Question about building custom garage door

[NCtim]

Hey there fine folks,

I just followed a thread over here from BritishV8.com. It came up as Zach's red door Z Garage and that's almost exactly what I've been trying to pull the trigger on for three years. (I'll get my intro into the proper forum soon and explain all that.)

My Question is: Can I build my own solid doors and use tracks and hardware I've got from an auction? I've been going to auctions and stocking up on Andersen windows and doors and some miscellaneous garage door hardware. I want to build two cedar and walnut 9' doors that mimic carriage doors with windows but pull up like a regular garage door.

I have the cedar and walnut already cut and stacked and ready to mill so this is the way to go as it will match my front door that I've constructed in a similar manner. Photo of a facsimile attached.

 

[NCtim]

I should note that the pictured garage doors articulate and are not what I want to make. I want my door to be a solid slab.

 

[crazytrain]

So you want the door to open like this over a conventional garage door, correct?

I don't see why you could not make your own door and use the lift system from another door. As long as the door you build is roughly the same size and weight as the original door.


If you want to build a custom door that goes up like a regular garage door (segmented panels) The Family Handyman magazine did an article on how to build your own a few months back.

http://www.familyhandyman.com/DIY-P...Garage-Door/garage-door-makeover/Step-By-Step

 

[NCtim]

Hey Crazytrain,

That's exactly what I want to do. Do you think I can use the segmented/articulated track and adapt it to a solid door slab?

Tim

 

[Stuart in MN]

I've only dealt with one slab door on a garage, but it had a totally different lifting mechanism than a segmented door. This picture looks similar to what I had: http://www.prodoorsupply.com/One-Piece-Garage-Door-Hardware-Kit-Holmes-E900-p/a500.htm It may be possible to use a conventional track but I'm not sure how you'd do it.

 

[upndown]

If you're going to build 1 piece doors, you are going to need 1 piece door arms and springs! (Stuarts link) You'll need to weigh the door to get it sprung properly, also even tho they're only 9' wide they are going to be heavy so make sure you get heavier arms. you may want to check with a local door co, they can tell you what you need..Then compare prices, May save you some hassle

 

[crazytrain]

Hey Crazytrain,

That's exactly what I want to do. Do you think I can use the segmented/articulated track and adapt it to a solid door slab?
Tim

Maybe, But I really doubt it because it needs to swing out at the bottom and in at the top as it opens.

This site may help you. http://www.diygaragerepair.com/One-Piece-Garage-Doors-s/376.htm

 

[upndown]

Out here I have seen doors with horizontal tracks, but you still need 1 piece door arms!! Don't forget whatever thickness you build these doors, You will loose that in opening height..When door is fully open it hangs under the opening and you will loose a couple feet of driveway length as these doors swing out when opening, also known as Shin Kickers..haha! Personally I wouldn't have one on my home or shop!! Just sayin

 

[NCtim]

If you're going to build 1 piece doors, you are going to need 1 piece door arms and springs! (Stuarts link) You'll need to weigh the door to get it sprung properly, also even tho they're only 9' wide they are going to be heavy so make sure you get heavier arms. you may want to check with a local door co, they can tell you what you need..Then compare prices, May save you some hassle

Thanks for the info and the beer! Wish those beers you all throw up in the smilies really arrived! Maybe the mods can work that out, haha!

I don't think they'll weigh much more than a steel door with insulation. They'll be mostly 5/4 cedar framed with walnut I'm having milled on the property. My front door is cedar that I cut into 1" strips and T&G'd together and then planed to proper thickness. It's lighter than the pine solid core door that I took out.

Being about 1-1/2" thick and measuring 9' X 8' they'll weigh about 210 lbs a piece. About what I can man handle around by myself.

I just wanted to know if I could adapt the track and hardware I have to make this work. Evidently I can't. I'll sell these doors on Craigslist and rethink this project.

Much appreciated info,
Tim

 

[kbs2244]

Slab garage doors used to be very popular in California.
I do not know if the still are.

I have heard they are out of favor due to the lifting mechanism.
It was called “a guillotine.”
(The manufactures called it a scissors.)
If you look at the way it moves you can see why.
Fingers were lost.

But hydraulic cylinder slab doors are now a coming thing.

Do a search on “hanger doors”
(Do it on you tube as well)
You will be able to get a lot of ideas on both horizontal hinged bi-fold doors as well as slab doors.
It is not rocket science.
There is some weight and balance calculations involved, but it is not bad.

 

[Jagmandave]

I had one on my garage in Ca and it was no problem, in fact - because it stood out from the door opening about a foot and a half when opened, it provided a little extra shade.

The only issue you might see is that if it stands open long enough, eventually you may get a bow in the middle from the weight of the wood. Mine had a reinforcing rod (tensioning rod?) across the bottom and a wedge in the middle....but it still bowed in a little.

I like them myself, and mine had an opener too, worked a treat.....I don't think there's anything unusual about the tracks compared to a segmented door, but like they said it does require the right set of hinges and you have to get the two sets of wheels in the right places.

Don't forget to run safety cables thru the middle of the springs so when (not if) they break they don't go flying around the garage and hit something important....this event will usually happen in the dead of night and wake you from a sound sleep, BTW!

 

[Justanoldguy]

Don't forget to run safety cables thru the middle of the springs so when (not if) they break they don't go flying around the garage and hit something important....this event will usually happen in the dead of night and wake you from a sound sleep, BTW!

We call them Tilt a doors here in NZ and they are literally everywhere.
Sectional doors are now taking over though.
But in 45 years of building, I am yet to see any spring fly apart or even hear of any flying apart. But obviously it happens in the USA ..

 

[upndown]

Sectional doors are just now taking over? After working on doors for 35 years, I've seen them **** up cars, trash items on shelves, pulled them out of attics, etc.etc. Must be magic steel in NZ

 

[Justanoldguy]

The big thing here for decades is roller doors.
I have four of them on my workshop and two on my garage.
Steel here is good.
over 75% of our roofs are steel.

 

[NCtim]

Thanks for the info. I may rethink this. I guess I could segment it but it'd be a lot heavier than a steel segmented door, and there's the issue of all those ugly seams.

 

[NCtim]

The only issue you might see is that if it stands open long enough, eventually you may get a bow in the middle from the weight of the wood. Mine had a reinforcing rod (tensioning rod?) across the bottom and a wedge in the middle....but it still bowed in a little.

I like them myself, and mine had an opener too, worked a treat.....I don't think there's anything unusual about the tracks compared to a segmented door, but like they said it does require the right set of hinges and you have to get the two sets of wheels in the right places.

Don't forget to run safety cables thru the middle of the springs so when (not if) they break they don't go flying around the garage and hit something important....this event will usually happen in the dead of night and wake you from a sound sleep, BTW!

Hmm, not sure the lovely bride would care to have **** flying around her Jag. I know I wouldn't want to be in there if that happened. My folks had a 3-car garage when I was in high school and one of the doors (with old screw type opener) gave up and slammed down on my mom's Benz halfway out of the bay. The spring gave up the ghost at the same time. I'm not sure if the spring gave up first or the opener.

Lucky for me it didn't hurt my '57 Healey. You could look sideways at that aluminum body and put a ping in it. Dad disconnected those old dinosaurs the next day and, man, those doors were heavy!

 

[NCtim]

Re: Question about building custom garage door-Thanks everyone!

Thanks, everybody, for the replies. I think I'll follow crazytrain's advice. Living on the western side of a mountain we get a lot of wind up here (30-45mph gusts regularly) and I feel it would be difficult to build a carriage style door, cut it apart into segments, and get it to seal well. Let alone fit and function properly.

I just helped a buddy build three sets of a similar design for his garage and I love the look. His are bi-fold, hinged vertically but I'm not sure how he's planning on getting a good seal at the top and bottom. Also not sure how he's going to secure them closed.

Cheers,
Tim