subject: Flat Track Hardware Origins [print this page] Sliding barn door hardware is a popular style of door interior hardware for many homeowners. Its unique yet sophisticated style adds both a rustic texture and refined flavor to the aesthetics of any room. But where does this style come from? How did it become so popular? Why is it growing so quickly in popularity in places both rural and urban, from the US on up into Canada? Let's take a look at the history of this grassroots style of interior hardware.
Farming and agriculture have played a major role in the development of many major countries, particularly in those considered to be Western Culture in nature. Agriculture in the US has been especially important during the country's first years of growth. With farming and agriculture comes the need for domesticated animals, and jointly the need to house and protect those animals. This led to the development and implementation of large barns and storehouses came about.
The intent of these barns and storehouses was to not only house large animals, but to also store big equipment and supplies. With this came the need to create oversized doors to facilitate the entry and exit of large objects. The solution of course is what we see today when we imagine barns, those huge doors that slide back and forth into place.
The sliding aspect of these doors is critical. Standard door hinges that rotate on a vertical axis supported by a pin, the kind you find on the doors in your home, were impractical. Because of the massive size of barn doors, a different style of movement hardware was needed. Farmers found it much easier to slide the large doors back and forth into place rather than to swing them open and closed. There was less stress on the hardware, conservation of operational space, and an overall increase of functionality and efficiency. Thus barn door hardware was born, so named for its original intended use.
It's also known as flat track barn door hardware because traditionally it was constructed using solid steel flat bar as the track that the hardware would slide along. Two hangers in the shape of a shepherd's crook are attached to each door in a manner so that the door would hang suspended in the air. Each hanger housed a wheel, thus allowing the attached door to slide back and forth along the track. Often a supporting track would be installed along the bottom of the door to keep the door secure and in place. The assembly was rustic in nature, highly durable, and quite dependable.
In recent years homeowners have taken this style and used it for interior doors in their homes. Styles of the hardware vary depending on the different tastes and preferences of the individual. And since doors used in home interiors aren't nearly has large and heavy as barn doors, the hardware itself can be modified, stylized, and finished in many different ways.
Flat track barn door hardware is a growing trend among homeowners looking to spruce up their homes. It is a piece of American culture integrated into anyone's home.
