6 Times Low Clearance Barn Door Hardware is Required

Barn doors still reign supreme in interior design, but some homeowners struggle to find the space to install them. Sometimes the issue isn’t the width between or on either side of each door jamb, but rather the space above the door frame. In certain situations, traditional barn door hardware just won’t fit. That’s when low clearance barn door hardware comes in.

6 Times Low Clearance Barn Door Hardware is Required

• Crown Moulding
• Duct Work
• Low Ceilings
• Sloped Ceilings
• Cabinets
• Floor to Ceiling Windows

Homeowners might feel resigned to using traditional hinged doors when they realize that there isn’t enough clearance above a door for a traditional, sliding track system. Fortunately, there is a simple and accessible solution that still allows homeowners to install the barn door of their dreams even within tight spaces. The solution is Rustica’s low clearance barn door hardware.

How Much Height Do You Need for a Barn Door?

When installing a barn door, you’ll want to make sure that you leave at least six inches of clearance above the top of the door panel to allow for the header and/or the track system.Some larger track systems require up to a foot of clearance, though this isn’t extremely common. Though six inches might seem like a very reasonable amount of room, the reality is that some spaces simply cannot accommodate half a foot above a door opening. In these cases, it’s best to purchase a low-profile barn door track system, which only requires four inches of header and track clearance. Rustica’s low clearance barn door hardware requires even less space, allowing as little as three and a quarter inches!

6 Times Low Clearance Barn Door Hardware is Required

Crown Moulding

Traditional homes usually have crown moulding throughout the floor plan. Ceiling trim is popular because it adds an element of beauty, as well as clean, consistent lines, but it also measures anywhere from three to 20 inches. Since you should never attach barn door hardware to moulding, ceiling trim frequently leaves homeowners with restricted space for a header board or barn door wall mount above internal doors. This common issue is easily solved by installing low clearance sliding barn door hardware, which will fit neatly in between your moulding and door frame.

Duct Work

Sometimes HVAC contractors decide to install ductwork above an interior door opening, due to preference or unavoidable structural reasons. The issue with ductwork and a sliding barn door occurs when the return vent or supply vent is directly above a door opening, leaving little space for traditional sliding door hardware. Usually, low clearance hardware can be installed underneath these vents to make sliding barn door installation possible and functional. Since the door track, hardware, and panel will sit underneath the vents, nothing will block the duct’s airflow.

Low Ceilings

While moulding and ducts are often the culprits in low clearance situations, there are just as many circumstances where the ceilings are simply too low. Nine-foot, exposed beam ceilings weren’t always the standard of interior design, and many unrenovated, older homes still tout a mere seven or eight feet from floor to ceiling.

Why so low? Ceilings were lower in the past because they helped contain the heat of fireplaces, the only source of heat before insulation and heating systems were common practice. Lower ceilings mean lower clearance for your barn door track, making low profile hardware a must-have.

Sloped Ceilings

Homes with a pitched roof, like Tudors, will encounter a similar issue as older homes. Ceilings in pitched roof houses often have sloped ceilings, which often leave very minimal or absolutely no space for door hardware between the door frame and ceiling. In these situations, homeowners will need to install a low clearance track system.

Cabinets

Purchasing barn door hardware for low ceiling clearance is also helpful for sliding kitchen cabinets and pantry doors, for a couple of reasons. First, a cabinet door can also fall victim to crown molding and sloped or low ceilings. Second, to maximize storage or to provide more usable counter space, tall cabinets are often installed in kitchens or traditional sized cabinets are installed higher up the wall.

A pantry door can be taller than the average door height, and the same goes for closet doors too. Any of these situations has the potential to leave little header space. In these situations, it’s common for homeowners to install low clearance hardware.

Floor to Ceiling Windows

Tall, dramatic, floor-to-ceiling windows are breathtaking, but breath isn’t the only thing that these windows take away. Because these windows stop right before the wall meets the ceiling, they consume most usable header space, leaving homeowners unable to use traditional sliding hardware. In this case, low track clearance barn door hardware is an excellent choice for homeowners who want to use barn doors instead of curtains or blinds.

Low Clearance. High Expectations.

Low clearance barn door hardware can be utilized in so many situations! Likewise, though traditional barn doors are crafted from wood, many modern barn doors are made of glass, metal, or synthetic materials. Just as traditional hardware can be installed onto various materials, barn door hardware for low clearance mounting can be installed onto metal, glass, and wood doors alike. Furthermore, this system is compatible with traditional, single-panel, sliding doors, as well as any pocket door or double door system, like biparting and bypassing.When ordering a low clearance option with Rustica, your door kit will arrive with every piece of hardware you need to hang your door slab, as well as any door handle, door lock, or decorative hinges you’ve decided to purchase. Just as each doorknob, lock, and hinge can be customized in finish and design, low clearance hardware is available in all of Rustica’s wet and powder-coated finishes.DIY barn door instructions are easy to understand and your installation process can be completed in as little as an hour.

If you love the barn door look but are struggling with limited header area, don’t hesitate to reach out to see if Rustica’s low clearance barn door hardware will work for your space. 

Product Details

The Low Clearance barn Door hardware system accommodates those difficult spaces where the ceiling is low and header space is limited. Our Low Clearance system has the highest versatility available with the shortest amount of space required for the system to work at only 3-1/4". With our J-track design, strength is not compromised but still lends a stunning aesthetic to your room as well as helps to save precious space. Available in all of our popular powder coated and wet coated finishes, this system will add design and functionality to your low ceiling spaces.Choose your hardware system set up
Customize your finish
Select your track length & door guide
Designed & crafted entirely in the USAThe clearance needed to install this hardware is 3-1/4" which includes at minimum a 1/4" of wiggle room.Need low clearance hardware that allows your doors to slide past each other and take up less wall space on the sides of your opening? You'll want to select the "Low Clearance Bypass" option under "Select System" when customizing your hardware. This is a very common application for closet openings that have limited wall space on either side and aren't able to accommodate standard barn doors that typically use that space.