What do I do for my barn door?

JSanders10 · Feb 1, 2015

Here's the background:
Bought this property recently with an existing poultry farm on it (three 40x500 broiler houses, one 1350 sq ft farm house (my great aunt's built in the 1920s and moved to this location abt 1999) and one 70'x72' steel truss barn, used as the dry stack for the poultry litter.

Image 1 is the existing barn plans I found on the farm. I want to enclose the front left corner of the barn which has a concrete pad. This area was used as the composting area of the barn (think dead chicks, layer of saw dust, another layer of dead chicks, etc.). Very clean now.
We'll use the wood from within the existing compost area (2"x6"s I think) to go up on the outside walls, as well as use the wood from the front right corner of the barn's other composting area. Lumber is no problem... I have more treated pine than I can use from the 40x500 barns.

I want to leave about 2' or 3' at the top of the left side and back wall for horizontal row of clear roofing panel for light access.
I have all the metal doors I need from the 40x500 sheds... some are 4' wide x 6' high, which I like, since the four-wheeler ATV will fit through that nicely. I do have some normal doors also I could use.

My question is mainly for the front opening, where I may occasionally park my tractor. What is recommended?
This is mainly for security and lockup of tools, equipment, and such. I am not here but about 1-2x every couple weeks.
I don't think I want a swinging door...
Overhead or sliding?

Any other suggestions?

We're giving the house a slight update (plumbing, fixtures, etc.,) for our hunting cabin (it's solid heart pine!).

2458n · Feb 1, 2015

If your not going to be around I would get a container. I would put in the barn. Sliding door would be cheaper than the overhead. I would lock the sliding door on both sides and carry some good insurance. 4 wheelers have great resale and as such attract a good deal of thieves. Any chance of a lock and store for boats?

Looking4new · Feb 1, 2015

I think I would go with a 40' container for inside the barn and sliding doors on the barn. Lock the sliding doors and lock the container as well.

JSanders10 · Feb 2, 2015

Thank you both, I will consider that, not a bad suggestion and I do have room for a container.
Can I install lights/electrical in a shipping container?

EddieWalker · Feb 3, 2015

A container is going to cost $2 grand and it's a tight fit for a smaller tractor. How big is the tractor?

With all that lumber, I would just frame in a space for the tractor and go for a tall door. The cheapest is going to be a slider. You can buy the track system from just about anybody and it's an easy do it yourself project. Negative side to sliders is that they are impossible to make bug proof or keep the wind out. They are easy to secure, especially if you have a walk through door and you can lock the sliding doors from the inside.

I personally like a roll up door. You can order them in just about any size. Mine is from Muellers, and from what I've seen comparing it to others I've come across, it's a pretty good door. It's a bit more work to install because of the weight and getting it up on the brackets. I've done a couple using the loader on my tractor to lift them and another person to spot for me. Once you get it up there, it's all cake after that. While not totally bug proof, its pretty good. I also like that when open, I still have my ceiling height and my lights where I want them.

Last choice would be a traditional car garage type door. You can get them in bigger openings, but I'm not sure exactly how big. Advantage is in having the automatic opener and a good tight seal. When building new houses, I have found it costs just a bit more to go to a garage door company for this. They have a better quality door then the box stores and they can install it faster then I can. That time and their guarantee to fix it if it isn't working properly is worth the cost to me. If you don't mind losing the ceiling height, it doesn't cost anything to talk to them.

Eddie

JSanders10 · Feb 3, 2015

Eddie, thanks. I really don't want to go the container route, either. I can't imagine walking in one of those come July in Alabama.

The sliding door, locked from the inside, is my first choice.
Overhead second choice, just because of the additional cost, but I do know where someone has a used one they are willing to sell.

Anyway, I will update later.

JSanders10 · Jul 2, 2015

So I've completed the front corner 16'x20' lockup area, with two swinging doors and one interior 4x6 door (re-purposed from my poultry houses).
The outside tin came from the poultry houses, as well as most of the 2x4 and 2x6 interior lumber.
All good here.

JSanders10 · Jul 2, 2015

Lighting in the barn

One of the next projects will be get some nighttime lighting in the barn.
I am looking for suggestions, and less cost is better.

I'd rather go with LED or something more cost efficient (although honestly we won't be running the lights that much), but just as important is fixtures that won't need constant changing or repair. Should I find 4' fixtures with cages for protection from flying birds (and owls, I see them in there often)?

Any ideas or suggestions? Are 3-4' LED fixtures made?

caver · Jul 9, 2015

I built my two 9x9 sliders by myself. I hung the track and attached the top board and skates. Then hung the side boards using nail plates I think?? and then the bottom board. Two horizontal boards in the middle after that always making sure everything was square and finally attaching the tin.

JSanders10 · Jul 13, 2015

So any ideas for lighting I should put in here?
Right now, I can't imagine needing lighting many hours a year except in the fall and winter late in the day, but at the same time, I do like planning for the future rather than being limited.

Updated pictures. Overall barn inside and out.