The difference between a barn door and a sliding door is barn doors remain visible as this slide past the walls instead of going inside the walls like sliding doors.
Although barn doors take more space than sliding doors, they save significant space compared to hinged doors.
Lock a barn door from both sides
Interior barn doors can have locks and handle on both sides. Therefore, you can lock these from inside or outside the room. Most barn doors do not have locks on both sides, so you may have to install them at your own expense. Installing them is easy as the hardware parts are widely available.
Table of Contents
Previously, homeowners did not recommend installing barn doors as they thought they lacked privacy because of the absence of locking mechanisms. Different lock systems are available specifically for barn doors to ensure privacy and security.
As a result, most modern homes in the countryside and small towns have barn doors instead of hinge doors.
Most modern homes have barn doors instead of traditional hinge doors, which makes them look more aesthetically pleasing.
Moreover, barn doors have an advantage over hinge doors as they save a significant amount of space that a hinged door takes up to open or close.
Also, there are now barn doors that you can close from both sides and use as a push or pull doors with some additional equipment.
Installing a barn door lock is not different from installing a traditional lock. It is better to install your chosen barn door locking mechanism before completely installing the barn door as it will save you the additional hassle and be more time effective.
If you have installed a barn door without any lock, you can install a lock system anytime if you have the necessary tools at your disposal.
Since there are different types of lock systems available for barn doors, the methods for installing the locks depend on the type of lock and barn door.
Some will require you to drill into the barn door to make space for the lock, and some will simply require screws. Manufacturers of barn door locks include detailed instructions which you can follow.
Some barn door locks do not support locking the barn door from both sides, so you must avoid installing these if you plan on using them from both sides.
Most people recommend using the barrel slide bolt lock as it allows the user to lock the barn door from the outside and inside.
You can install a barrel slide bolt lock in interior barn doors to help keep children out and prevent others from opening it at an inopportune time.
The barrel slide locking mechanism comes with a key that you can use to lock it from outside the room. If you want to use it from the inside, you will need to use the bolt portion of the lock to engage it. The barrel slide lock is suitable for sliding barn doors.
Can you lock a double barn door?
Double barn doors are for large entrances where one barn door is not enough. This kind of barn door can be slid or pushed or pulled, depending on the owner’s preference.
You can lock both types of double barn doors using one of the various locking mechanisms available for purchase in the market.
A common way people lock double barn doors is by using a floor bolt on one of the doors to secure it to its place and using a sliding bolt and padlock on the other door if it is a push or pull door.
If the double barn doors have a sliding mechanism, you can use a hasp and padlock to lock it with the other sliding barn door.
Additionally, some people often use a third pedestrian door set into one of the large barn doors and bolt it to the floor.
As a result, you can use a conventional house lock for extra security. Also, you can bolt the double barn doors together so they cannot be cut through the middle.
Can you open a barn door from both sides?
Nowadays, several barn door locks are available for installation to ensure privacy and security.
Some lock systems will allow you to lock the barn doors from both sides so you can lock it from the inside for privacy and lock it from the outside to keep people out of whatever you are guarding in the room.
Besides locks, you can also install door handles on both sides of the barn doors to open them from both sides.
If you have installed sliding barn doors or double barn doors, you can open them from both sides with the help of door handles. On the other hand, if you have push or pull barn doors, you can have door handles to open them from both sides.
If you are looking for a lock that will let you lock the barn door from both sides, you can try using the barrel slide lock, which has a key.
You can use the key to lock or unlock the barn key from the outside and use the barrel slide to lock or unlock the barn doors from the inside.
How to lock a barn door from both sides?
Since there are different barn door locks available, we will only discuss how you can lock a barn door from both sides using a barrel slide bolt lock. Here are the steps to lock a barn door from both sides.
Install a barrel slide lock:
The most common type of lock people use to lock a barn door from both sides is a barrel slide locking mechanism. If you do not wish to install the lock by yourself, you can call a professional for help in installing the lock for you.
Use a key to engage the lock from the outside:
To lock the sliding barn door from the outside, use the key to engage the bolt lock. For unlocking, you will have to use the same key again to disengage the bolt lock, and the barn door will open easily.
For a push or pull barn door, the technique is the same as for a sliding barn door. You will have to use the key to lock or unlock the barn door by engaging or disengaging the bolt lock.
Use the bolt portion to lock from the inside:
From the inside, you can lock the barn door using the bolt portion of the lock. You will have to manually engage or disengage the bolt to lock or unlock the barn door from the inside. It is the same for both sliding or push or pull barn doors.
Following these steps, you can easily lock the barn doors in your home from both sides and unlock them. For installations, you can hire a professional or do it by yourself by following the instructions provided with the lock.
How do you put a lock on a barn door?
There are different methods for putting a lock on a barn door. The technique you should use will depend on the type of lock you have chosen and the state of the barn doors in your home.
Attaching the parts:
Some locking mechanisms are easy to install, so you will not need to cut or break any materials to install them. You will have to screw the parts to the body of the barn door and its adjacent wall to install the lock.
So, you will need a drill machine to drill holes in the wall and barn door and a screwdriver to secure the screws.
Installing a lock inside the barn door:
Some barn door locks need to be installed inside a barn door.
Therefore, you will need additional materials to cut and make space inside the barn door for the lock systems. It is better to call for professional help for installing these kinds of locks.
Putting a lock on a barn door can be simple or difficult depending on the complexity of the lock you have chosen to use. Therefore, you should choose an easy-to-install lock if you have decided to install it yourself.
Final thoughts
It is now easier to open or close a barn door from both sides. Moreover, barn door locks are available for additional security and privacy for barn door users. Some barn door locks are easy to install as they contain the instructions, and you can do it yourself at home.