What is a Bypass Barn Door?

If you’ve always loved the look of the sliding barn door but have limited space to work with, a bypass barn door can be the perfect solution! The shortened track allows barn doors to slide over each other to get the look you desire with the space you have.

6 Benefits of a Bypass Barn Door System

1. Cover Large Entrances
2. Requires Less Clearance
3. Gives the Space an Elegant Look
4. Easy to Install Track System
5. Creates Privacy Between Spaces
6. Saves Space

Bypass barn doors have many advantages, especially when space is in short supply. The specially designed track allows you to add flair and style into the room while giving your home the seamless functionality of interior barn doors.

Whether you opt for traditional sliding barn doors or decide on a more modern feel with glass or metal, bypass barn doors have significant benefits that can take your home to the next level.

What is a Bypass Barn Door?

In order to tell whether a bypass barn door is the right system for your living space, you need to understand what it is. A bypass barn door is when you have two separate barn doors that overlap with one another and slide independent of each other. The design of the track allows you to stack the doors off to the side of the opening, which takes up a fraction of the space required with a traditional interior barn door. For this reason, bypass barn doors are an ideal solution for rooms that have limited space or a wide door opening.For instance, say you have a five-foot door opening but only have a clearance of three feet on either side of the door. With a bypass barn door, you can cover the door opening with two barn doors that, when stacked on top of each other, will fit in your available clearance.To get the functionality that bypass barn doors provide, you’ll need to install a specialized bypass barn door track system that is specifically designed to let the doors overlap and handle the weight of two barn doors. Note that if you have solid barn doors, you’ll need a heavy-weight system to avoid jeopardizing the integrity of the track system due to the extra weight. Bypass barn door systems come in two different models—a single track system or a double track system.Single track systems, such as Rustica’s Grapple Bypass Hardware System, allow the barn doors to seamlessly slide over one another on one track, with an anti-jump lock to ensure the barn door rollers do not come off the track unintentionally. Using a single track system can give a clean, simple look to your living space, but they are not as dynamic as a double track system.Double track systems are ideal for solid barn doors and offer more flexibility than single track system. However, because of the two tracks, they do require more clearance above the door frame.

6 Benefits of Bypass Barn Doors

When it comes to creating a space you love, the door you choose can make a world of difference. Barn doors themselves offer tremendous benefits, easily adding a traditional, rustic, or modern feel to your space depending on the barn door and sliding barn door hardware kit you select.

While you may already know the benefits of barn doors, here’s what you should know about bypass barn doors:

Cover Large Entrances

Most of your traditional barn door track systems are going to be for a single door, double door, or bi parting doors, but many times, those options are not wide enough. This is especially true of closets and for doorways that divide living areas, such as a living room and game room.If you have one of these large doorways, choosing a bypass barn door system allows you to hang up to four interior doors, which will give you the width you need to divide and close off your space. Regardless of the number of doors you choose, the bypass track lets the doors stack on top of one another, giving you have both the design and functionality you desire.

Requires Less Clearance

Sometimes it just isn’t feasible to install a barn door. Normally, barn doors require as much clearance as the door frame it is covering. When you need to close off a large space or your closet runs from wall to wall, it just isn’t practical to install a traditional barn door system.

With bypass barn doors for closets, you don’t need the adjacent wall space because the barn doors bypass in front of one another and access to your space. Whether you are looking for a large patio door between your living room and sunroom or are looking for a new closet door for your pantry, an interior bypass barn door system is a great option.

Gives Space An Elegant Look

One of the reasons barn doors are so popular is because of the look and style that they bring to a space. Once associated with farmhouses, barn doors are now available in metal, glass, wood, and leather to match your interior design. You can complete the look with one of the many different hanger styles, door handle, and finishes for your bypass hardware for barn doors. With so many different options, you’re sure to find the perfect combination that will elevate the style of your room.You can also opt for barn doors that have embellishments to further enhance the elegance of your space. For example, bypass closet barn doors with mirrors can make small spaces feel bigger than they really are. Likewise, a sliding glass door can add a touch of sophistication while still closing off the space. Even if you simply opt to go with distressed wood, adding a barn bypass door will add heart and soul to your space.

Easy to Install Track System

Bypass barn door systems certainly have a bit more engineering than your traditional barn door track, but, it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Whether you opt for a single track system or a double track system, both are easy to install with the right barn door kit. All you need to do is make sure that you have the proper clearance above the door frame.It is important to note that double track systems will require slightly more clearance over the door than a single track system to accommodate the second track. Also, even if you have access to the studs, it can be helpful to install a header board when using a bypass barn door system. This is because the header board helps carry the load of the door, preventing it from falling off the wall from the weight of the door.

Creates Privacy Between Spaces

When most people think of barn doors, they think of doorways and closets, but triple bypass barn door systems make it possible to use barn doors as a room divider. Using a barn door as a room divider helps maximize the functionality of your space and can be a more affordable solution than remodeling to add a new wall.Many homes have an open floor plan with multipurpose spaces, which in theory is great because they can help your home feel bigger, and everyone can be together while still doing their own tasks. However, sometimes you need separate spaces, and that’s when sliding bypass barn doors can come in handy. These sliding doors can be used anywhere in the home—use them to divide your kitchen and dining room with a double barn door, separate your bathroom en suite from your master bedroom with French doors, or even break up the bathing and sink areas with a sliding bypass barn door.

Space Saver

One of the biggest problems in small spaces is that the traditional swinging door requires furniture to be arranged accordingly to accommodate the door swing. Barn doors are a popular solution to this problem because they don’t have any door swing—they simply slide open. Bypass barn doors give you the same benefit, even in smaller spaces. Even if you don’t have any wall clearance on either side of the door frame, bypass sliding barn doors can give you greater accessibility than other sliding door options. If you love the barn door look and are pressed for space, then a bypass barn door is the perfect solution.

How Are Bypass Barn Doors Measured?

Before you order your bypass barn door system, it is essential that you make sure you have enough space. The good news is that this process is relatively straightforward.Here’s how to measure for a bypass barn door:

• Step 1: Measure the Door Opening. You want to measure both the height and width of your door opening. If your door has trim, measure from the outside of the trim; otherwise, measure from the inside of the door frame.
• Step 2: Determine Overlap. You want your barn door to overlap your door opening a bit to give complete privacy when the door is closed. Your overlap should only be a few inches since any more can look odd.
• Step 3: Measure Wall Space. If you want the doorway to be completely open, you need to also measure the space where your doors will hang on either side of the door opening. Smaller door openings will have smaller barn doors. However, with a bypass barn door system, you only need to measure the width of one door because the doors overlap one another. For bypass barn closet doors or other smaller doors that don’t have the additional wall clearance, this step can be skipped.
• Step 4: Determine Track Length Required. To figure out the track length you need, you’ll add the measurements of the first three steps together. This sum is the length of track you need for your bypass barn door to work properly.

After you’ve measured for your bypass barn door, order your track system and barn doors. Once they arrive, be sure to review how to install a barn door before hanging your new system.

Where to Order Bypass Barn Doors?

Installing a bypass barn door system in your home requires high-quality bypass barn door hardware so that it doesn’t bow or bend under the weight of your barn doors. When you order from Rustica, you can be sure that you’ll get the highest quality every time. All of Rustica’s bypass barn door hardware is designed, cut, bent, and given a powder-coated finish to make sure your system lasts a lifetime.

With so many different door styles and finishes, you can always find exactly what you’re looking for. If you can’t, our Utah-based team of engineers can create a custom door that will fit perfectly into your space. Plus, if you ever have any questions during the order or installation process, our customer service team is ready, waiting to help.

Should I Choose a Bypass Barn Door?

The many benefits that bypass barn doors give homeowners make them a good choice, especially in homes with large door openings or limited wall clearance. Even if you’re not a fan of the traditional look that comes with a distressed wood door, the modern look that comes from glass, metal, or leather doors makes them a viable solution for most spaces.If you’ve been considering a remodel, but it simply is out of the budget, then installing a bypass barn door system can improve the functionality of your space and transform the overall look, feel, and style of your space at a fraction of the cost. Choosing a bypass barn door system from Rustica means you can rest easy knowing you’ll be getting the best quality bypass barn door hardware with the installation support to make sure everything goes smoothly.