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Customizing Your Barndominium Kit: Options for Windows, Doors, and Siding
You bought a kit because it makes building easier, but that does not mean your home has to look like everyone else's. The beauty of working with a custom barndominium kit is the freedom to tweak the design. Since Best Barns kits use traditional wood construction, you are not locked into a factory-set layout.
You can add a window to catch the sunset, swap a solid door for one with glass, or paint the exterior to match your existing home perfectly. This guide covers the most popular customization options available to help you turn a standard shell into a unique home.
Key Takeaways
- Total Control: Wood framing allows you to cut openings for windows and doors exactly where you want them, unlike rigid metal kits.
- Window Upgrades: Switch from standard single-pane windows to insulated residential glass if you plan to live in the structure full-time.
- Door Styles: Choose between solid 6-panel steel doors for privacy or 9-lite glass doors to welcome natural light into your entryway.
- Siding Versatility: The included LP® SmartSide® is primed and ready for paint, but you can also add stone veneer or metal wainscoting easily.
- Roofing Choices: While shingles are standard, the sturdy truss system can support metal roofing to achieve that classic barndominium aesthetic.
Which Windows Should You Choose?
Windows change everything because they determine how much light you get and how much heat you lose.
Standard vs. Insulated: Most basic shed kits come with single-pane aluminum windows which are fine for a workshop but not for a home. If you are building a Homestead or Colossal model for living, you should upgrade to insulated vinyl windows as they keep the heat inside during winter and block the heat in summer.
Placement Flexibility
This is where wood kits beat metal kits.
- Metal Kits: You often have to order specific "framed openings" from the factory, meaning if you change your mind later, you need an angle grinder and a welder.
- Wood Kits: You decide where the window goes during assembly by simply cutting the opening in the studs and siding with a saw. If you want the kitchen window three inches to the right, you just move it.
Styles
- Single-Hung: The bottom sash slides up which makes these great for ventilation.
- Octagon: These are fixed decorative windows often used in the gable peaks to add character.
- Transom: Wide, short windows often placed above doors to let in light without sacrificing privacy.
How Can You Upgrade Your Doors?
The door is the first thing people touch when they enter your home so it needs to be secure and stylish.
Entry Doors (Walk-in): Best Barns offers pre-hung steel doors because steel is secure and does not warp like solid wood.
- 6-Panel Steel Door: This is solid steel with no glass. It offers maximum security and privacy, making it ideal for the back door or a utility room entrance.
- 9-Lite Steel Door: This door has a glass panel on the top half divided into nine sections. It looks residential and welcoming which makes it the best choice for your main front entrance.
Large Equipment Doors: For the "barn" part of your barndominium, you have two main routes.
- Traditional Barn Doors: These swing open and look rustic and authentic, but they can be hard to seal against drafts.
- Transom Overhead Doors: The XL Transom models accommodate standard garage doors so you can install an automatic opener, which is much more convenient for daily driving.
What Are Your Siding and Exterior Options?
Your kit comes with LP® SmartSide®, an engineered wood product that looks like traditional cedar texture but resists rot and termites.
Painting: The siding arrives primed in a tan color, but you must paint it. This gives you total creative freedom to choose your style.
- Classic Barn: Paint it red with white trim.
- Modern Farmhouse: Paint it white with black trim.
- Earth Tones: Use dark greens or browns to blend into a wooded lot.
Adding Texture: Because the wall structure consists of wood studs with sheathing, you can modify the exterior easily.
- Wainscoting: Many owners add 3 feet of metal siding or stone veneer to the bottom of the exterior walls to protect against weed eaters and add a high-end custom look.
- Porches: You can bolt a ledger board to the frame and build a wrap-around porch which is the single most popular upgrade for barndominiums.
Can You Change the Roofing Material?
The roof protects your investment. The standard recommendation for these kits is 3-tab asphalt shingles because they are affordable and easy to install.
Upgrading to Metal: You can install a metal roof on a Best Barns kit since metal roofs last longer (40+ years) and shed snow better than shingles.
- Installation: You typically screw metal panels directly into the roof strapping or decking.
- Aesthetic: A metal roof completes the "barndominium" look better than shingles do.
Dormers: If you buy the Colossal kit, you get dormers included. These add architectural depth to the roofline so the building does not look like a plain box, and you can paint the dormer siding a contrasting color to make them pop.
Have any questions or would like to place an order? We'd love to help! Chat with our friendly customer service team by calling 1-844-945-3625, chatting in on our website or email us at customersupport@wildoaktrail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I buy my own windows locally?
Yes. You can frame the openings to fit any standard window size you buy from a local hardware store, which is often cheaper and gives you more style options.
Is the siding pre-painted?
No, the LP® SmartSide® siding comes primed in a neutral tan color, so you must apply an exterior acrylic latex paint within a few months of assembly to protect it.
Can I install a metal roof instead of shingles?
Yes. The truss system is strong enough for metal roofing, but you just need to ensure you purchase the correct fasteners and flashing for a metal roof installation.
Can I add a garage door to the standard Homestead model?
The standard Homestead usually has swing-open barn doors. To install a roll-up garage door, you need the "Transom" model or you must modify the header height yourself.
Do I need special tools to cut the siding?
No. You can cut LP® SmartSide® with a standard circular saw because it works just like plywood, meaning you do not need specialized cutting tools like you would for fiber cement.
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