The popular trend in barn doors is creating a whole new dimension in hardware styles and design, especially barn door handles and pulls. There are many barn door handles to choose from these days. Whether your theme is Rustic, Old World, Contemporary, Country or Early American, there are plenty of vendors filling this niche. 
Depending on you door size, you will need to know if the barn door handles you like will actually look appropriate on them. As a rule, standard height doors (80" or 6' 8") normally look good with handles that are 10" to 13" in length. If your door is 7 feet tall, a 14" to 16" will do. When doors are 8 feet tall, handles in the range of 16" to 22" may be a better choice. Extra large doors with heights of 10 feet to 15 feet would require much longer handles to keep things in proportion. 24 inch to 48 inch handles are a suggestion for these size doors.
Choosing the right finish can also be a challenge since there are so many variations to choose from. What one vendor calls "Oil Rubbed Bronze finish" can be quite different from other vendors. Oil rubbed bronze is typically a very dark finish, nearly black in appearance. Some vendors may show this same finish with "highlights" on the edges. Black finishes are very popular and will also have its variations to deal with. For instance, your choice may be a dull black type but see that the barn door handle you like is only offered in a shiny black. The more durable finishes (especially for outdoor use), will be the powder coat type rather than a "painted" black type. It is important to choose the best finish for your application.
Wild West Hardware has been designing and making barn door handles for many years and offers over 75 choices. We finish them in Matte Bronze powder coat, Black powder coat, Rust (with clear coat) and Natural Metal finish (with clear coat). We do offer some custom work, so be sure to contact us with your ideas.
Thank you for your interest and we hope this article has been helpful.
