It’s a wonderful day when your metal building is finished and ready to use…until you try to open the door and it gets jammed—or comes off the rails altogether! It might seem like getting a door installation right should be a given. But there are times when the wrong design or a shoddy installation job can make a building non-functional. We’ve read horror stories about this happening to property owners, and here are some examples of problems with metal building doors.
When the Whole Thing Falls Apart…
Grandpa_e posted at tractorbynet.com about the hack job his builders did on installing a sliding door on a pole barn.
They installed the door in such a way that rain could blow over the top of it into the barn. They also slapped the track and trim together with little attention to detail. The bottom track had just a metal channel with no guides, posts, or wheels to make the door run in the track.
This property owner was savvy enough to know something wasn’t quite right and contacted his contractor to see about having it redone. He was right to be concerned. The next day, the door fell off completely!
When Doors Are an Afterthought…
A discussion over at contractoralk.com highlights another problem that even handy folks run into when they design a metal building themselves.
One member was finishing out a steel workshop and needed a door with a good seal. He knew it would be important to keep dust from contaminating freshly painted completed work. However, he was stuck for options. The sliding doors he investigated would leave a gap. There wasn’t enough room for an overhead door, and a swinging door would sag over a sloped driveway.
Designers should have addressed issues like having a good seal or being lockable during the design phase to come up with a workable solution.
Understand Your Door Options for Metal Buildings
Contractors can equip steel buildings with many different styles of doors. A walk-in single or double door is a common choice. These doors swing outward and typically have a lever-style handle. They are available in wider widths than a residential door to accommodate large loads. This style of door is easy to equip with security hardware such as deadbolts.
A contractor may also install a panic bar on the inside for safety. This allows occupants to exit immediately without fumbling at a door handle in case of fire or other hazards.
Overhead doors are a suitable choice for garages and other structures that require an even wider opening. If there are obstructions that would keep a swinging door from opening fully (or if the opening would be so wide that a swinging door would be too heavy), you can use a roll-up or sectional door instead. These can be manual or electric depending on the weight of the door and the level of convenience desired.
Hangar doors are another option—and they aren’t just for aircraft structures. You may also outfit large industrial and agricultural buildings with hangar style doors. Lift up, fold up, and slide open doors are all potential choices.
Whichever type of door you choose, the contractor needs to frame an opening of the appropriate size as part of the fabrication process to avoid problems with metal building doors.
Peak Steel can assist you in making the best selection for size, style, shape, and materials to suit your purposes. Contact our team today to get started on the design-build process!