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Using force to open a door is not recommended, as this could cause serious injury or permanent damage to your door and surrounding door frame. If it’s a front door that you’ve lost the keys for, it’s better to call a locksmith. If it’s an interior door without any lock that you plan on keeping, a handyman can help. Finally, if it’s an old door that you plan to replace anyway, a professional door installer can remove the stuck door and source a replacement.

The best material depends on what’s more important to you: Cost? Durability? Looks? Steel cellar doors are tough, water-resistant, and heavy, while fiberglass or composite doors can give you the outdoor aesthetics you crave. Most people favor steel because of its strength against storms, but steel is also one of the more costly options.

Continuous hinges are some of the sturdiest hinges available, which makes sense, given that they provide support along the entire side of the door. These hinges are often used for heavy commercial doors, but are impractically expensive and unnecessary for residential use. Among the hinges commonly used in homes, the ball-bearing hinge is the strongest, and it reduces friction to help heavy doors open more smoothly.

You can use a variety of wood to build a barn door, but the most common options include 1-by boards and 2-by boards for the backing and the decorative boards on the front of the door. Softwoods like pine will save you some money and should hold up well, while hardwoods like maple and oak will stand up to more wear and tear. You could also build the backer out of plywood to minimize the cuts you need to make. Whatever you decide on, make sure the width of the wood is compatible with the mounting brackets you buy.