Barn Doors for Wide Openings: Single, Double or Bypass
Nov 3rd 2026
A wide opening takes one of three barn door setups: one oversized door, two doors that part in the middle, or two bypass doors that slide past each other. The width of the opening and the clear wall on each side of it decide which one fits. We build custom barn doors in Houston, and this is how we size each setup for openings between living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens and dens.
Two rules apply to all three. Each outside edge of the doorway needs 2 inches of door overlap, which blocks the gap at the wall. And the rail needs 6-1/2 inches of space between the top of the door and the ceiling.
How wide can a single barn door be?
Our widest standard single door is 60 inches. The Plank, Z, Mid Rail Plank, Double X, Double Z, Two Panel and Iron Plank doors come in standard widths from 24 to 60 inches. Most of our other doors go to 48 inches, and our glass barn doors in the Modern French line come in 36, 42 and 48 inches. If you need a size we do not list, call us and we will check whether we can build it.
On a rail kit, a single door should be 4 inches wider than the opening, so a 60-inch door covers an opening up to 56 inches wide. Past that, plan on two doors.
A single door also needs clear wall on one side to slide onto. Our BarnCraft catalog asks for wall space at least 6 inches wider than the opening, so a 54-inch opening needs 60 inches of open wall to the left or the right. Check that stretch for a light switch, a window or a corner before you choose a single door.
Our hardware kits come with a 78-3/4-inch rail for doors up to 36 inches wide or a 100-inch rail for doors over 36 and up to 48 inches. A door wider than 48 inches needs more rail, and we sell the Black Barn Door Rail and the Stainless Steel Barn Door Rail separately to extend it. Each of our rolling hardware kits carries a door up to 220 pounds, and every one of our barn doors weighs less than that.
When should you use two barn doors instead of one?
Use two doors when the opening is wider than 56 inches, or when neither side has enough wall for one large door but both sides have room for half of it. A double barn door is two doors that meet in the middle of the opening and slide apart, one to each side.
Size each door to half the opening plus 2 inches. That gives the 2-inch overlap at each outside edge. Each side of the opening then needs clear wall at least as wide as one door.
| Opening | Each door | Wall each side |
|---|---|---|
| 60 in | 32 in | 32 in |
| 64 in | 34 in | 34 in |
| 72 in | 38 in | 38 in |
| 80 in | 42 in | 42 in |
| 92 in | 48 in | 48 in |
A door wider than the minimum works too. On a 72-inch opening, two 42-inch doors from our standard sizes overlap each side by 6 inches and need 42 inches of wall on each side.
A double door is two complete doors and two hardware kits. Most of our door pages let you order a double door: build the door you want, choose "Double Door- Right and Left Side" for the handle placement, and set the quantity to 2. For any other door, call us. The two rails meet above the center of the opening, and our Double Door Rail Connector joins them so they read as one track.
Houdini Hardware works on double doors as well. It hides the rail and rollers behind each door and carries doors up to 48 inches wide and 175 pounds. Its wheels roll on the floor, so it does not work on most carpet. Only tight-weave carpet works, so check the floor on both sides before you choose it. Houdini also sizes differently from a rail kit: for a door that slides fully clear of the opening, add 8 inches to the opening width, and trim adds to that. Check the Houdini installation instructions before you order.
When is a bypass barn door the right choice?
Choose a bypass when there is little or no wall on either side of the opening. A bypass hangs two doors on two rails, one in front of the other, and the doors slide past each other instead of onto the wall.
A double bypass takes 2 doors, 2 hardware kits and 1 Bypass Bracket Kit. The brackets hold the second rail out in front of the first. A quadruple bypass, for the widest openings, takes 4 doors, 4 kits and 2 bracket kits. The bracket kit comes in black and stainless steel, and a bypass works only with our rolling hardware kits, not with Houdini Hardware.
In the usual bypass, with little wall on either side, the two doors stack in front of each other when open, so one door still covers part of the opening. Pick a bypass when wall space is the limit and a fully open doorway matters less. Our post on the pros and cons of bypass barn doors goes deeper.
Each bypass door covers a little more than half the opening, so the two overlap in the middle when closed. Send us the opening width and we will size the pair.
What should you check before ordering a wide barn door?
Check these five things before you order.
- Trim. On a cased opening, measure from the outside of the trim on one side to the outside of the trim on the other, and size the door to cover the casing.
- Studs or a header board. The rail must fasten into solid framing. A header board mounts to the studs, the rail mounts to the board, and the board spreads the weight of a large or heavy door across the wall.
- The path of each door. Look for switches, outlets, vents and thermostats on the wall where each door will rest when open.
- The way in. Each door arrives assembled in one large box. Measure the hallways, stairs and doorways between your front door and the room before you order a 54- or 60-inch door.
- The floor. A rail kit hangs the door from the wall, so the floor only has to hold a small floor guide. If yours will not take one, our Wall Mount Barn Door Floor Guide attaches to the baseboard or trim instead. Houdini Hardware needs a hard floor or a tight-weave carpet.
Our measuring guide shows each measurement on a drawing, and our post on how much room a barn door needs covers the wall in more detail.
Get help sizing a wide opening
Send us the width and height of the opening, the trim around it and the clear wall on each side, and we will tell you which setup fits and what to order. Call 713-400-6626, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm Central, use our contact form, or see the doors at the GlassCraft Direct showroom, 2002 Brittmoore Rd, Houston. Our door pages also have a See it in your home button that shows the door in a photo of your room.
We build every door in America and ship it free within the continental United States. We currently build most doors within 3 weeks, and freight takes up to 7 business days; Birch Modern, Santa Monica and Beverly doors take up to 4 weeks to build. To have a door delivered before Christmas, order most doors by November 20 and those three by November 13.