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Barn Door setup

| Posted in General Discussion on March 25, 2000 11:18am

*
I need to build a sliding door (8 ft x 8 ft) for the outside of a barn, and have a few questions.

First, how can I get a reasonably tight seal between the door and the wall around the opening? I plan to install trim along the sides and atop the door opening, and attach ‘mating’ lumber on the back of the door. Should I count on friction to provide a proper seal? Or, should I put some sort of weatherstrip on the mating parts? If so, which weatherstripping would work, particularly along the top of the door? Also, any suggestions on sealing the bottom of the door?

Second, my local building supply store offers sliding door hardware. Basically, 8-foot sections of U-channel along with rollers attached to a plate that gets screwed into the door. Is this the best choice? Are there any others?

Thanks for any and all help.

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  1. Guest_ | Mar 07, 2000 12:45am | #1

    *
    We've used conveyor belt as a sealing strip.

    A piece of belt attached to the bottom of the door and let to hang down 6 inches of so and scrape the ground as the door slides.

    Two pieces of belt on either side of the door opening to scrape against the door as it's moved.

    A narrow piece attached to the header that also scraped the door as it slid.

    It's not a great seal but it's better than nothing. I've actually only done this to my own buildings (and my parents). Don't think I'd ever sell this makeshift seal to a customer.

    Yes, the track sections and rollers are the thing to use. Just make sure you're getting ones that are quality and will last.

    1. Guest_ | Mar 07, 2000 04:31am | #2

      *...Agway.. or whoever you're dealing with has about 3 lines of slider hardware...get the best... i liked their round section... you can set the doors up to slide inside if you have enough unobstructed wall.. and the doors can slide both ways from the middle, i.e. you can have two 4' doors instead of one 8'in the free sliding position the doors should slide freely so you don't want the seal interfering with the slide motion..once the doors are in the closed postion.. use some clamping lever to push or pull the door against the frame...Mike

      1. Guest_ | Mar 07, 2000 04:49am | #3

        *Never go to an all purpose building supplier for specialized hardware. For overhead doors, go to a professional supplier/installer for hardware and advice. For fences, do the same. Stanley doesn't make what you need. Even if the contractors don't do the job, they'll generally help you with the hardware. They're pros, after all. Plus, my fencer was interested in trying a new hardware line and helped in the experiment. Never know.

        1. Guest_ | Mar 07, 2000 05:46am | #4

          *Jeff , Use Cannon Ball or Combo track for your sliding door . They have a round track that lets the dirt and junk fall out they also have a small enough slot that the sparrows cant build nest in the track.

  2. SCOTT_E._CHADBOURNE | Mar 20, 2000 01:25am | #5

    *
    Jeff, You may already have your door built by now. Combo or Cannonball track systems are both great. If you will add a "1x8 track board " flush with the bottom edge of your header and add "2x3 jamb-extentions" to both of your door posts {we rip down a cca 2x6} you won't have trouble with the door rubbing on the siding ribs when you slide the door open and closed. Harvard is another acceptable brand of track and trolleys. You may want to consider using steel girts on the door as they make the door almost warp proof and lighter to slide. We have gone up to 17'-6" on one piece doors although most farmers prefer split doors that size on up.
    Don't forget to buy a couple of stay rollers for the door bottom to keep the wind from flipping it over the top of the building if you leave it open. One last thing, cam latches are easier to use but the chain snuggers for doors keep the doors sealed tighter after long term door use. Good luck!

    1. Dave_Matheny | Mar 25, 2000 11:18pm | #6

      *On our farm we had a barn door that was about 10' high and 12' wide. It used a standard roller track (probably from the local Agway) which gave it enough freedom of movement to allow it to be drawn into the sidewalls of the barn where the opening was about 9' 6" high by 11' 6" wide.We had two -- three-piece levering devices made by an local blacksmith (they had to be 50 or more years old)and these were mounted to either side of the door at a point about 5' off the ground. These levers were engaged into a sloted steel strap bolted into 2 x 8's whicI were in turn lagged into the concrete block of the barn wall. This system drew the door in very tight to the outside walls of the barn. To improve it to a point where it would be nearly airtight, I thing that by using the rubber belting suggested in an earlier post, you could achieve a very good seal. Thinking back (it has been 20 years since we sold the farm), it wouldn't have taken that much to make our door weather tight. On a farm, good ventilation is a must especially when animals are in the bottom of the barn. I can remember many days even in the dead of winter that we left the door cracked open a bit so our cattle wouldn't get wet with sweat.Look for a site on the web for "Farm and Fleet" or Central Tractor," Both of these companys should have the hardware you need.

  3. Jeff_Clewley | Mar 25, 2000 11:18pm | #7

    *
    I need to build a sliding door (8 ft x 8 ft) for the outside of a barn, and have a few questions.

    First, how can I get a reasonably tight seal between the door and the wall around the opening? I plan to install trim along the sides and atop the door opening, and attach 'mating' lumber on the back of the door. Should I count on friction to provide a proper seal? Or, should I put some sort of weatherstrip on the mating parts? If so, which weatherstripping would work, particularly along the top of the door? Also, any suggestions on sealing the bottom of the door?

    Second, my local building supply store offers sliding door hardware. Basically, 8-foot sections of U-channel along with rollers attached to a plate that gets screwed into the door. Is this the best choice? Are there any others?

    Thanks for any and all help.

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