Answered by our Experts- What Lock Would we Recommend for a Barn Door?

We know you have questions and who better to answer them then our expert craftsmen! Our builders have taken some frequently asked questions and answered them in as much detail as possible. Each week we will be having one of our experts answer a question in our series Answered by Our Experts.

Wanting to protect your privacy is a big deal! Many customers install their barn doors on bedrooms and bathrooms. These spaces can occasionally need a lock. Some more than others! We understand this need, which is why we provide a few different lock options. As for which lock we would recommend, that depends on what you are wanting to use it for. Expert Taylor Segeberg explains which lock works best for each situation.

What Lock Would we Recommend for a Barn Door?

The lock I would recommend for a barn door depends on application and budget. If your budget is small I would recommend a simple tear drop latch to add some privacy but it only offers a limited amount of functionality. If you can spend more and want additional functionality I would recommend the Rustica Self-Latching Barn Door Lock. This system offers a variety of options. The passage option will allow you to close the door and have it stay in place and not just slide open but doesn’t lock it. This could be useful for closets or just to close off an area that doesn’t need more than what a simple doorknob would give on a swing door. There is also the Privacy option that offers more security but can still be bypassed fairly easily with household objects in case of an emergency. This is similar to how most bathroom doors can be unlocked from the outside with a paper clip or long slender object. With this option, you can obtain privacy without risking someone getting stuck inside or outside if they needed to get past it. This can be useful for bathrooms or office doors where privacy is needed but security isn’t the real issue. The option is to have a key on one side of the door. This will give it a measure of security as it is harder to bypass. This option does give more security but it doesn’t make it impossible to get past. This option is still not secure enough to store valuables inside in a place where there is a good amount of foot traffic. This could be useful for keeping kids and visitors from accessing rooms you don’t want them to have access to. In the case of an emergency where the key is inaccessible and one needs to get past this could present an issue where you may have to call customer service for assistance or the use of tools to get into the area. The best thing about this system is that you don’t have to do any modifications to the wall or door jam. This system affixes completely to the door and track. There is a high amount of modification that you have to do to the door itself. Make sure to check the compatibility and instructions when making your decision.

-Taylor Segeberg, Metals

There are other options for locks as well, like a simple hook and eye lock. These are the type of locks you often see on bathroom stalls. They are a great option as well if you are looking for an extremely simple locking system. If you need help deciding which lock would work best for your situation, give our service team a call. They would love to help!


We hope you’ve learned something from this week’s Answered by Our Experts if you have a question you want answered, share it with us! Who knows, maybe yours will be featured on our next Answered by Our Experts blog post.