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Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

I converted a MONGSTAD wall mirror into a ceiling mounted mirror barn door, with the aid of the back panel from an ASKVOLL wardrobe.

IKEA items used:
  • MONGSTAD mirror
  • ASKVOLL wardrobe back panel
Other materials:
Tools:
  • Power drills, corded and cordless
  • Various drill bits, hardest one to get is the 8mm or equivalent
  • #12 screw countersink
  • Doweling jig
  • Hand miter box and hacksaw
  • Stud finder
  • Level
  • Dremel rotary tool and grinding bit
  • Tubing cutter
  • Various clamps
Cost:
  • Ceiling barn door rail system: $190
  • Floor roller: $22
  • Door handle $27
  • Plywood: $20
  • Aluminum L-rails: $50
  • Screws: $10
  • Contact cement: $10

I am not including the cost of the MONGSTAD mirror ($99) since we had it for years.
I am not including the cost of the ASKVOLL wardrobe since I had used the parts from that up in another project, and had the back panel set aside for a possible future project.


Related: This MONGSTAD mirror hides a dining table


Total time:

Did this over a week. It took 6 hours to make panels, drill holes in aluminum L rails, and attach them to the mirror. 6 hours for installing rail system, hanging door, and adding the floor roller and handle.

Special attention:

Make sure the rail is level! Ceilings and floors are notorious for not being level. A barn door with good rollers will slowly slide downhill if the rail isn’t perfectly level. Take the time to shim the brackets.

Drilling holes in rail to reposition the brackets to line up with the joists was hard. Drilling rather large holes in curved surface of hard steel pipe took some time and dulled quite a few drill bits.

Always wear safety glasses when working overhead. Stuff drops into your eyes all the time otherwise.

Here’s goes my mirror barn door

Before: There is no door between the master bedroom and master bathroom. The MONGSTAD mirror stood next to the opening for years!

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

As the MONGSTAD mirror was too short for the opening, I cut plywood to close up the top and bottom. Then, covered these header and footer plywood panels with cut up back panels from the ASKVOLL wardrobe.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom


Related: Hack a pair of barn doors to close up your entertainment center


I used a doweling jig to drill holes a precise distance from the edge of the aluminum L-rails. The rails attach to the sides of the mirror, header, and footer panels.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

Parts put in place for assembly.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

A doweling jig was used to drill pilot holes to align screws precisely.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

Completed door panel

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

Then I moved on to the brackets on the ceiling.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

I attached the rail to brackets after drilling new holes for mounting points.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

Using a scrap panel to test location of roller on door panel.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

Finished door open.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

And closed.

Mongstad Mirror Barn Door to separate ensuite from bedroom

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