Barn Doors

[RanchMan]

I plan on putting up a pole barn as has been discussed on the various threads here. The structure itself isn't the issue - what bothers me a bit is the doors.

I've thought about putting in a regular garage-type door, but was also thinking about regular "swing open" double-doors or maybe one that runs in a track like an airplane hangar.

Since I'm doing all the design/build work myself, I was thinking someone here might have some ideas on diagrams/designs or where to get the appropriate parts for such doors.

Any ideas?

 

[cedarranch]

I went with the sliding door 10ft wide. The swingout doors require to much room to open and tend to dip with age. The rollup doors are noisey and in my opinion do not look good. The regular garage doors were an option but would have required me to have framed for the runners over the door.
The slide door kits are available at Lowes/homedepot/tsc/etc. I got mine from the company I bought the rest materials from.
See attachment.

 

[MikePA]

I have swing out doors on our garage and sliding doors on our barn. I much prefer the sliding doors. While it might not be a problem in much of Texas, I have to shovel the snow 3 feet in front of my garage just so I can open the doors. Then, once they are open, the wind invariably catches them and slams them shut. If you have the room for a slider, that would be the way I'd go.

 

[hwp]

Ranchman
I think the choice of doors really depends on what you are going to use the barn and doors for. If you are only going to occaisionally move some equipment in or out such as your tractor, then one or more sliding doors would be appropriate. if you are going to store a number of pieces of equipment and/or vehicles, then I think overhead garage doors would be more appropriate. I have a 30' x 40' pole barn construction garage attached to our house in which I store four vehicles. In the winter I also store my tractor and ATV in the garage (three vehicles are for summer use only). I have two 8' x 16' overhead garage doors (see attachment) with electric openers. In not too distant future I plan to put a 25' addition on the garage including a 8' x 18' overhead door.

 

[Wingnut]

As you know RanchMan, I tend to do things the same as everyone else ... not.
I have overhead doors on both garages and have never really liked them in anything I'm going to insolate and heat. And I have sliders on the barn which tend to get frozen in their tracks in the winter and cause my wife no end of grief.
So ... when I built my workshop, I handbuilt bi-fold doors ... and then just to ensure I had no "winter problems" I have them fold inward instead of outward ... so the snow and ice are no problem.

wingnut

 

[gerard]

I would also go with the sliding doors and if in a snow climate mount on the inside. Snow is then not a problem although you lose that portion of the insode wall to hang stuff on. I think for the money it's also the cheapest way to go. If you have a wood building making the door yourself out of vertical 1x 12's with a couple horizontal 1x 12's and a set in a "Z" pattern is easy and strong. The hardware is readily available at any farm store.

 

[Buck]

RanchMan,

My pole barn has a 10 ft. sliding door.

A concern I would have if I were you is that a sliding door prevents a significant space from having windows. My barn is 30x40 and I have attached a photo of it herein.

Buck

 

[WVBill]

I built my pole barn so that the center section could garage my motor home. The opening there is 12' x 12'.

I built my own 12' x 6' swinging doors for it. I made a frame of 2x4's braced both vertically and diagonally and sheathed the doors with T1-11 same as the building. The doors are mounted with 3 12" "T" hinges each lag-screwed into the door bracing and the doorframe 6x6 poles. These suckers are HEAVY but the hinges seem to be holding them square and true (3 years now). But then I don't open the doors every day either - just to take the motorhome out for occasional weekend trips.

 

[RanchMan]

Thanks all for the info and pictures! I'll let you know what route I'll go when I finialize my plans.

 

[Briarwood]

Ranch Man,

FWIW, just finished a 30' x 48' pole barn with 10' ceiling and concrete floor. I chose to install a commercial overhead garage door to get a better seal at bottom than a sliding door. Door rests in a 1/2" recess at edge of floor and has a rubber gasket along bottom to help seal. Probably kidding myself to think this may help deter critters.

JT