Looking for advice on building barn doors

[rvaitor]

I think for the most part people use planed lumber, meaning that a 2x6 is only 1.5" thick. So two 2x6's sandwiching a piece of plywood would be more like 3.5-3.75" thick.

For what it's worth, I've been using 5/4" (which is actually planed to 1" thick) PT deck boards for the outside frame and crossbuck, along with 5/8" T1-11. This, along with the 2-by inside frame, results in a total door thickness of 3 1/8".

They're not light - I'm guessing a single 6'x10' door weighs around 350 lbs. They'll probably be a bit lighter once all the PT wood dries out. I have yet to hang them; I'm hoping to paint them first but the weather hasn't exactly been conducive to that.

Here's a picture of the backside of one of the doors, leaning on its side in the aisleway of my barn, so you can see what the inside frame looks like

There's one last piece that I have yet to do, which is a 2x4 (actually 1.5x3.125) across the top of the entire door. This will help to tie everything together and further stiffen the top of the door.

Fantastic Post!! - thanks - post more when you get ready to hang these things.

 

[riptides]

Here is my setup, using the sandwich technique. Total door thickness is just over three inches from the edges. The doors are nice and light, durable for my purposes, and easy to reproduce should I forget to open them and run the tractors through them.

 

[tlbuser]

That's an excellent price, actually better than excellent. Did you share your source on that hardware in this thread?

I used the diagrams on their site to build my own. I fabricated them using 1 x 1/4" flat stock, wheels from Service Caster Corporation - Casters and Wheels and the track is wheel stock from my local buggy repair shop.

 

[James150]

I think for the most part people use planed lumber, meaning that a 2x6 is only 1.5" thick. So two 2x6's sandwiching a piece of plywood would be more like 3.5-3.75" thick.

For what it's worth, I've been using 5/4" (which is actually planed to 1" thick) PT deck boards for the outside frame and crossbuck, along with 5/8" T1-11. This, along with the 2-by inside frame, results in a total door thickness of 3 1/8".

They're not light - I'm guessing a single 6'x10' door weighs around 350 lbs. They'll probably be a bit lighter once all the PT wood dries out. I have yet to hang them; I'm hoping to paint them first but the weather hasn't exactly been conducive to that.

Here's a picture of the backside of one of the doors, leaning on its side in the aisleway of my barn, so you can see what the inside frame looks like:

Here's a second door in the process of being built. The inside frame is done, and T1-11 has been applied.

Next I add 2x4's (ripped down to 2 1/8") to the sides so that the front edge is flush with the front of the T1-11.

Then I add the 5/4x6 exterior frame:

The bottom 2" of the door is only 1.5" thick to provide a "track" for the stay rollers.

Next come the crossbucks:

There's one last piece that I have yet to do, which is a 2x4 (actually 1.5x3.125) across the top of the entire door. This will help to tie everything together and further stiffen the top of the door.

Wow, those look nice. Here's a couple of pictures of my doors, I know, they are swinging doors but they might give someone an idea. The custom built drop bar is real nice to secure the doors in the wind. You think I have photos of the inside consturction of the doors? Naah. . .my oversight.