Automatic Barn Door Opener
Turn your sliding barn door into an automatic door. No track replacement.
SlideDrive™ is a motorized barn door opener that upgrades the sliding barn door you already have. It mounts at the base of the doorway, and a powered drive wheel moves the door open and closed at the press of a button. Magnetic limit sensors stop the door at the fully open and fully closed positions.
Starting at $695 · standard doors up to approx. 50″ wide and 4″ thick · larger doors by review
👉 Currently building and shipping units — limited build slots available.
What Is an Automatic Barn Door Opener?
An automatic barn door opener, also called a motorized or electric barn door opener, moves a sliding barn door open and closed for you. Instead of pushing and pulling the door by hand, a compact motor drives the door along the track it already hangs on.
SlideDrive™ is Doorplace USA's automatic barn door opener. It is a retrofit: your top track, rollers and door stay in place, and SlideDrive™ is added at the bottom of the doorway.
What SlideDrive™ Is
SlideDrive™ is a wheel-drive system built for sliding barn doors. Each unit is built and bench-tested by Doorplace USA and set up for your door before it ships: left-opening or right-opening, plus the options you choose.
Standard SlideDrive™ at a Glance
- Starting price: $695
- Wheel-drive system for sliding barn doors
- Standard online order: doors up to approximately 50″ wide (larger doors by review)
- Doors up to 4″ thick
- Left-opening or right-opening
- 24V DC power (24V / 10A adapter)
- Wireless remote with wall-mount holder included
How SlideDrive™ Works
Mounts at the Base of the Doorway
The unit mounts to the lower wall / baseboard area beside the door. Its adjustable mounting bracket also works as the door's floor guide.
Powered Drive Wheel
A drive wheel presses against the lower part of the door and rolls it open or closed along your existing track.
Adjustable Fit & Wheel Pressure
The mounting/clamping bracket adjusts to your door's thickness (up to 4″) and sets how firmly the drive wheel grips the door.
Magnetic Limit Stops
Magnetic limit sensors on the bracket and magnets on the bottom of the door stop the motor at the fully open and fully closed positions.
Current Production Design
The current SlideDrive™ is built in a purpose-made 3D-printed housing that protects the motor, controller and wiring.
- DC barrel power jack on the housing
- ON/OFF rocker switch on the housing
- Removable top housing for controller and programming access
- Power wiring disconnects so the housing can come off completely
- Adjustable mounting/clamping bracket that doubles as the floor guide
Because the drive unit stays in place while the door moves past it, SlideDrive™ keeps a small footprint at the bottom of the opening, with no overhead motor and no new track.
Ways to Control Your Door
Remote-Control Operation (Standard)
The included wireless remote has OPEN and CLOSE commands. Use it as a handheld remote, or keep it in its wall-mount holder by the doorway so it works like a wall control.
Timed Automatic Closing (Paused)
Timed automatic closing (open, wait, then close on its own) is paused for new orders while we complete safety testing. SlideDrive™ ships for remote OPEN/CLOSE operation.
Motion-Sensor Activation (Paused)
Hands-free motion/photo-sensor configurations are paused for new orders while we complete safety testing.
Optional Wi-Fi / App Control
Optional app control through the eWeLink app over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi is not required; the remote works on its own. Operate the door from the app only when you can see it.
How it operates: SlideDrive™ ships in remote OPEN/CLOSE mode. The door moves when you press OPEN or CLOSE and stops at the open and closed positions.
Safety: SlideDrive™ stops at the open and closed positions using magnetic limit sensors. Those sensors are position stops, not obstruction sensors. Keep the door's path clear while it moves and supervise children and pets around it.
Magnetic Limit System & Door Handing
- Magnetic limit sensors mounted on the bracket
- Strong neodymium magnets on the bottom of the door
- Redundant (dual) magnets at each stopping point
- Motor stops when the magnet reaches its sensor
- Rail stoppers stay as the mechanical backup
- Configured for left-opening or right-opening doors
- OPEN/CLOSE limit roles are assigned to match the door's handing
- Sensor placement follows the door's direction of travel
- Step-by-step handing tables in the installation guide
- Tell us your door's direction when you order
Door Width & Thickness Compatibility
- Standard online order: doors up to approximately 50″ wide; larger doors are reviewed individually
- Maximum door thickness: 4″
- Left-opening or right-opening sliding barn doors
- Works with the barn door track you already have
Not every sliding barn door is a fit: door weight, the track and rollers, and the wall at the bottom of the doorway all matter. Check your door in about a minute, or send us your door's size, weight and a photo and we'll tell you whether SlideDrive™ can work on it.
Mounting & Floor-Guide Design
SlideDrive™ mounts at the lower wall / baseboard area. One of the bracket's clamping screws can be removed so the unit pivots out of the way, giving clear access to the mounting screws. Then it swings back into place.
The adjustable bracket clamps around the bottom edge of the door. It sets the fit for your door's thickness and the drive wheel's pressure, and it guides the door like a floor guide. Wiring tucks underneath and is secured with zip ties.
Installation Overview
- Position the unit at the base of the doorway where the bracket meets the bottom of the door.
- Remove one clamping screw, pivot the unit out, and fasten it to the baseboard/wall through the mounting holes.
- Swing the unit back, reinstall the screw, adjust the bracket to your door's thickness and set the wheel pressure.
- Attach the magnetic limit sensors and place the door magnets at the open and closed stopping points.
- Test OPEN and CLOSE with the remote, then secure the wiring with zip ties.
Many customers with basic DIY skills install SlideDrive™ themselves, and we provide setup support if you need help.
Complete Installation Instructions →Where Automatic Barn Doors Are Used
- Bedroom and primary-suite sliding doors
- Closet, pantry and storage doors
- Home offices and creative studios
- Laundry room entrances
- Easier access for anyone who finds a heavy sliding door hard to move by hand
Can You Install This on an Existing Barn Door?
Yes. SlideDrive™ is a retrofit system. It is added to the sliding barn door you already have, without replacing the top track or rail. It mounts at the bottom of the doorway, and its bracket guides the door at that point.
Automatic Barn Door Opener FAQ
How much does SlideDrive™ cost?
The standard SlideDrive™ starts at $695, with free shipping to the lower 48 states or pickup at our shop in Watauga, TX. Custom configurations are quoted separately.
Does SlideDrive™ replace the top rail?
No. It works with your existing barn door track. No track replacement is required.
How big a door can it move?
The standard online SlideDrive™ is for doors up to approximately 50″ wide and up to 4″ thick. We have built SlideDrive™ for larger doors too: check your door or send us its size and weight for a compatibility review before you order.
Does it work for left-opening and right-opening doors?
Yes. Each unit is configured for the direction your door opens, and the limit sensors are set up to match.
Can the door open by itself when someone walks up?
Not right now. Motion-sensor configurations are paused for new orders while we complete safety testing. SlideDrive™ is operated with its wireless remote (or the optional app).
Can it close automatically?
Not on new orders right now. Timed automatic closing is paused for new orders while we complete safety testing; SlideDrive™ ships for remote OPEN/CLOSE operation.
Does it work with an app?
Optional Wi-Fi control uses the eWeLink app on a 2.4 GHz network. The included remote works without Wi-Fi. Other smart-home platforms are not currently offered as supported integrations.
How does the door know where to stop?
Magnets on the bottom of the door line up with magnetic limit sensors on the bracket. When the door reaches the open or closed position, the sensor stops the motor.
What powers it?
SlideDrive™ runs on 24V DC from the included 24V / 10A plug-in power adapter, with an ON/OFF switch on the housing.
Is this something I can install myself?
Many customers with basic DIY skills install it themselves using our step-by-step installation guide, and we provide setup support if you need it.
SlideDrive™ City Guides
We build SlideDrive™ in Watauga, Texas, and ship it across the lower 48 states. Doorplace USA does not have showrooms or installation crews in these cities; most customers install it themselves with our guide and phone support.
Get SlideDrive™ for Your Barn Door
Standard SlideDrive™ starts at $695 with free shipping to the lower 48. Not sure it fits? Check your door first, or tell us about it and we'll review it with you.
Questions? Call or text 1-844-377-5872 · Contact us