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A Z-braced plank door with pocket-hole frame joinery and a plywood back — build to your exact opening, then hang on sliding track hardware.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top and bottom rails | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 21 1/2" | 1x6 | ☐ |
| Mid rail | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 21 1/2" | 1x12 | ☐ |
| Stiles (sides) | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 78" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Z-brace, long diagonal Both ends cut at 25° off square, ends parallel to each other. Mark and cut off the assembled frame, not from this number alone. | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 44 3/8" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Z-brace, short diagonals One end at 40° off square, other end at 25° off square, cut in opposite directions. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 22 1/8" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Back frame rails | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 78" | 1x2 | ☐ |
| Back frame cross rail | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 23 1/2" | 1x3 | ☐ |
| Plywood back panel | 1 | 1/2" × 23 1/2" × 55" | 1/2" exterior plywood | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| 1x6 board, 4 ft (Pine) | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x12 board, 4 ft (Pine) | 1 each | ☐ |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft (Pine) Stiles and the two angled Z-brace pieces. | 3 each | ☐ |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft (Pine) | 2 each | ☐ |
| 1/2" exterior plywood, cut to door size Backs the frame so the door reads as a solid slab from the front. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Sliding barn door track hardware kit Buy a kit rated for your door's actual weight and width — this is what makes it a barn door rather than a hinged one. | 1 each | ☐ |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" | 30 each | ☐ |
| Wood glue | 4 oz | ☐ |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Tape Measure
Measure the actual width and height of your door opening, then size the finished door to overlap it by at least 2" on each side and the top so it fully covers the gap when closed. Adjust every rail and stile length in the cut list to match your real opening before cutting — the numbers here assume a specific opening and yours is almost certainly different.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Speed Square. Materials: 1x6 board, 4 ft, 1x12 board, 4 ft, 1x3 board, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4", Wood glue
Drill pocket holes in the ends of the top, mid, and bottom rails and join them to the two stiles with 1-1/4" pocket screws and glue, keeping everything square. This front-facing frame is what you'll see once the door is hung, so keep glue squeeze-out to a minimum on the front face.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: 1x3 board, 8 ft, Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4", Wood glue
Hold the long diagonal brace across the assembled frame corner to corner and mark the actual angles directly off the frame, rather than trusting the reference angle alone — your real frame's exact width and height determine the true angle. Cut and fit it, then do the same for the two shorter diagonals that complete the Z. Pocket-screw and glue all three in place.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: 1x3 board, 8 ft, 1x2 board, 8 ft, 1/2" exterior plywood, cut to door size, Wood glue
Screw the two back frame rails and the cross rail to the back face of the door, then attach the plywood panel over them with glue and screws driven from the back only, so nothing shows on the front. This is what gives the door its solid-slab look from the room side.
Tools: Level, Random Orbit Sander. Materials: Sliding barn door track hardware kit
Sand every edge and both faces, finish as you like, then mount the track hardware to your wall header per the kit's instructions and hang the door. Check it slides smoothly and hangs plumb before calling it done — most sliding-door binding issues trace back to the header not being level.