Looking for advice on building barn doors

[bugstruck]

I probably wouldn't use PT for the doors, and I'd use a good wood glue like Titebond. Then I'd soak the heck out of it with wood preservative before doing a good paint job. They should last forever. That's also a good point about attaching your hardware to the vertical stiles.

This whole thread has good examples and advice. I'm using this particular post to make a point on glues in exterior enviornments. Even Tightbond III is ineffective over time if repeated direct moisture gets to it. I've seen it fail in direct exposure with spar urethane as the protectant (pretty decent topcoat) in under 6 months. Not on barn doors but exterior rails and the like. Bottom line is in exterior apps you need good mechanical connections. The glue is more feel good than a real long term performance enhancement. Not to say if you keep it very dry under good flashings and sealants it doesn't work, it does to a degree. But driving rains and slowly deteriorating moisture barrier coats spell the end for it. Get it well connected and you wont' have any issues. Another thing to remember is that truly moisture resistant woods such as Ipe are high in silicates. They don't hold to glue well. I do love glue though. Indoors.

 

[bugstruck]

Should have added that I would be a fan of good construction/subfloor adhesives in a barn door where plywood based sheathing is being connected/laminated to lumber frames. That takes wet/dry cycles fairly well and it's a good bridge material for inperfections occuring in framing material tolerance applications.

 

[sodamo]

Great thread. I have some doors to build as well. First set will be sliders for an 8X8 opening. I'll post what I do & pics, but was thinking simply rabbeted 2x4's and plywood. Then I'll need 2 sets of hinged on other end, but not til next year.

Already bought my slider hardware - costs more than the wood.
David

 

[tlbuser]

The windows actually let in a lot of light.

Here is a shot with the doors closed and a later addition for the tractor. There are a few more battens to go on the barn.

Lloyd

That's a nice looking barn. THe windows do add a nice touch. What is hanging on the side of the barnm between the doors?
Did you nail both sides of the battens? How did you decide to center the battens over the joint?

 

[bugstruck]

We do about half a dozen barn door type installations in commercial offices each year. They've become popular with Archtiects. The company I work for struggled a litte on the engineering side (hardware) when we first got into them (we have some odd installations to accommodate) and I ran this outfit down for engineering and purchasing Architectural Doors & Hardware is the Richards-Wilcox East Coast Select Distributor
I don't know if they sell direct to consumers but they are knowledgable and helpful. They rep Richard Wilcox which is decent hardware for the types of applications being discussed here. Someone may have already mentioned or shown some? You can buy this type hardware at TSC and other locations but sometimes having someone who's engineered a myriad of different applications is handy to talk to. I usually spec my own hardware but purchasing sends drawings up for the other PM's and they advise all the parts required for a functioning assembly. Not rocket science but not everyone is as mechanically able as this crowd and hardware is simple but only once you understand it.

 

[Lloyd_E]

tlb - thanks,

There is an outside electrical box - little gray box. If that is what you are referring too. There are two schools of thoughts regarding battens: one groups says to nail only down the center and one group both sides. If you nail both sides there is a chance of the batten and or board splitting do to change is board movement. I have used both ways and prefer to nail both sides of batten. I think it makes a tighter job. I used a block of wood to act as a template/guide/spacer between batten widths. Set the first batten plum, mark next batten placement for center over board siding, make a spacer block and go from there. I would also check plum of battens every few feet just to be sure.

Lloyd

 

[jcaron2]

Well, I managed to get one lousy door built yesterday. No pics yet since it was dark when I finished. It took me pretty much the entire day, so hopefully I'll get a little faster at it when a do the second, third, sixth, etc.

For what it's worth, I found a pretty good installation diagram here: http://www.woodstarproducts.com/images/custom/Installation/cbd.pdf

As far as water diversion goes, I think I'll build a pentroof to go over the whole track. Lloyd, maybe that's the same as what you called a "reflector"? Basically, it'll just be a 1x6 board with a beveled edge attached to the side of the barn at a 45 degree angle to form a little mini 12:12 pitch shed-style roof just over rail. I don't think I can flash it without cutting into the T1-11, so I'll probably just caulk it as well as possible, and watch for leakage in the future as a sign that I need to recaulk.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to get the door mounted - it probably weighs 400-500 pounds. Unless I can get help from several neighbors or friends, I think I'll probably lash the entire door, including the already-installed top rollers, to my tractor bucket so I can lift it up in the air. Then I'll mount the rail above the door opening to establish all of the bolt holes. Then I'll take the rail back off and slide it onto the rollers on the door. Then I'll pick up the entire kit and kaboodle with the tractor and very carefully move it into place so I can just bolt the track back into the holes from before. Then hopefully I can just untie if from the bucket and back away. Seem like a reasonable plan?

 

[tlbuser]

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...oking-advice-building-barn-doors-img_0065.jpg

Maybe it's a window? The item I'm looking at is above your John Deere pull cart

 

[tlbuser]

Someone may have already mentioned or shown some? Not rocket science but not everyone is as mechanically able as this crowd and hardware is simple but only once you understand it.

Guilty. That's where I found the a-cad's for the one's I liked. They want something like $390.00 /pair. I"ve wrapped up a total of $29.00/pair. Their track is pricey, I sourced mine for less than $20.00 per 12 ft.

 

[Lloyd_E]

tlb,
Yes. You're correct. It is a window to tack room. I have to place a grill over it though... the horses keep busting glass and we have been lucky - no cuts....

lloyd