Decorative Barn Door

I just have to say, that when I come home from a long day at work to my pumpkins thrown all over our yard and my urns that were once full of dirt now emptied out onto our porch, it makes for a very very bad mood. I don't think that we live a bad neighborhood. Quite the contrary. I love our neighborhood, I trust it, I can go walking at two in the morning and feel safe. So, when this stuff happens, it really gets me going, ya' know?? Please tell me that this doesn't only happen to me? Every fall, something like this goes on with our pumpkins. Whats with that??? Anywho....

So, back the comforts of the inside of my house...where its safe, and nothing ever moves unless the dog gets into something and hides it. Which by the way...sorry honey, but he got into your pocket, chewed a hole through it...and ate all your gum.

When decorating my mantel this season, I wanted something a little modern and a little rustic. And substantial.

That came in the form a nice little decorative cedar barn door, which I think adds the perfect amount of homey to our little white room.

So to start, I took 6 standard cedar planks that are about 5 inches wide and about 5 feet tall, and 2 cedar planks that are about 3 inches wide.

I stacked the wide planks side by side and made sure the ends were even. I then cut the small planks into two equal sizes and then lined them up on the wider planks. I secured those with my nail gun.

To get the arch of the door, I measured about 17 or so inches down on each side and marked it. I then took a water hose and arched it, making it touch each measure mark on the two sides. I then verified that it was a symmetrical arch by marking other equal measurements on each plank and making sure the hose touched each mark. Next, I just traced the hose with a pencil! Instant arch :)

I used my jigsaw and cut along the pencil mark. I then sanded the edge just a smidge so it didn't look so harsh.

Next was to do the middle part of the 'z' pattern. I simply placed a long cedar plank on top of the already secured planks, and on the top section, marked one side with a pencil and the other side, then drew a line connecting them. This got me the angle I needed to cut at with my miter saw. I think it was about 30 degrees (I did this like two weeks ago, so I'm totally shooting from the hip with that guess.haha).

Once I got one side cut, I did the same thing to the other, and then secured it to the rest of the piece with a nail gun

Next was to get the perfect finish. I wanted it white with a little stain showing through. I didn't want it like stark white, so I mixed the paint with some water, and painted it on the door.

I then took some stain and rubbed it around the edges and cracks. This looked just the way I wanted it to the day I finished it....and then I came back the next day, and it was super dark. The wood had seeped up all the white paint! Ugh.

Well, at least I had the other side to play around with, right?

So this time, I didn't water down the paint, and just took a brush and brushed it right on, not very thick though. This gave me the perfect desired effect.

Nice, and white, and a little distressed.

This is the side I decided to use, even though now you can't see that darn 'Z'. Oh well.

Here's the way the other side looks. Not quite what I imagined. But I think when winter comes, I'll be staining this whole thing a dark brown :) Then I can use one side or the other depending on how I feel!

I hope you guys have better luck with your pumpkins than me!!! :)