimize visual seams. A good layout here makes the finished door feel like a single, continuous panel.
Dowels and Section Glue-Ups
To join the boards, Alex uses dowels for strong, hidden alignment. A dowel jig helps him keep everything accurate from one panel to the next.
Instead of gluing all the boards at once, he works in smaller sections of three boards at a time. This simplifies clamping and reduces stress on the glue-up, especially when working solo.
C Channels for Long-Term Flatness
One key addition in this build is a set of steel C channels on the back of the door. These prevent long boards from bowing as humidity shifts throughout the year.
To install them, Alex routes shallow grooves in the back of the door. He also elongates the bolt holes in the channels so the wood can expand and contract without fighting against the steel.
Clean Assembly and Decorative Metalwork
Once the panels are dry and flat, Alex glues the full door together and trims it to final size using a track saw. A straight edge clamped to the panel ensures the cut is clean and square.
To add a modern-industrial twist, he installs aluminum plates to the front face. Routed grooves let the plates sit flush, and pre-tapped holes allow for secure bolt installation.
Making the Metal Seam Look Intentional
Where two aluminum plates meet, Alex uses a V-groove bit to route a clean, shallow line. Instead of hiding the seam, he turns it into a visible detail that adds character and polish.
Painting the metal black enhances the contrast against the pine and protects against rust. The C channels on the back are also painted to match the hardware.
Staining and Sealing the Wood
To help the stain go on evenly, Alex applies a pre-stain conditioner to all wood surfaces. This is especially important for pine, which tends to blotch during staining.
He finishes the door with a black walnut wood stain and a water-based polyurethane topcoat. The result is a rich tone that complements the metal while protecting the wood for years to come.
Hanging the Door
The same black handle from Alex’s first door makes a return here, fitting well with the updated design. Mounting holes are pre-drilled and aligned to keep the look symmetrical.
Because the sliding rail was already installed from the previous build, Alex simply installs the new door-mounted hardware and lifts the door into place. The finished piece is heavy—having help with lifting is highly recommended.
A Thoughtful, Long-Lasting Redesign
This project shows how much a single build can improve with experience. By understanding wood movement, improving joinery methods, and thinking through long-term durability, Alex created a door that will hold up and look good doing it.
Sliding barn doors are a popular solution for saving space while adding visual impact to a room. With proper planning and prep, they’re also a great test of your woodworking skills.
Learn more about this project here: https://www.bevelishcreations.com/projects/sliding-barn-door/.