What’s the Best Wood for Barn Doors?

When it comes to the barn door, they come several confusions in mind. What material should be on these doors? If selected a material then what type is best? Wood doors are one of the matchless options for barn doors.

Wood comes in different varieties and types. Now, you must have confusion in your mind that what's the best wood for barn doors? It's time for you to be relaxed as we will explain to you each and everything in detail. We assure you that you will be able to choose the one for you at the end.

Factors you need to consider before making a choice

Keep in mind that wood is a durable material but there are still things that you must address before going for wooden barn doors. There are several factors that you should surely consider. Following are a few of them.

1.    Budget

Wood comes in different types. Each type has its pros and cons. A high-quality wood with more advantages will cost you more and vice versa. So, here is the point; consider your budget. How much spending on a wood door can you afford? This will help in the future when you go to the real-time market for purchasing.

2.    Wood Treatment

It's another factor that you must consider. What is the weather of the place where your barn is located? Is that a sunny place or a place with lots of moisture? After thinking about these things, you can choose a wood that is suitable for the weather conditions.

3.    Durability

There are several kinds of woods. You will find some types harder than the others. If your barn door will face the outside environment, then a hard and durable wooden barn door will be perfect. But if your barn is in an interior place where the weather can't affect directly, you can go for some softwood according to your budget.

4.    Maintenance

Wooden doors need much maintenance because their exposure to the weather can damage them in certain ways. Direct sunlight can damage the exterior look of the door and moisture can damage the interior of the door. So when you decide to install a wooden barn door, you should surely think about its maintenance.

5.    Purpose

Last but not the least; you should keep in mind the purpose of a wooden barn door. If you want proper security of the barn, you can choose the heavy and hardwood type. For Storing the Hay, you might need a stronger and more durable wooden door and at the same time, if your barn is for Livestock, you can go for simple and lightweight wooden barn doors.

Pine

Pinewood is one of the most beautiful-looking wood types that give a very sleek look to any of your places. You can get different shades in pine woods like light and dark brown. So, if your budget is low, nothing is the best option than the pine barn doors.

Pros

•    less expensive

•    sleek and neat finishing

•    gives a glassy look to the barn

•    lasts for 10-20 years f well maintained

Cons

•    softwood

•    can scratch easily

Knotty Alder

If you want a stylish look at your barn, alder wood is one of the best options. Knotty alder wood contains knots in its texture that adds a design to the overall look of these doors. Alder wood barn doors also come in several different shades. You can pick up the one that you like most. The most popular shade in knotty alder wood is red.

Pros

•    comparatively cheap

•    gives a stylish look with proper finishing

•    moisture resistant

•    Comes in different shades

Cons

•    easily scratched

•    softwood

Poplar

Poplar is one of the most used hardwoods in the world for doors and windows. Poplar doors come in light shades that give a neat and decent look. It comes in a uniform texture as its grains are always in a straight line. If your target is to provide your barn security and also a nice aesthetic look, a poplar wooden barn door is an easy option for you to choose.

Pros

•    Cheapest hardwood

•    provides security to the barn as these are hard to break

•    variety of color choices

Cons

•    vulnerable to insects’ attack

Knotty Pine

This is also softwood like pines. It gives a more stylish look as it contains knots in its texture. When knotty pines barn doors are properly finished, it gives a unique stylish look to doors. If you focus on the proper maintenance of barn doors, knotty pine barn doors can last up to 20 years. So, for a lower budget, it is the best option to consider.

Pros

•    less expensive

•    gives a more stylish look

Cons

•    Can be cracked and scratched easily

Hardwood

Hardwood is one of the best and most durable barn door options. These doors provide more security and are long-lasting. One of the unique features of these doors is that they can't be broken easily. These give a very simple and unique look to your barn. The hardwood barn doors are weather-resistant doors. If you have a huge budget, you should go for these doors.

Pros

•    high-quality hardwood

•    Strong/durable and long-lasting

•    can be maintained and cleaned easily

•    gives a sleek look

Cons

•    Expensive

•    fewer design choices

Oak

Oakwood is one of the sturdy and durable hardwoods that gives your several color choices. The oak barn doors prove the best weather-resistant option.

Pros

•    strongest wood

•    insect resistant and weather resistant

Cons

•    Expensive

White Cedar

This is softwood that best fit for barn doors if your target is weather and insect resistant barn doors. These can be styled in various ways and are easy to maintain. White cedar contains knots that give it a more beautiful look.

Pros

•    Budget-friendly

•    more stylish

•    insects and weather resistant

Cons

•    softwood

Birch

Birch is a hardwood that makes your barn doors weather resistant as well as insect resistant. These barn doors are vulnerable to fungi attacks so make sure to maintain them properly if used in an exterior environment. It is one of the less expensive hardwoods but more expensive than the softwoods.

Pros

•    durable

•    less expensive hardwood

Cons

•    Can be cracked easily in a dry environment

Fir

It is one of the strongest softwoods that are very commonly found in most areas. Fir barn doors prove to be more weather resistant. You can get a variety of color choices when you decide to have fir barn doors.

Pros

•    Highly durable softwood

•    easy to maintain

•    decay and rot-resistant

Cons

•    most expensive softwood

Conclusion

We have discussed each wood type in detail with its pros and cons. Hopefully, this article has helped you to make a better decision in the choice of wood for barn doors. Once you install a wooden barn door, make sure to maintain it properly.

Good Luck!