jeff2718, The Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Cary, NC has absolutely beautiful "barndoors" in their Governors Room. Although the term "barndoors" is very misleading in this case. I can email you the pics I took, if you like (I haven't figured out how to post pics on GW yet). Their doors are very formal with leaded glass in the upper half and solid panelled wood on the bottom half. I even took pics of the track they are on in hopes of being able to find them. Then I went to a local building supply company and they were showing me just their regular interior doors and I noticed that all those doors were mounted on the same type of track on the ceiling allowing each individual door to slide out to be shown then slide it back in place when done! Basically with this type of track its just a pocket door track mounted to the ceiling on the exterior side of the finished wall (vs. between the sheetrock) There are rollers mounted to the top of the door that fit in the track. Then you simply mount your trim in front of the track so it's hidden from view and voila, you've got a formal, unobstrusive sliding door that's beautiful whether open or closed.

I have a narrow hallway with a bathroom door that opens out. For years I have not been able to put runners/rugs in the hall because of the door. I had planned to put a pocket door in but recently was told that because of the light switch wiring it was not possible and the suggestion was made that I install a barn door which I did. I did not know that there will be a gap once the barn door was installed, the gap it’s too large to ignore. You can clearly see a person sitting on the toilet or standing at the sink, aaagh!. I tried the weatherstrip as suggested here but it did not work so then I came up with the idea of attaching “L” shaped trim. I have attached photos and it works perfectly!You have to attach the trim on both sides of the door frame and the bolts for the tracks had to be turned around so that they will not catch on the trim.

I've been clipping images of barn doors for probably 20 years. Lately I've read they're "trendy." Oh well. I'm at the point in my life where I just get to do what I want. There are SO many things in my new house that not everyone would love, that's just one more. But there's no way to please everyone, so you may as well please yourself. I try really hard when I find myself attracted to something to ask if I like it just because I haven't seen it a lot (yet), or if it's something I've been attracted to for a long time. I have a long list of things I was attracted to at one point for the sake of novelty that I "got over" (pebble tiles, glass tiles, vessel sinks) and other things that I would love in your house, but not mine (extremely distinctive backsplashes, stone with lots of "movement."). Then there's the stuff that I love that I know isn't for everyone, and barn doors and pocket doors are on that list! (along with concrete floors, slab cabinet doors, and I forget what else!)

"I went to work in an office that had a pocket door that never worked right because someone had driven nails into it at some point and it was never the same after" (palimpsest) Yes. This happened to us when DH nailed the baseboard on the wall between the laundry and kitchen. The door came off track. When we renovate I will replace or remove. However, this was builder grade. On our extension I added three pocket doors. The one I had put in for the powder room is a solid core door, not thinner than most doors, as I wanted as much sound-dampening as possible with such a device. We used Johnson Hardware - not the home depot variety which runs $ 40 or so, but commercial grade. Look at the Johnson site under 1500 Commercial Grade and you will also find non-standard size frames (door max thickness 1 3/4"). Use a good carpenter.