The next in our DIY sliding barn door plan series is this Herringbone Shiplap barn door. Instead of the standard 42×83″ size, this door is design at 54″x83″ to cover a 48″ wide door opening. These plans are more complex than our first two plans because we are making this a “two-sided” door – meaning it should look the same from either side as opposed to having a distinct from and back. We’re still using lap joints for the frame, but we’re going to have to cut rabbets in each piece to create the grooves for the shiplap to sit. Though all of the cuts can be made with a table saw, and if you follow the instructions and diagrams, this herringbone shiplap barn door is actually fairly easy to build.
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Materials
- 8 – 1×6 @ 8′
- 8 – 1×6 @ 8′ shiplap boards (or equivalent)
Tools
- Table saw (a dado stack would be useful)
- Nail gun
- Sander and sand paper
- Tape Measure
- Square
- Quick clamps
- Wood glue
- Wood filler
Step 1: Layout the front frame
The front rails of this herringbone shiplap barn door are made from a 1×6 cut to 43″ in length. On each end you’ll need to cut a 3/8″ deep x 3/4″ wide rabbet – making certain they are on what will be the outside of the rails. Then, cut a 3/8″ deep x 3/4″ wide rabbet along the long side of what will be the inside of the rails.
The outer stiles of the front frame are also 1×6 boards, but cut to 83″ in length. For these two outer front stiles you will need to cut another 3/8″ deep x 3/4″ wide rabbet on the long edge of what will be the inside face of the board.
Once you have all of the outer front frame pieces cut, lay them out and ensure everything is square. Use wood glue and 1/2″ finish nails along the overlapping rabbets to secure everything in place.
The both the front and back center stiles will follow the same specs, so you might as well go ahead and cut both now even though we won’t use the back one for a few steps. These center stiles are 1×6 boards cut to 73 1/2″ in length. Then cut a 3/8″ deep x 3/4″ wide rabbets on both long edges of the inside face, and 3/8″ deep x 3/4″ wide rabbets on the short ends of the outside face.
Center the front center stile in the frame you just built and again use wood glue and finish nails to hold it in place. Make certain everything is square!
Step 2: Cut and lay out the shiplap slats
With the frame assembled it’s time to move onto the herringbone shiplap pattern. I like the look of the shiplap being place at a 30° angle, but you’re welcome to start with any angle that suits your taste. Once you’ve chosen your angle, set up a jig or a miter gauge on your table saw to make cutting that angle easily repeatable as you’ll need to start by cutting approximately 18 similar pieces, and then roughly another 10 that are the same angles but cut down to fit at the top and bottom.
You’ll need to cut these shiplap pieces so that they sit in the rabbets on the inside of the front face frame. You can leave a little play or wiggle room from side to side, but no more than 1/2″.
Once you have all of the shiplap boards cut, lay them in the front face frame just to ensure everything fits the way you want. After you are happy with the layout you can use wood glue and three 1 1/4″ finish nails on each end of each piece to hold them in place. Since you are nailing from through the shiplap boards into the inside of the front frame, you won’t have to worry about filling these nail holes later. Just make certain you stay inside the rabbet.
Step 3: Add the back frame
Since the beadboard planks we are using wind up being 5 1/2″ in width when they are joined via the tongue and groove, we shouldn’t cut any of them width-wise. We only need to cut all six of them down to 72″ in length.
Once you have them all cut, join them together using the tongue and groove. Do not glue them together. Glue the sides of first and last board, as well as the ends of all boards, to the recess on the back frame. Use 1 1/4″ finish nails to hold them in place.
Step 4: Sand and finish
Now that your construction is finished, it’s time to sand and finish. Use wood filler to fill any nail holes, then sand using 120 grit followed by 180 grit sandpaper. Once you have the whole piece sanded, it’s time for a few coats of paint and your new herringbone shiplap barn door is ready to hang!
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