A New Trend Rolls In – Glass Barn Doors!
Are you ready to step-up your shabby chic game? Do you want to be the first on your block to usher-in New York’s latest interior design element? Then Glass Barn doors are for you!
This modern take on the traditionally rustic and farmhouse-style staple is equally beautiful in large rooms as it is in a small area where limited space demands a no-swing door. Glass barn doors are a great alternative to pocket-doors, add a unique twist to your kitchen pantry, and look stately when doubled as the entrance to a dining room.
Glass barn doors look best when hung over a simple, dry-walled opening without casing. The hardware is mounted above the opening and the glass door glides along on rollers. A small guide is placed on the floor to ensure that the door stays on-track.
Since the door sits about an inch off of the wall, there is no need to remove baseboards or make any other renovations to accommodate your new look. If you prefer, the hardware can be hidden behind a drywall modification – but I much prefer to see those beauties in action!
Put in Use
Glass barn doors can be used in so many ways around your home. As a shower door, glass barn doors are a modern and beautiful alternative to those old, gold-framed sliders. They also work beautifully as a way to cover an interior window – perhaps from the kitchen to the family room or at your receptionist’s desk in the office.
The maximum door size is 52 inches by 96 inches; however, if you have a high ceiling and want a floor to ceiling look, we can install a transom and mount the barn door hardware directly to it – sleek elegance!
You can also go as small as you like and add glass barn-style doors as a design element to just about any room in your home. Test your own interior-designer chops by using glass barn-style doors to hide a hanging TV or on your non-refrigerated wine room. These doors are a perfect fit for small wine cellars inside dining rooms or in other small spots.
Not All Hardware is Created Equal
While the look may not be as pricey as you think, a quality new barn door shower installation expect to start around $2,000. Make sure you are comparing apples to apples when it comes to Barn Doors, caveat emptor (let the buyer beware)!
There is a huge discrepancy in quality when it comes to hardware and that discrepancy is easily identifiable by price. Barn-style glass shower doors that are in the $1000 to $1500 range do not come with high-quality hardware. China has rolled out some Knock-off, cheap versions that are all around a bad idea.
When paired with sub-par hardware, barn-style glass doors do not close softly – a trait that is critical to maintaining the integrity of your glass over the long-haul. In addition, the hardware is not solid and cannot support the weight of the door. The weight of the glass will eventually begin to sag the header. How do I know this? Well, like most things in life, I had to learn it the hard way.
On one of my first installations, the client suggested the hardware and after about three years I received a call from the customer. The bar holding the rollers was bending under the weight of the door. We replaced the hardware (free of charge) and I learned a valuable lesson.
Now I only use Laguna Hardware made by CRL for interior glass barn doors and Alumax or Peterson Industry hardware for showers doors. All of the glass is custom fit to the application and nearly every aspect can be customized – from the handle to the rollers.
What about Privacy?
The glass options are as varied as your design dreams. For complete privacy, go with satin-etched bronze glass, sandblasted glass, or laminated glass for a splash of color. These finishes can be applied to an entire door or in sections to allow only a peek into the other side.
If you choose to go with clear glass, I highly recommend using Ultra Clear glass. In a large application, such as an interior door, the green hue in the standard glass is more evident. This is especially true when placed amidst a white interior. Above is 1/2″ satin etch glass in Ultra Clear.
Anything Else I Need to Know about Glass Barn Doors?
There is one thing to consider before installation – barn doors, glass or otherwise – are not airtight or watertight. This means that when installing as a shower door, there will be gap through which water can escape. If you have water jets or a shower head that sprays in multiple directions you may want to consider utilizing a seal between the sliding glass door and the fixed panel.
This same seal can be used when installed on a refrigerated glass wine room to help maintain the desired temperature. I should note that I have a barn-style door installed in my own bathroom shower, sans seal, and have never had any issues with water escaping.
So take a look around your home to see where you can apply these beautiful statement pieces. A glass barn door is as much function as it is high-fashion! Visit our page on Glass Rooms for more helpful information!
