OT-What To Do About Shop Doors?

alskdjfhg · Mar 6, 2017

Couple of months ago I started a few threads about the pole barn I was building.

Well I finally got this all done a few weeks ago. I had them build it with a 25' wide 16' tall opening on each end wall.

The folks that built the shop are supposedly working up a price for them to do the doors. I don't think they do farm stuff very often, and this building is bigger than what they normally do. So I'm afraid they will come up with a outrageous price.

And since money is tight, I might have to do it myself. I know there isn't any black magic to large sliding doors, but I've just never been around them and don't know what they need for framing.

Any of ya'll built your own sliding doors this size?

As usual, thanks for any and all help.

Mike M · Mar 6, 2017

I don't like sliding doors. Check into over head doors. Ones that big might only come in the roll up style or hinged out type ?

cool hand · Mar 6, 2017

I would simply make two 12.5 - 13' doors for each opening. Frame it up like a section of wall and attach steel siding firmly to it. make the top piece of framing at least 2 x 6 to hold two carriage rollers each. Install roller track above the openings of sufficient length to accommodate, and you're in business.

cool hand · Mar 6, 2017

I would simply make two 12.5 - 13' doors for each opening. Frame it up like a section of wall and attach steel siding firmly to it. make the top piece of framing (and ends) at least 2 x 6 to hold two carriage rollers each. Install roller track above the openings of sufficient length to accommodate, and you're in business.

bg/mo · Mar 6, 2017

a slider will when open be out into your lean to,,on both sides,,,remember if you have a twelve foot door youn have to go twelve feet to open

alskdjfhg · Mar 6, 2017

I was thinking about copying this method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HCT3kXa9Ys

This way they wouldn't be wider than the building when they are open.

John(OR) · Mar 6, 2017

This method does look good, I like the overhead doors that are hinged in the middle, makes a nice canopy to work under when opened.

Dick2 · Mar 6, 2017

Yes, large sliding doors will be hanging out where the wind will catch them and tear them off the building when open. My uncle made bi-fold doors; they were kind of a pain to open, close and secure against the wind.

To me, overhead doors are the best.

Sparktrician · Mar 6, 2017

Menards has insulated 24'w x 16' tall overhead doors for like $2900.00....non insulated are less, but if you ever insulate the building itd be worth it

RobCons · Mar 6, 2017

Roll up will probably work better. Sliders are going to need extra framing above the lean to roof it looks like and they will block the lean to when open.

Adirondack case guy · Mar 6, 2017

I sure hope you live in the part of the country where it doesn't snow much. Those lean too roofs will hold a lot of snow on the whole roof, and they don't look all that beefy.
You can go to most lumber yards and buy metal hardware kits that utilize 2xs to frame doors, but looking at the pics I question if you have enough height out on the lean toos to support the track without making support brackets out there on the roofs. Bifold or overhead doors look like your best alternative to me.
Loren

Bob Bancroft · Mar 6, 2017

I'd even be concerned about the water getting away from the joint !

gene bender · Mar 6, 2017

On doors that wide they cement rollers to support the doors when opened

alskdjfhg · Mar 6, 2017

I'm south of Houston, snow isn't really an issue.

I'm hesitant about overhead doors as I don't want to lose any ceiling height.

It really boils down to cost, sliders are about the cheapest option.

dlbuck · Mar 6, 2017

I think you need an overhang over the rail for your slider. I don't know the correct name for it,but it needs to be installed as the building is constructed. It keeps the rain from running down the side of the building into the inside of the door.

Adirondack case guy · Mar 6, 2017

You are correct on that. I missed that point in my reply below. Seams to be a lack of planning and engineering on the construction.
Loren

Stephen Newell · Mar 6, 2017

On my shop I made two doors out of 1 1/2" tubular steel and mounted them on a sliding tract. I then put a piece of pipe in the ground near the center and used a throw bolt like a gate to latch one door to the ground. Then just used a padlock from the inside to bind the two doors together. In your case where you don't have a walk through door you could use interlocking deadbolt lock to lock it. https://www.atgstores.com/deadbolts/first-watch-security-1120-single-cylinder-interlocking-deadbolt_6821302.html?ppc=2615&af=2615&cm_mmc=sce_google&s_kwcid=AL!4500!3!104603695523!!!g!286765214350!&gclid=CjwKEAiArvTFBRCLq5-7-MSJ0jMSJABHBvp0m5BEqHhm0yDujdoHFw7K8wj8gxX6sZ3xL9356nwUsBoCe2zw_wcB&ef_id=V11YvQAAAJGw3sxU:20170307014035:s I have one of those on a side warehouse door.

dlbuck · Mar 6, 2017

Thanks. From the picture it looks like it was framed for an overhead door. As he said clearance was issue ,they make low clearance overhead doors, although more expensive. Hopefully the trusses are at least a foot higher than the opening.

MarkB_MI · Mar 6, 2017

It looks to me like you have a problem. Sliding doors need a track to hang from, and for your building you'll need two tracks that extend beyond the sidewalls of the main building. What can you attach them to? Because the roof extensions have a slope, the ends of the track will be higher than the extended roofline. I'm sure something can be fabricated to attach the tracks to, but it won't look pretty.

Overhead doors are out of the question. They require a certain amount of clearance overhead; standard doors need at least 1 foot without an opener. That can be reduced to a few inches with a "low headroom" kit. But it looks like you have zero inches to work with.

Bi-fold doors might be an (expensive) option.

shaun wallace · Mar 6, 2017

If there is room I would look at rollup. Don't think have the wind we have in west texas.

SweetFeet · Mar 6, 2017

My husband build all of our doors: Wood frame and skin is steel siding that matches the building. But they are not as large as yours will be.

If you live where it snows - sliders can be a pain.

If you live where it's windy - swing out can be a pain.

We have both types here... and half the year I hate one style or the other. I wish they were all overhead roll-ups like on our garage.

kcm.MN · Mar 7, 2017

(quoted from post at 14:47:13 03/06/17) I was thinking about copying this method.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HCT3kXa9Ys

This way they wouldn't be wider than the building when they are open.

It doesn't look as though the doors in this video would stand up to a lot of straight-line winds. If you want to go this route, look into hanger doors and follow their designs. Depending on where you are, you might even be able to find some old hanger doors that have either been replaced by a new hanger or the building was taken down for other reasons, like maybe extensive storm damage.

ss55 · Mar 7, 2017

Sliding doors would be the lowest cost doors. Hanging tracks to support the doors will be your toughest problem. It does not look like the building was designed to have sliding doors added. Is there a header above the door openings or are the bottom of the end trusses the only headers? You can probably double up or triple the bottom of the end trusses to carry the extra weight of the doors. You will need to cut the siding on the end walls to fasten a track to the structure. Add a spacer around the door opening so the doors roll clear of the siding.

A strong wind blowing against the inside of a sliding door can tilt a door out enough to lift it off the track. You can add a posts or rollers at the center of the doors, at the door frames and at the corners of the building to contain the bottom of the doors when they are open.

From the picture it does not look like there are any extra cross braces on the short end walls or in the corners. It looks like the sheet metal and the buried ends of the posts are the only things keeping the building from racking. I would add cross braces in the corners to keep the building from racking sideways. The same for the posts supporting the side sheds.

JerryS · Mar 9, 2017

Four overlapping sliding doors on two tracks?

OT-What To Do About Shop Doors?

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads