We get asked quite frequently what the difference is between a barn door and a pocket door. Both door types have a similar function but look and operate quite differently. They are both equally as stunning and are offered in many different styles and finishes! Now let’s get down to the differences!
Hardware Location
As shown on our website, barn doors are hung on a sliding track system installed on top of the door jamb allowing the barn door to slide open and close without hitting or touching the wall at all. Barn Door hardware is totally visible and purposely installed to be seen and admired for its intricate design.
Pocket doors, however, have a hidden hardware system. They slide open and close just like a barn door, but the hardware system is installed in the pocket between two walls. The pocket door hardware kit allows the pocket door to seamlessly slide in and out from inside the pocket of two walls when opening and closing the door.
Door Width
Door width is totally customizable by you, however the way we recommend measuring door widths for a new barn door and pocket door install differ. We recommend ordering barn doors 4” wider than the opening to ensure the door covers the entire opening and to help avoid any visible gaps.
For pocket doors, the calculations we recommend using to measure the width will include adding an extra inch to one side of the door. This allows part of the door to stay hidden in the pocket when the door is closed. We recommend adding an extra inch to ensure the door does not slide completely out of the pocket when being closed and to keep the style of the door present and visibly equal as shown in the picture below!
For instructions on how to measure for a new pocket door click here!
Space Saving Abilities
Both barn doors and pocket doors offer amazing space saving abilities for small areas or areas you simply wish felt more open! We offer barn doors and barn door hardware kits in many different styles and finishes perfect for creating design and enhancing the look and feel of your space. Barn doors and barn door hardware kits are handcrafted with intricate detail making them literal pieces of functional art giving small spaces enough design and flare without too many additional decor pieces. However, barn doors do require two times the width of the door to slide open and close up next to the wall on the barn door track.
Pocket doors on the other hand, slide in and out from inside two walls allowing optimal room and wall space for other home decor. Although, with a hidden pocket door hardware system, pocket doors don’t offer the added design from the hardware system like barn doors do. However, both door types still offer more space saving abilities than the traditional hinged door by making your small space feel more open while also adding design and style to your space.
Click here to shop our pocket doors!
Click here to shop our barn doors!
Aren’t seeing the style you want? Almost all of our doors can be made into a pocket or barn door. Call us at 800-891-8312 with any questions on styles or if you need help with your order in any way!
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