Pole Barn Sliding Door Problems

[grandpa_e]

The builders for my pole barn made some mistakes installing the sliding door and I have a few questions for the members here.

Should the top track trim / cover be installed behind the siding. I thinks so, since this should act as flashing to keep rain off the track and the top of the door.

Should the top track itself be bolted to a board and siding fitted around it? Right now they put the track up against the metal siding and ran screws through it. I really don't think this is right as it is sitting on the ribs in the metal.

Should the top of the sliding door be covered by the track trim / cover? It seems like it should otherwise rain would blow in over the top of the door.

I requested a bottom track for the door and what they put in is a metal channel screwed in at the bottom of the outside of the wall. There are no guides, post or wheels in the door that run in this track. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a bottom track.

I have spoken to the builders and I am waiting to hear how they propose to resolve the problems with the door. If anyone has detailed pictures of their sliding door installations, track, flashing, bottom tract, trim etc. I would really appreciate if you could post a few.

I know what they have done so far isn't correct and I believe they will take care of it, but I want to make sure it is done right. I haven't installed any sliders myself and have only seen a few in person, but I never really paid attention to it. Any advice or pictures are greatly appreicated!

 

[walleyed]

Sounds like a poor install to me. It also depends on the track used. Check out this web site for some ideas.

http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/plans/E9000/9341/M-9341L.pdf

 

[zzvyb6]

I used an aluminum canopy section made to cover the track. It slips under the siding. This keeps out the weather. I suppose you could use a piece of rubber roofing to do the same job. The bottom of the door is held in place by a pulley/roller thing that slips behind the door and runs underneath it. For a weather seal, I used the rubber roofing strip tacked to the door. This slides around the lower roller deal.

 

[grandpa_e]

Well, the door actually fell off this afternoon. The track and top board in the door stayed behind and the rest of the door fell off. To say I am upset would be an understatement. I am waiting to hear from the builder as to how they propose to correct the issues. I sent them pictures this morning, but didn't hear from them the rest of the day. It's not looking too good right now.

 

[walleyed]

post the pictures here so we can see what your up against.

 

[Craig Clayton]

I think by your description that you got a very ( budget ) job on the door. It is best that it fell off. Post pics as the above members details are the standard quality install. Craig Clayton

 

[grandpa_e]

Here are the pics I took before the door fell off.

 

[walleyed]

Wow. That is not a very good install. His metal work on the door is bad. Very poor detail work on the corners and edges. Door looks to short as well.

Try to get him back to repair it. Give him some pictures of what it should look like. Is he experienced with building barns? Maybe its just the door he has no idea about.

I had another look at the pics and I think the metal above the door will have to be pulled off and cut shorter
so he can get the flashing in behind. It looks like the door should be raised up a few inches which will make it even shorter at the bottom.

 

[tlbuser]

Sounds like a poor install to me. It also depends on the track used. Check out this web site for some ideas.

http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/plans/E9000/9341/M-9341L.pdf

Considering there are two common track types (box and round), the basics are the same. Odds are also pretty good it's a Fabral (acr metals) supplied building and the hardware came from Western Products of Indiana | Box Track | Box Track Options or national hardware. The siding should be applied over the hanger brackets and the flashing covers the brackets, rail and door. As a rule, metal roofing and siding gets screwed through the valleys on the panels, not the ridges.

Strangely enough, if it's an all metal building, the erector may not have squared the entire building either. Check the corner posts for plumb, then get diagonal measurements top and bottom.

 

[Duffster]

Wow that is horrid. Low bid?

 

[tlbuser]

Compare the hardware profiles to your end view here.

 

[soal man]

It may be the camera angle, but the door doesn't look square to me. Looks like a very poor job. I wouldn't accept it.

 

[Duffster]

Odds are also pretty good it's a Fabral (acr metals) supplied building and the hardware came from Western Products of Indiana | Box Track | Box Track Options .

Why do you say that?

 

[ITHINKICAN]

The company we hired told us at our first interview - they don't hang doors - I was offended because they had the most amount of recommendations. But now I am starting to understand why. It looks like door hanging requires a special gift of expertise.

Did you all ready pay the last installment? If not - don't. Does your contract have a provision for defective items, below average results or any warranty type items? The area you live isn't shown by your member name - is your County/State pro homeowner or pro contractor? Around here if work isn't performed in a "workmanlike manner" the Court would make them repair or refund the money. If nothing else- can you get pictures of properly hung doors from other pole barn owners? And then show them to the company you used?

I sure hope it works out. One of my greatest fears is having work done by someone - and it not being done correctly. It isn't easy.

 

[grandpa_e]

I sent the company a laundry list of issues. The builders came back out and put the door back up. I haven't seen it yet, but my wife said they just stuck it back up. I'm not a happy camper.

 

[tlbuser]

Why do you say that?

From my experience trying to fix a couple of these. Same reason I suggested rechecking the building's plumb and square. Have found at least one of these "builders" that believes if the frame bolts together, it's good. They then employ a "cut to fit" philosophy for siding and trim.

 

[mojoinco]

Does the word 'craptastic' mean anything? Roofs/walls/etc: You work from the bottom up, layer wise, to shed water. You want the top and the bottom of the door to cover as much of the opening as you can. On prevailing storm sides of the barn especially (I have snow issues with it working over the top of my doors). Another detail most leave out are foam fillers between the tops of the siding and the framing (wind, rain/snow). You can make your own later out of foam (I used pipe insulation) with a knife or a hacksaw blade and slide them up under the top edging.

Time to document every detail of this barn.
Then see if you can find someone with knowledge to come out and tell you what is done wrong. Even pay them an inspection fee.

Read this, lots of good info. Most pole barn material is similar (if not the same). A few companies use brand unique products, but hopefully not yours (and those companies sell only through specific dealers/installers).

http://www.metalsales.us.com/files/installation-guides/PostFrameInstallGuide.pdf

 

[Wooddust]

As they say, This won't end well. Id try to find anyone but your builder to re do the door.

 

[grandpa_e]

mojoinco, craptastic is exactly right! The more I snoop the more I find. I haven't had much time to inspect between work and the holiday preps, but this morning I decided to go look around for a few minutes. I noticed some water on the floor, looked up and saw daylight........ lots of daylight. The roof was sweating so badly it was raining in the building. I don't have a ladder tall enough to get to it, but judging by the amount of daylight, they didn't run the vented closures all the way down the ridge. They also didn't use closures anywhere else in the building. They didn't use any tape on the rake trim or any other joints so this thing is pretty much open to the elements. I'm wondering why they even offer insulation, which I paid extra for. Next week I am going to find an independent building inspector and pay for a professional inspection and report. At this pint I doubt it will do any good, but it's worth a shot. When I told the salesman I wanted an inspection, he got snippy and told me there was nobody in the state more qualified than his boss and rattled off his credentials. Needless to say, I wasn't impressed. At this point I am wondering if I will just need to hire someone else to take the thing back to the frame and do it all over again. Or try to do it myself. Anyway, sorry for the rant, but I am not at all happy right now!

 

[mojoinco]

It aint rocket science!

Like anything else, some knowledge ((the link to the manual I posted isn't the only one out there -- all are similar).

All you need is time, a few tools (driver, belt with driver loop, shears <angled handle so your hand doesn't ride along the sharp just-cut-edges>, tape measure, marker, square). And a couple of ladders (I prefer 3 legged electrician type). Nothing hard.

As another person posted, it would be great if they built square and level. Makes installation much easier.

The door metal can be taller than the opening, as you adjust the hangers from the inside. Use stabilized wood for the frame (dried, or even a laminated type product). Wife took out the door hanger on her barn last year with a tractor (doors and gates around here are also called 'tractor magnets'). I had bought a 2x6 to replace a piece of the door (she was sure I was <still> WRONG on that one). Finally fixed the twist in it. The nice part about it was the wood was dry (I bought it the year before, but needed an excuse to bring it to the top of the list).

You may want to query the inspector on the legal process to get a contractor to repair his work == and check to see about his insurance and when it ends and how much it is worth. My Mom finally finished that with a bum contractor. Fortunately she found a good one. And was able to recover some of the costs (took a year; and only got 10~20%).

Bummer pics! You can't see all the issues, I'd bet, due to the insulation. If you take of the siding, something to consider are the see through siding panels. My shop has them in a 2~3 ft strip around the top (older versions look like opaque fiberglass; newer looks like clear plastic). Adds a lot of indirect light around the top of the building.