Pocket Doors vs Sliding Barn Doors

Published: February 11, 2021

Both pocket doors and barn doors can bring a modern or rustic feel into any room because of their mechanics. While pocket doors slide into the wall completely out of sight barn doors slide along the outside of the wall so they are constantly visible.

Pocket doors and Barn doors both have a significant number of options available on the market; traditional, contemporary and modern. When it comes to pocket doors homeowners might think why get a beautiful door when you're just going to hide it inside the wall when it is open, this doesn't have to be the case. Decorative doors can still be used and may often be preferred over a plain flat door. Barn doors on the other hand are always visible and often a visual centerpiece so homeowners want something that is more visually appealing and most often rustic.

Which is Most Practical?

Both doors are designed to save you as much space as possible and are perfect from small rooms like closets and bathrooms because they don't swing out or in when opened. However there is the slight difference between the two with pocket doors sliding into the wall and barn doors sliding over the outside of it. So if you are choosing a barn door you need to account for it blocking anything on the wall it will be sliding on, so you most likely want to hang a barn door on a wall absent of any light switches, outlets and pictures.

Ease of Installation

Of the two pocket doors are generally more difficult to install and require a more in depth installation process where things can go wrong if not done properly. Like we've said previously pocket doors slide into the wall in which they are installed so you will be required to cut into this wall to provide ample support around the door and a track for the door to slide upon. Depending on your home you may find that the wall you want to install the door is not thick enough to install a pocket door and will need to be torn down and reconstructed to accommodate a pocket door.

Compared to pocket doors their cousins the sliding barn door is a breeze to install. You can place the door track on any wall you want, however you need to keep in mind that this track will always be visible. Also it is important to take into account that barn doors are almost always going to be bulkier and heavier than pocket doors making them a bit more challenging to maneuver around.

Budget Friendly

Generally the pocket doors and barn doors cost roughly the same; it's when you get into the installation process and the required hardware where costs differ. Barn door installation can cost you anywhere from sub $100 to around $300 depending on what hardware and finishings you choose. On the flip side the costs of installing a pocket door can escalate quickly, with costs ranging from $400 to north of $2,000 depending on level of construction required.

Does One Offer More Privacy than the Other?

When it comes to sliding doors, as much character as they bring they can lack in privacy. Depending on installation pocket doors can seal for the most part on 3 of the 4 sides with the bottom having a gap so it's not sliding along the floor. Barn doors on the other hand can have a gap all the way around as it sits proud of the wall so as to not damage the wall when sliding along it. These issues relate to both sound and light, which is why these doors are typically recommended for closets and master bathrooms.

More Durable and Easier to Maintain

Since both pocket doors and barn doors slide along a track both require a similar type of maintenance and like with most things in life the cheaper the track the more maintenance and issues you will have with it. When it comes to which is easier to maintain and is likely to go longer without issues, you would mostly likely be looking at barn doors as the track is outside of the door frame and more readily accessible.

Add Value to my Home

Does one add more value to my home than the other? The short answer is no they won't, but this all goes with whom your potential buyers are. You may live in a market where sliding barn doors are extremely popular and boosts your homes visibility in the market.