[Jennifer L.]

I have to build a new sliding door in the end of the barn that has never had a door in it before. Which are the best rollers to use, cannon ball or the ones that have four wheels on each trolley? I have an idea that the cannon ball ones are better, but does anyone else know? They won't be the heaviest doors around, but things around here get a lot of wear and tear on them.

Jennifer

 

[chriswicks]

Sorry I can't help but just wanted to jump in on this discussion. I'm in the process putting in a small barn and am near the point of buying door hardware. I'm also curious about the subject.

 

[Jennifer L.]

I've got both kinds on different doors around here, and the outside doors have been cannon ball types with the other ones used on smaller doors inside the barn. So I've been wondering if I should go with the cannon ball ones again on the outside doors (seem to be more expensive) or if it really makes all that much difference. It's something I've wondered about before but since I haven't been in the position to make a new door in the last few years I thought I'd ask what others think.

Jennifer

 

[hoofinitnorth]

What's a cannon ball roller?

googling...

 

[haypoint]

I've used both. Can't say there is much difference. Important to spend some time in adjusting them, heighth, offset, etc. I build barn doors with 2x6 frames and inch tounge and groove center panels. Shoving on them and the neverending wind pulled them apart. I rebuilt them with an angle iron frame. Heavy but hang straight and stand up to the wind.

 

[Ole Man Legrand]

I built my doors with a wood frame and put a fiber glass skin on the frame. this makes the doors light weight.I used 4 wheels on each trolly. I used brackets at the bottom to hold the door when closed. Do not put 2 doors on per closure. one door works better with the wind.My door size was 8 ft 6 in tall and 13 feet wide.I put one on each end of the barn.I close both doors in windy weather. Jay

 

[chriswicks]

Ole Man Legrand, so are you saying that I should hang 1 8' wide door as opposed to 2 doors that are 4' each. My building is 16' wide so, with an eight foot door would have to be offset or overhang.

Jennifer L., I'm not trying to hijack your tread. Just trying to expand it a little. Thank you everyone.

 

[Junkmanme]

I put a wheel at each end of the bottom of my door to help with the "weight problem".

 

[Ole Man Legrand]

Chriswick. My Dad had a set of doors that was for a sixteen foot aisle. The two doors met in the middle. Many times in March the wind would blow the doors off track. But his barn was east to west which was a mistake. It should have been north to south. If you had a concrete floor,you could groove it so the doors would run in the groove . This would eliminate the wind problem. Jay

 

[Jim S.]

Yep, Jay, that is the best way I have found, is to pour a concrete strip and run a groove in it as a lower door track. Simple and effective, and you can still have your two doors. They are incredibly hard to keep from getting blown apart and off track otherwise.

 

[Windy in Kansas]

Chriswick. If you had a concrete floor,you could groove it so the doors would run in the groove . This would eliminate the wind problem. Jay

Don't even think about that if you live in an area where it freezes. Ice will form in the floor groove so that the doors can't be moved at all. I learned the hard way after making such a groove in a door ramp.

 

[Jennifer L.]

Sounds like everyone doesn't think the kind of rollers is too important. Chriswicks, thread hijack is fine when you learn something.

Jennifer

 

[mink]

jennifer i got the 4 whell ones on mine ...dont forget to give them a squirt of oil now and then. im in ny too and the best advice i can give you is leave at least 3-4 inches clearance on the bottom for snow and ice build -up....mink

 

[rambler]

Don't even think about that if you live in an area where it freezes. Ice will form in the floor groove so that the doors can't be moved at all. I learned the hard way after making such a groove in a door ramp.

Works ok if you put the door in an endwall. Not too bad.

Really aweful if (like dad...) you put the door on a side where the snow slides off in front of in a 3 foot high pile of ice & mess..... Sigh.

I think I hear the cannonballs are a bit better. That shed I mention has 2 wooden doors 11' by 16' hanging on it since 1964, the round track hasn't been touched, it gets used at least every other day as it's the big shed around here.

Probably don't make the new models as good as the old models tho, either type....

--->Paull

 

[DaleK]

I'd look much closer at the track than the trolleys. I prefer the cannonball ones simply because of the brands that are available here, the cannonball track has the hangers fixed solidly onto it and the other square track has hangers that slide onto it and I've never been able to keep the square track hung long-term without welding the hangers to it. They always work their way open otherwise and the track starts to move. Biggest mistake I see people making here is thinking that because the trolleys are (usually) sold in pairs they only need 2 per door, on wider doors I like to put 4 or even 6 trolleys on a door (say a 16' door).

 

[jross]

I two used four wheel trolleys on each four by eight door, roller keepers at the side jambs, fire hose gasketing where the doors meet, and on the lower bottom outside edge. Wind was never a problem because the doors were on the south end. Adjustment and dry lube makes all the difference. Recommend one trolley every two feet as DaleK said, especially on large all wood doors.

 

[Mutti]

Ours are all four rollers and been in operation for over 20 years with no problems at all....and cows are way hard on doors! Not to mention sheep and horses. We build our doors stout with roughsawn oak and they'll probably outlast our ancient barn! DEE