I saw these barn doors at Costco, and they appeared to be really good quality and a solution to my space issues, so I figured I'd look into it and maybe give them a try. I went home and looked at their online reviews, which were not overly positive (explained below). In any event, I really liked the look and feel of the product and decided to go for it (as opposed to installing a pocket door).
It took a couple of weeks to have the products delivered (door, track, header, hardware, pulls, etc.). In my case, a couple of the door slats broke during shipping. It was not Rustica's fault as it was really well packed, but for an 80lb package being moved half way across the country by UPS, things do happen. I called Rustica Hardware and sent them pictures of the broken slats. They were very accommodating and ordered new ones. Now I'm told they had to be made (apparently most products are custom made to order), so again, it took another couple of weeks. Know that you have to put the door together. It's not hard, just tongue and groove which I did on my dining room table. My pre-drilled 3'x7' door fit together with just 6 bolts.
Now, the harder part, in order to attach the hanging hardware (door hardware and wheels), you need to drill the holes in the front and back of the door (the back countersunk hole being a larger, inset flat-bottomed hole 7/16" deep to accommodate the washer and bolt. This required use of a forstner bit, a large drill bit which makes a flat-bottomed hole. I did not have one, but could buy it for about $14. However, I luckily was able to borrow one.
That done, I needed to install a header board first to the wall, then attach the door rail hardware to that. I had ordered a pre-finished header board (matching the door - kinda expensive for this single but finished 1"x6") and attached that to the wall studs. The instructions are fairly clear vertically, but silent on horizontal placement. Therefore, you have to measure exactly where you want to door to rest when closed (in my case approximately 2" beyond each side of the door molding), then space the track and header placement off of that position.
The hardware went in easily. Just measure a straight line across the header measured up 86-1/8" from the floor, center it, and drill it into the header. Hang the door, screw in the stops, attach the handle, floor guide, and done. I put the door between my bedroom and bath, and wanted an interior pull (to open the door from the inside). Since the outside of the door has a protruding handle, the inside must have a recessed pull since another handle on the inside will hit the door jamb when opening. But note, the interior flush-mount pulls are recessed, meaning that you have to use a drill or router to cut out the hole in the door in which the pull will rest. I opted for the simpler flush-mount finger circle pull, which required another but larger forstner bit. It's kinda scary drilling into the surface of a beautifully-finished door, but that's how things get done.
The door (and header) are solid alder and nicely finished in "stain, glaze, & clear." The arrow hardware is painted in dark bronze. The materials are heavy, solid, and nicely finished. The door slides smoothly and quietly. You can hear it roll, but it's not bad. They make a nice product.
Since I had broken wood during shipping, I had to deal with customer service. They (Andi in my case) were really friendly and wanted to help and make my experience a good one. I asked about their online reputation as I noted that many of the prior reviews concerned warped products and customer service. I was told that as for warping, many people buy unfinished products that they want to finish, paint, or stain themselves, and if not installed right away, such will warp-hence they recommend buying finished products. OK, that makes sense, I thought. As for customer service, I guess that's hit or miss, but that many complaints were based upon the terms of sale which people really should read before they buy, such as their too strict 30-day return window and excessive restocking fees. That's not to discount many other peoples' issues per their reviews, but I had a decent experience.
Whatever, I took a chance and it paid off. I got what I deem as a quality product that looks and works great, was treated fairly, and am very happy with this purchase. 4.5 stars read more