How to build a barn door?

[Beebers]

Just a few questions about building a door on a pole barn. I would like to do it myself to save the extra cash but was just interested in what other people's experiences have been. Is it better to have a hinged door or a slider? (I understand space limitations but was wondering more in terms of wind, and stability in windy areas...is a hinged door more prone to come off?) If building a slider is it better to have the outside portion siding over a wood backing or just make the whole thing out of wood? Is it a real engineering feat to install the sliding track if I have never done before? It will be a two part door 12' x 9'. I'm a fairly capable self proclaimed carpenter so I'm not going in blind but just wondered if anyone had a couple pointers before I undertake this endeavor this weekend. Thanks.

[Explorer]

I built mine over OSB 3/8" backing. The backing (plywood or OSB) mainly provides shear strength (prevents twisting) plus it makes them easy to keep square. My doors were 6' wide so I cut one piece of OSB at two feet and used boards over the OSB. I used a 2" x6' frame with one diagonal cross piece for added strengths. They have been in place 8 years with no warping.

Install a metal slide track (hinges will not work for a real heavy door unless they are the ball bearing type (expensive). Attach the track with bolts as lag screws seem to work loose. A slider is more stable in wind. Just make sure the slider track is fairly level. I sloped mine about a 1/4" inch to make it easier to close.

[oneokie]

Hinged doors are prone to sag with time. Also are a pain to have partially open if there is any wind.

Sliding doors are easier to deal with, IMO. One needs to have a good structural support to attach the track hangers to. One needs some method of limiting movement of the bottom of the doors. Also some solid support in the center of the opening at the bottom to limit in and out movement of the doors when closed. A rain cap/deflector is required above the track to prevent water from entering.

[beaglebiz]

Can't help as all of my experience has been to ask my boys to "shut the barn door"

[Beebers]

Love the idea of the pitched slide to help opening/closing the door. As far as anchoring it in the middle could it be something as simple as a drop rod or would it have to be more substantial? I'm not talking hurricane winds here in Ohio, just opens to about a mile and a half of unobstructed field.

[farmergirl]

If you go with the sliding door style, BE SURE to leave some extra clearance at the bottom. Ours were built right to the ground and after heavy rain we always end up having to dig them out a bit before they'll slide easily. For this reason, I removed one of the doors altogether, opting instead to install a steep awning to keep rain from coming in.

[agmantoo]

A few years back in a weak moment I bought a horse barn. It has a nice apartment and a good number of stalls (24+) and other amenities. It needed double sliding doors on each end so that in bad weather horses could be put through their paces and turn around outside and brought back through. The original doors had failed years before. I was in a hurry to get the new doors installed in order to start the income coming in. I used a set of these kits on end end. This was some of the best money I ever spent
http://slidingbarndoors.net/wp-conte...tion-Inst_.pdf The doors are still functioning today and there have been a number of tenants and the facility now has a new owner : ) What was I thinking when I bought the barn?

[oneokie]

Originally Posted by Beebers

Love the idea of the pitched slide to help opening/closing the door. As far as anchoring it in the middle could it be something as simple as a drop rod or would it have to be more substantial? I'm not talking hurricane winds here in Ohio, just opens to about a mile and a half of unobstructed field.

A drop rod will work if you have a sturdy receptacle for the rod to drop into.

[jwal10]

Is this a livestock barn or storageJ If possible I would use a roll up door. A lot easier to open and close. If livestock can be kept away with a swing in gate they work well. If manure is pushed to the door than no....James

[MushCreek]

A friend of mine built a beautiful pair of sliding doors for his equipment barn. He made the frames out of square steel tubing, welded together. He then added angle iron to the inside, and screwed on tongue and groove board for infill. They are massive, heavy, and move with a finger on the roller bearing guides he used. He was also smart enough to build a shed roof over the entrance to protect the track, and keep the rain out of the opening when the doors are open. The 2" square tubing is flush with the infill, and painted a complementary color. He put a LOT of work into those doors, and the rest of his barn is just as beautiful.

[motdaugrnds]

Beebers, I'm assumming your 12' x 9' means 12' wide that you want cut in half and 9' high. You did not mention what you were going to use the pole barn for and that would make a difference as to what your door(s) would be like. You, also, mentioned "...stability in windy areas..." which tells me you probably live in an area where you get some hard winds frequently.

All these things considered, I would not go with either a slide or a roll-up door. And if you put more than 2 strong hinges on your doors with lag bolts and square them well, they will not sag (at least mine haven't and they are 15 yrs old). You could even run some bolts through your poles and attach the doors like heavy metal gates are attached. (If doing this, I would use 3 bolts; not just 2.)

With a heavy duty receptacle for your "metal" drop, those doors won't open in heavy winds, especially if you attach a back-stop at the top (on the barn itself; not the door) and at the bottom (a "rounded" mound in the ground).

[plowjockey]

Pass on any hinged door larger than a walk-in.

I built an 8x4 (x2) hinged doors for my garage.

Inexpensive to build, but great fun opening and using, in wind, ice covered ground and drifted snow.

Go for a slider.

[DamnearaFarm]

We have sliders on the bottom of the barn (WAY taller than the top and way heavier) and to secure against wind, we popped an eye bolt in the door frame (which is one of the supporting poles in the barn) and a... crud.. forget what it's called, but it's long, has a hollow spot in the center where you can see a screwing mechanism that allows you to tighten it down. Eye on one end for mounting, hook on the other for hooking. Anyone able to assist with my brain breakdown?

[oneokie]

Originally Posted by RamblinRoseRanc

... crud.. forget what it's called, but it's long, has a hollow spot in the center where you can see a screwing mechanism that allows you to tighten it down. Eye on one end for mounting, hook on the other for hooking. Anyone able to assist with my brain breakdown?

Turnbuckle.

[Beebers]

It is used for a couple animals but they have their own pen on the opposite end. They won't be freely walking around the barn (2 goats, a dexter cow, and chickens). It's a storage barn for the moment. We are thinking about putting kennels in for the dogs. As of right now the only freely roaming animals in the barn are a couple cats, which in numbers seems to be growing almost daily. I think I'll go with the slider, seems Home Depot will cut them specific to your needs and have the hardware a little cheaper than Tractor Supply. Yup, 12' wide. It will have to be a 5' door and a 7' door, due to the way the opening is situated. Just trying to winterize the building to give the animals a better environment.

[artificer]

I'm a big fan of Menards. Lots of information on buildings, as well as decent pricing. (if you remember... you get what you pay for) Here is a document on Helpfull Hints For Post Frame Building Construction.

Take a look at page 16 for framing details for a sliding door. Page 20 starts the door construction. You can use their door frames, or just their quick kits. It also shows all of the hardware you can use like the stay rollers, door latches, door stops, tracks, etc.

I would agree that large swinging doors are a pain in wind and snow. If the door is on the side of the building, snow coming off of the roof can keep them from opening. End wall doors have less of the problem. (drifts from across the prairie will mess with any door)

Michael

[Common Tator]

Here is a great article from Dorothy Ainsworth about building Batten doors. http://dorothyainsworth.com/batten/doors.html

This appeared in Backwoods Home Magazine.

[Mutti]

You really need to think how you use the barn and how you might use it in the future. Cows need,at least 6' slider for one or two and wider if you have more. Even sheep need a wide door as they tend to leap thru in groups. Many accidents/injuries happen around doors. You may want to store hay or have to drag a dead animal out of a barn...you sure can't do that thru a swinging door. We have an old MO barn but it has all wide sliders built of exterior plywood well-braced and painted with Rustoleum. Still good after 20 years. Stock will knock a door down fast. DEE

[stifflej]

Problem I have with a hinged door is if it swings out, snow causes problems, and if it swings in causes to much wasted space. I vote sliding or roll up...I guess it depends where you are at if you will have the snow issue...

[DamnearaFarm]

Originally Posted by oneokie

Turnbuckle.

Yay! Thanks, Oneokie.