Sliding Barn Doors For Bathroom Privacy

 Sliding barn doors have a lot of benefits in terms of both form and functionality. However, using a sliding barn door as a bathroom door presents a few privacy questions.

The short answer is that a bathroom sliding barn door will not have the same amount of privacy as a traditional swinging door. Sliding barn doors will have a larger gap between the door and the wall, which is necessary for the door to slide without making contact with the wall or door trim. Most barn doors will have a ½” gap between the bottom of the door and the floor, and a gap of 1” between the door and the wall. These gaps will marginally increase the chances that sound and smell can pass from room to room.

With that being said, a properly sized barn door will minimize the opportunity for sight lines, reducing the likelihood that someone accidentally catches a glimpse. Depending on the room layout, the barn door can be mounted outside or inside the bathroom, and one placement may offer more privacy based on the design.

Convenience

 Sliding barn doors offer several convenience benefits for bathrooms, and in some cases are the only option. If the bathroom is located in a tight space where a swinging door won’t fit, a sliding barn door is the most affordable choice. Additionally, sliding barn doors can be customized with different materials like mirrors to be more functional.

Consider A Pocket Door

A pocket door is another option for bathrooms where space is tight. Pocket doors offer more privacy and don’t block wall space. However, the average cost of installing a pocket door is significantly higher, and requires the wall to be taken apart in order to install the door track.

Locking a Bathroom Door

 You can add more privacy and security to your bathroom barn door by adding a lock to it. Barn door locks come in two styles, hook and eye, and teardrop latch. The hook and eye latch uses a hook mounted to the wall and an eyelet mounted to the door, which can be connected to prevent someone (like kids) from accidentally opening the door. The teardrop latch uses a slide-out teardrop-shaped disc with slots into a latch on the wall, with a different style but similar effect. Either can be added to a sliding barn door for extra privacy.

Bathroom Barn Door Materials

Bathroom barn doors can be custom-made in a wide variety of materials to fit any design concept. Frosted glass doors are popular for their ability to allow light to pass through the door while still obscuring the view and adding privacy. Full length mirrored barn doors are also commonly used for personal grooming and styling benefits. Doors can also be made from wood or metal, in any size and configuration.