Our introductory page outlines our process for new customers.
The basic needs are:
Let’s see some pictures or sketches/plans of your space where the doors will go. You can text or email these to us. What are your text and cell numbers, and email addresses?
Let’s do measurements - if you live far away, we can show you how and that will cut costs too.
Let’s talk about site logistics and any specific needs or issues around the entryway that will affect the door installation.
We do a lot of back and forth to get the project just right, and then we send an email that encompasses the entire project, often including mockups where needed. This email and all correspondence are a record of the entire project and can also serve as the invoice or job packet. The quote for your project is included once we know the full scope of your project and then a deposit is required. This gets you on the busy pipeline schedule (everything is custom).
We install everything when our lead time allows this great result to adorn your walls!
Our work is primarily for interior functional art design. We typically create and install sliding barn doors and provide the hardware with over six years of experience focusing on doors and our brand as the primary goal for high-end quality workmanship and passion. Our brand and scope currently steer us away from performing outside projects or installing hinged doors, although there have been some rare and unique exceptions to this completely depending on the situation. Usually, it is done in conjunction with other doors we are already doing, and in most cases involving these off-brand pieces, we provide slab only.
Our sliding barn doors are always made wider than a finished corner drywall entry, and if there is casing/trim work around an entry, a door is typically made wider than the outside edges of this casing. If a customer has wide/decorative casing, we can make doors in such a way where, when the door is closed, you can see some of the casing on either side. We call this “living ON the casing.” This depends on the project and situation and should be fully discussed beforehand. If you are renovating or building new spaces, we need to know whether you intend to case the entry and the style of casing used. We can consult on whether or not casing should be used and because of limited space on some walls, we should have a conversation with you and your builder before you seal up walls!
For height, we typically measure from the finished floor surface to the top of a finished entry or the top edge of the top casing. We can also measure rough openings and then add casing into calculations. See above to let us know if casing is added or not.
We typically mount our hardware above this and need room to house the brackets that mount higher up, and wheel heads rolling along the rail. In some lower ceiling situations, we have mounted on the top casing and we can explain this process further.
Every space is different and so every project is custom. This guide can provide a basic look at what’s needed to figure out door sizing and space needed for the door to slide opened and closed:
https://www.northshorebarndoors.com/basic-door-logistics-overview
At the bottom of this page, you can also see a section about “side boards” and how we add these when installing to mitigate the gap behind doors! Everyone thinks you need to closely hug the walls with your barn door. This is not always true nor is it always possible given the uneven nature of most walls and trim work. Plaster can waver, trim work can be put on with a slight tilt, walls move and homes settle. Things are never 100% in any given building, and so allowing a door to live out from the wall a bit and then adding sides to bring it back in working around what is there works better!
If we are working in spaces where walls are already up and finished, that’s fine. We just need to find key studs to work with inside your walls. Our doors are large and heavy, and their through-brackets or top-mounted brackets often lag in with 3/8” lags to hold up functional art that moves. Strength is paramount!
Sorry, we cannot work with metal studs unless they are either filled with wood and blocking between them, and at the base and header, Or if we and your builder can determine where key posts and wood elements inside the wall will be located for our stability and mounting needs, including the locations of base roller bracketing. We would also require photos or detailed drawings of spaces where this type of stud framing has been done to work on the walls.
Metal studs and commercial spaces:
Metal studs are not the best thing for us. Please try to use WOOD whenever possible! If you absolutely must have metal studs, we suggest this: Add sistered 2x10s across the entire span of the entry and at least that distance to the sides the doors will be rolling when opened (and go longer just to make sure). Add a strong structural post on the left of the entry, on the right of the entry, and at the ends of wherever doors will end when fully opened. Take pics of this and send them to us, please. Before sealing up the walls.
If you need to use fire-rated wood inside walls, we do understand this adds cost, but any quality work will require that, so it must be part of the entire plan. We need ample thick and strong BLOCKING fastened between stronger gauge metal studs. This should be 2x10 and needs to span the entry and the walls along which the doors will go when fully opened, and then some. Also, at the base, at the corners where doors will open and close, we need some wood blocking as close to the inside corner of the entry as possible. This is so we can fasten our base roller L brackets where needed at floor level. We can show you examples of this and we are happy to provide a mockup showing exactly what we need for such framed spaces, and if there is no ample wood inside the walls when we install, then the system could fail and that hurts us all. It hurts how we look because people might see the door sagging someday and this will reflect upon our business and reputation. It could cost a lot more for a builder or customer to rectify such problems if not done right the first time. Even less heavy doors can experience such problems… that’s because they move, and this essentially adds stress and “weight” to the span. Don’t skip steps in the build because it will matter and we have seen it a few times and had to come back to fix someone else’s issue.
We have done work on brick but would prefer wood to be inside the surface into which we lag most elements and not metal studs unless they too are filled with wood. Yes, I have to repeat that.
We have developed our brackets and installation methods that allow us to mount directly to your painted or plastered drywall. Some door designs have the beam or ledger up top, and some do not. We can do the no-beam method for most of our projects and In most situations, we can find the studs using multiple types of stud finders, photos you or your builder may have supplied, or other techniques builders use to find these key wall elements based on how homes and buildings were constructed. If we cannot find studs, or if the walls have horse hair plaster, or were also covered in plywood or had been covered in material from outside construction now part of an inside space, then we may have to open up walls to find and possibly add something inside the space. This may add costs depending on the project and time allowed. In other cases, we may elect to use a ledger or beam over the top for our hardware after all. We may need to add this in a way where you can later paint it even if we prime it or just leave it in place. This also depends on factors we can only assess when on-site working. When adding putty or drywall compound, we may only be able to add the first coat and have you be responsible for finishing and painting the area later. When we make small marks or holes to find studs in typical installations, we can quickly patch or putty these and if you have the wall paint we can touch up when working on the door project. But for bigger areas, this work would require more drying and sanding time we may not have available especially if we went in not knowing this extra work would be needed.
Some spaces do not have ample wall space or even a header or top to the entry. We can add these features to your project and create door styles and systems that work for many walls and around most obstructions. Ask us about unique solutions and creative ideas we have done and are willing to do for you!
We can work with designers and builders and offer ideas on how best to build a space. One example is this: If you have light switches being put into new construction spaces, try to have those not be on the wall where a door will open and cover them. We can work around this if we see it, and have a few ideas for it. The very best mode is for us to work directly with the home or business owner.
Our doors are typically made using reclaimed New England pines in rustic and semi-rustic styles. We also offer modern farmhouse and industrial farmhouse with a more finished look depending on the project. This often involves a reclaimed stock or thoroughly pre-dried stock that can be sanded and re-colored with extra steps and time and could have a satin poly finish or wax coating. We currently do not do shiny ultra-modern cabinet-grade work with new stock. We have added panels and customer-supplied existing doors into builds, and these elements could be of a more “modern” nature, so, if this look works for you, let’s try it (we have plenty of examples of this to show you). We mostly love to use olde wood that has naturally aged characteristics including saw marks, scrapes and dings, nail holes, knots, variances, and other features that are unique and cannot be mass-produced. We fashion each board to find the best rectangles to hand-craft every element of your completely customized barn door! No fake, MDF, or new, low-grade home center wood.
We like to work in rustic styles with those types of materials. All projects come with challenges and things that can take up extra time and work not planned for. We pride ourselves on trying to help people out and doing as much of that as possible if it comes up, but we try to take on projects that have fewer of these bogdowns to begin with. And when planning projects and talking to customers or designers about capabilities, we like to stay on brand as much as possible. If we have to go off-brand, let it be just for one or two things, not beyond a point where we are no longer doing what we specialize in. An example of this is: We can do, say, a modern-styled, more finish-grade inside design of a door, but with rustic frames. Or we can add glass with rustic frames. We could do a more sleek metal frame but with rustic inside wood design elements. But doing all modern/finish grades would go too far off-brand.
We typically coat with Bri Wax and other colorants. We usually select the best wood for the project at hand and most boards come in aged grays and browns so we work from there. Some require more work to hewn than others in the workshop. We rasp and wire brush, buff sand, and clean boards. We often torch the edges of new cuts to give the aged look where needed. Bri Wax is provided by our supplier but it is also available online and it’s very easy to apply and clean up. This is great for later on, in case your door needs a touch-up someday and you can do that easily on your own without needing special products.
To learn more about how we work with wood, our philosophy about paint, modern styles, and more, please visit this page:
Woods & Hardware — Northshore Barn Doors
Barn doors look and operate with simplicity. But the making of and installation of these doors and their hardware is a complex knit of carefully adjusted parts and elements. Everything works in tandem. Changing one thing affects something else and the process of installation is a lot like the work of Doc Brown from the movie, Back to the Future. You gotta love it to have it. We tinker and tweak as we work and in the end, you have a beautiful conversation piece to enjoy! It runs smoothly, level, and plumb, and even a child can operate the door, but we hope no one slams them or roughs them up. Again, this is your art! It needs TLC.
We make all our own hardware! All US-Made. No overseas kit parts from online or box stores. Their stuff is ok but limited in its use especially when it comes to the building of doors. Our hardware accommodates the fact that our doors are thicker and more robust. The kits would require modification and they are not made in the USA anyway. We use local suppliers and we make all the parts in our Amesbury workshop. You can come up and see the industrial setting most any time. There’s always something new going on and many doors going out for installation are in the building. It is not a showroom and there are no cookie-cutter door slabs ready to go, but we can show you how things work and what the wood is like too. We can send or give samples as needed.
We typically coat hardware in a rustic black we can touch up on-site. We can also do a brushed nickel look or even a gold look and more, but some elements are limited. We can discuss this as needed.
We invented single and bypass door system brackets and our L brackets are patent-pending. They have revolutionized how door hardware is mounted and how doors hang on walls. We include rail stoppers up top that can be set on-site to keep the door on track, and we have an adjustable roller and T guides we set at the bottoms of doors on whatever bottom corner of the baseboard trim your door will be sliding to when opening. We make two-wheel styles but can do other custom options. We offer several handle types and a flush pull-inset handle on the back. Doors can have a one-sided simple eye hook or flat latch added as needed. We do not currently offer two-sided locks, weather stripping, or soft-close systems.
We can add glass and mirrors, and we use safety glass, typically ½” thick. We can also add Clavos (large rustic nail heads) and other metal elements and decorative features to customize your door.
The typical process is to first see what the space looks like. If it’s not yet built, let’s have a quick conversation with your builder because if we can have them make the walls and header in ways that make our installation easier and faster, then we will pass on savings to you! So if your walls are not yet built or sealed up, please talk to us first. If the walls are already there, we can work with finished walls. Just show us pics of the entry or plans for where it will be. With these pics, we can make you mock-ups if needed, and these can show what your door will look like on the walls. If able, try to get pics straight on, wide shots, and please show the floor and ceiling so we can see all around the entry. Seeing the walls in full where doors may slide when opening will also be necessary. Multiple pics and angles are great to see! Sometimes we can suggest some ideas that others may not yet have thought of.
If you have seen doors online or on our media, you could make screenshots of these and send us those pics as well. We can use this to emulate the door you want and design everything custom to your needs.
We make mock-ups for customers without charge at the time, but we do not want to make those forever because they do take time to render in Photoshop. A few is usually all one needs to decide on a design.
Many people get inspired by seeing our recent projects on these two links:
https://www.instagram.com/northshorebarndoors/
https://www.northshorebarndoors.com/our-portfolio
Emails, texting, chats, and even Facetime or Zoom can help us all know what the project will be, and we can quote it once we know the scope. This may also include knowing site logistics such as how far away we must drive, where to park, how to get the doors up into the room, and where we need to set up all our tools and parts. The big wide van arrives and we typically need to go in and out and up and down when working for 4-10 hours on-site depending on the project, so access to our many parts, both big and small, and our mobile workshop, is important and part of how we quote each different projects. Once we have settled on a quoted price, we typically require a 50% deposit, and then you are in the busy pipeline queue. Final payment is due upon clean-up when installation is all done. Unless it changes the scope of the project, some slight tweakings and alterations are allowed even after a deposit is made. It depends on the project and the situation.
Builders and contractors can make and install doors. No doubt. But we often remind everyone that in the amount of time it takes to install one, they could have framed a big kitchen! So leave the barn dooring to The Barndoorist! We will provide this eclectic piece for your home or business and you will love the results!
IMPORTANT NOTES:
During Installations, unforeseen conditions may lead to the implementation of artist discretion.
Also, please try to have pets and children away from the work area due to the fact that multiple trips back and forth to the work truck for big and little parts will happen continuously. We love pets but we cannot be responsible for them following us outside while we focus on work.
Let us know if you have any questions at any time!
Thank you
Jeff Filipov
Owner/Barndoorist
Northshore Barn Doors
www.facebook.com/northshorebarndoors
Office & Shop phone/text: 1-978-347-0445
The Barndoorist's personal cell/text (best for sending attachments) 781-439-2874
Email: Jeff@northshorebarndoors.com
Why do I write so much?
I am very passionate about making and installing my custom barn doors! I recommend that if you seek a professional from a business to do a project, that you find one who is passionate. If they are not, run, or suffer the consequences. My goal is about running a small business and making a living, but it is also all about art and love of olde wood and process. Celebrate this!
Also, I cannot stand businesses who hide beyond blank and moving “promises” and those that fail to offer accountability. My long emails and messages give you full disclosure and a sense that I care about your project as though it were my own home I was working on. Probably even more! You want a business where the people who you deal with tell you everything about everything you are buying that they can. And who stand by their work and commitment to making it happen like they say it will.
We live in a time where everyone is trying to bamboozle everyone and I am trying to show you that I am the one who is not doing that. All I ask is that you kindly respond with at least one of these: “Thank you,” “Received,” “I will read and get back to you,” “Not sure if I am interested but I appreciate your email,” and things like that. I put a lot of effort into everything I do. As an artist, it feels better when someone recognizes this. This is art. It is a functional centerpiece of your home or property and it is important to us both.