The Ceiling Mount was designed to install barn doors where there is limited clearance above the door frame or lack of a door frame. The Ceiling Mount is connected to our Pre-Hung Mounting system to allow for easy installation.

How to Install Ceiling Mount Barn Door Hardware

If you’re planning on incorporating a barn door into your home décor, you’ll be joining a popular trend in interior design. Barn doors are perfect for overall interior style or for making a statement, and they aren’t about to go out of style any time soon. They add warmth and a wonderful homey touch to nearly any style of house. Mounting your barn door hardware takes a little know-how and preparation but is relatively easy to install. 

How to Install Ceiling Mount Barn Door Hardware

1. Choose the Right Hardware
2. Take Measurements
3. Mount to Ceiling
4. Attach Door Hardware 
5. Install Door
6. Install Floor Track 

Properly mounting your sliding barn door is essential to not only the overall look and style of your mounted door but the safety of using it on a daily basis. Done right, you’ll complete the design you’re hoping to achieve and ensure that you’ll have a sliding door for years to come. A sliding door is highly desirable when there isn’t enough space for a hinged door.

Why Should I Ceiling Mount a Barn Door?

Ceiling mounting a barn door is ideal for numerous spaces and places where an ordinary wall mounted sliding door would not be possible to install. Ceiling mounted barn doors are best where you have a limited amount of clearance above the door, not enough room for headers, or in cases where there is no door frame at all. The ceiling mount will be just as sturdy as a wall mount and will attach to the studs in your ceiling. The track that your wooden doors will slide on will hang down from the ceiling and provide smooth opening and closing. 

Ceiling mounts work well for tighter spaces such as a sliding closet, pantry opening, small laundry room nook, and playroom storage area. They also work well for nearly any type of interior sliding doors including French doors, as well as some exterior-opening doors like a screen door. If you have a double barn door setup and one needs to fit behind the other, bypass sliding door hardware is what you want, though this may not be doable with a ceiling mount. 

1. Choose the Right Hardware

The first thing you want to do when starting the process of installing your ceiling mounted sliding door is to choose your hardware kit. A hanging hardware kit comes in a wide variety of styles and colors, enabling you to match your décor, down to the last detail. 

Black matte is a classic sliding door option that goes with any style or color of wood door. Brass offers a unique custom look that pairs well with white barn doors. Stainless steel or brushed stainless steel pairs well with lighter doors. No matter which combination you choose, it’s hard to pick a “wrong” one.

Once you have your hanging hardware kit selected, you’ll want to choose mounting hardware that allows for ceiling mounts. This piece will have a flat mount that attaches to the ceiling and a track for your mounted door to hang. Then, you can embark on a simple and relatively quick DIY mounting project that can be done efficiently with a little know-how. 

2. Take Measurements

To properly mount your ceiling hardware, you’ll want to take numerous measurements. 

First, if you have any molding or framing around your door, measure so that your ceiling mount allows your door to pass cleanly over the framing. It shouldn’t scrape or bump your door frame. For example, if your door frame sticks out an inch from the wall, measure an inch and a half out for the track to sit. 

Second, find the studs in your ceiling. Mark each stud with a pencil, so you know where to screw holes in for your mount. Mark your beginning and ending track spots, then with an extra pair of hands, place the track into the location above your door. Use your pencil to mark through the pre-drilled holes in the mounting hardware so you’ll know exactly where to drill.

Finally, while someone assists, ensure your mounting hardware is level, and trace around the entire bar with a pencil for accurate placement. After all, there is nothing more frustrating than mounting something to the ceiling, realize that it's off-center and that you need to remove it, patch holes and try again.

3. Mount to Ceiling

It’s essential to remember that, while this project can be done alone, it is the most efficient if you complete it with someone’s help. Having another set of hands to hold while you drill is necessary for your safety and assurance of accurate placement for your sliding barn door track.

Before you can mount your hardware to the ceiling, there are a few steps to take.

First, using a wood drill, drill holes through the studs for the screws to hold up your ceiling mount. Only use the hardware kit that came with your mount, or purchase a separate hardware kit according to the instructions. Never try to get by with using substandard nuts, bolts, lag nuts, or screw sizes. Anything less than the manufacturer’s directions could not only cause your sliding door to come down, but you could incur significant damage to your home or injury to those living in it. 

Once your holes are drilled, and you’ve followed all instructional steps, it’s time to mount your hardware. Have one person line up the mount according to the holes you’ve just drilled. Screw your entire mount into place with one screw at a time. Lightly screw down all screws, then, starting from the center and working outward, tighten them all down until they cannot move.

Note on safety: Both you and the person assisting with this project should always use eye projection since shavings will fall as a result of drilling. You’ll be looking up to see what you’re doing and, if your eyes are unprotected, you could end up with shavings in your eyes.

4. Attach Door Hardware

Now that you have your ceiling mount in place, you’ll need a way to hang your sliding door. This means your next step is attaching the barn door hardware, or your hanging hardware, to the sliding door. While your specific hanging mechanism will have its own set of instructions, the general principals are the same.

You’ll first measure to ensure proper spacing to allow the wheel to sit on the track. Mark the measurement on your door with a pencil. Place the hardware onto your door using a level to make sure it’s straight and use a pencil again to mark the holes you’ll need to drill for your hangers. Do this with each hanger, and you’ll have your placement marked out, and each hanger should be perfectly level and in alignment with each other.

Drill out the holes you’ve marked with the appropriate drill bit. Determine which style of bit is best for your door you’ll need to accommodate for the particular material you are drilling through.

Once you’ve drilled out the holes, place the assembled hangers in line with the holes and secure them by inserting a bolt and securing it with nuts or other hardware according to directions that came with your hardware kit. 

5. Install Door

This next step requires two people for maximum ease of lifting your door and getting it onto the ceiling mount. 

At this point, everything is ready for door installation. Your ceiling mount is in place and mounted. The barn door hardware is attached and fit to hold the heavy duty weight of your rolling barn door, and all you need to do is lift. While one person lifts the front and another lifts the back, slowly slide the door onto the track until the entire door rests fully in the track of your ceiling mount.

You only have one more piece of equipment to install before your interior barn doors are finished. On either end of your ceiling track, there will be space to install a stopper bracket. Installation usually involves drilling a hole into your wall where the hole on your track is already placed. You’ll then place the stopper in the hole and either insert a screw or a bolt to hold it in place. This is a crucial step in the process, and usually the last, but cannot be forgotten. Without a stopper in place, you’ll risk having your barn door pulled or pushed off its track entirely. Always finish the installation of the door stopper before you begin using your sliding barn door.

6. Install Floor Track

Once you’ve reached this stage, you’re almost ready to call it “done” and sit back and admire your handiwork! But first, you have one final task: installing a floor track. The primary function of a floor track is to help stabilize your door. It also preempts the improper use of the door by younger children. Bottom tracks keep your door in perfect alignment, stops the door from swinging in the track and warping it, and reduces the overall wear on the ceiling track itself. You’ll be glad to know that installing a bottom track is the easiest and fastest part of the entire barn door installation process. 

Since your door is already in place, securing the bottom track will be an easy process. Most door tracks come as two small units that screw into the wall on either side. You can also opt for a flat track that goes along the entire length for optimal stability. 
The primary measuring you’ll need to do for this process is ensuring that you have enough space for your wall to comfortably fit when it’s inside the track. If you ordered your bottom track with your sliding barn door, you’ll be given a track with the right door widths. If you’re purchasing this item as an afterthought, you’ll want to measure the width of your barn door to ensure a proper fit. If the track is too narrow, the door won’t fit. If it’s too wide, the door has the potential to swing around within the track and create extra wear on the bottom of the door.

Once you’ve acquired the appropriate set of tracks, position the first track at the edge of one side of your door, right where the barn door meets the opening of the doorway. Place the track under the door until the track is in the right place. Move the door out of the way and mark screw holes for the track with a pencil. Use a drill for your starter holes, then place the bottom track piece back, line it up with the drill holes, and screw it into place. Move the door into the track to ensure proper fit. Repeat this process a second time for the other side of your door, and you’ll have a door that is always nestled securely in one of two tracks on either side of the door. 

Extra optional steps you can take at this point include installing barn door handles and door latches. A latch is beneficial for sliding closet doors and other interior doors you want to remain shut. A proper door lock is best for exterior doors. Door handles will preserve the door itself and keep them clean, especially for glass panels that are prone to smudging. These final touches require very little time and are known for their easy installation.

How to Install Ceiling Mount Barn Door Hardware 

Mounting your barn door is a very doable and easy to install task that is made even easier with two people. By taking careful measurements, ensuring proper leveling, screwing, and mounting, you’ll have a barn door that stands the test of time. Installing hardware for your interior barn doors is a breeze once you’ve mounted your ceiling track and adding a bottom track as a finishing touch ensures the best protection for the long-term use of your barn door. Once you’ve completed all the finishing touches, you’ll have successfully completed a DIY project that ties your décor together and leaves your home looking stunning.