Barn Doors for the Garage

[Doug Mason]

I have a situation where my garage ceiling isn't too high; the result of which is that my garage door, when rolled up and opened, is about a foot above my head and travels six/seven feet into the garage. Well, my garage fits about a car and a half, so this is a problem for me. Somewhere, I read about Barn Doors and have ever since been entertaining this scenario. I also thought of having doors that opened outward--but have discounted it thus far. Anyone with the same problem who has gone w/Barn doors?

[Jamie Buxton]

I built two pairs of hinged garage doors for some friends about ten years ago, and they're still happy with them. I built them like torsion boxes. 1x4 frame in the middle, skinned with T111 plywood. The plywood prevents racking. The torsion box construction prevents warping. I suspected the doors might occasionally stand open in rain, so I flashed the tops with sheet aluminum, angled to drain to the outside. I used big ol' black strap hinges, mostly for looks. This is a basement garage, so the hinge screws on the frame side continue into concrete. (SDS drill and tapcons are magic.) The concrete isn't going to bend under the door loading.

[Jim Becker]

Outward opening doors are one of the traditional ways that doors worked on carriage houses and the like. All of the doors on my shop are configured that way, too...opening them does not take up any shop space, whatsoever. Do note that you need "security" hinges for that application so that the pins cannot be removed. They are on the outside... ;)

[Lars Thomas]

See Jeff Horton's post here . . . it has all your answers.

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=34876&highlight=garage+doors

[Rick Levine]

I'm in the process of building a new shop and considered several different types of barn doors. I finally settled on a sliding door similar to the one on the New Yankee Workshop. I even found the rails that they use.

I also found some that swing open which, if you don't have walls on either side of the opening to support the rail you'll probably have to go with. I did a Google search and found several companies that sell a variety of types of hardware for barn doors.

I'm building the door myself which is something you might want to consider. Then all you need to do is find the hardware to match the style you decide on.

This is what my door will look like (I hope!).

[Jeff Horton]

Thanks Lars. Due to my idiotic web host loosing my registration I had to move my web site so some of the photos no long show. Here is the web page (http://www.kudzupatch.com/woodshop/gdoors/index.shtml)
I created about the doors. Assuming the link is allowed and doesn't get removed of course. :rolleyes:

Mine have been up for a few months now and other than one minor change and because one of the doors tried to warp, I am well pleased with these and the openers. They have worked flawlessly.

[Wes Bischel]

One issue - which you don't run into I would guess - is snow build-up. I didn't use them on my garage because of that. Otherwise, I think they are great!

FWIW,
Wes