# Barn door question



## markcrain (Oct 21, 2010)

I built a door yesterday for the shop. Opening is 10x10 and I built the door in two pieces with the intention of hanging each half on hinges. Each door is sided in board and batton pine and weigh's a LOT. Maybe 300 pounds. I wanted to use hinges as a slider doesn't seal up very well but my concern is the doors are to heavy to hinge. What's your opinion?


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## lazyBum (Feb 27, 2012)

If you have big enough hinges and a solid place to mount them it shouldnt be a problem. We put hinged doors on the back of my dads pole barn. Each one is 8 feet wide and 13 feet tall. Theyve been up about 10 years now.


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## frankva (May 21, 2009)

No law says you can't use more than 2 hinges, too.

If you google large barn hinges, then click on that (1 of them anyway) site you can find a chart with weights and number of hinges. For some reason I fail on the link.


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## nathan104 (Nov 16, 2007)

Use big heavy hinges, and then attach a cable and turnbuckle to the lower corner of each doo up to the top hinge. Will keep it from sagging.


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## just_sawing (Jan 15, 2006)

The hinges that you buy at the box store will not stand up for that weight unless you add extra or use a commercial hinge. To tell the difference look at the pin. If the hinge pin is captured in a solid metal it is commercial. If it has be wrapped around the pin it is not. The Commercial hinges will normally have a grease fitting also. They are more pricey but last forever.


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## farminghandyman (Mar 4, 2005)

and one could use some thing like a gate wheel to help the hinges, and some are even spring loaded so if the surface is not even it still helps, and you may want to consider gate hinges. 

[ame=http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&biw=1280&bih=823&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=gate+door+wheel&oq=gate+door+wheel&gs_l=img.3...3093.3328.0.4906.2.2.0.0.0.0.141.281.0j2.2.0...0.0...1c.WJdAxcEAfgU]gate door wheel - Google Search[/ame]

this would take some work to attach as it is for a heavy steel gate, but using the sealed bearing would or should last a long time,
http://www.gateequipment.com/adjustable-hinge-kit.html one could use a standard pillow block and make your own attachment plates, 

here is a block hing with a grease zerk, weld on the appropriate fastening attachments and it should last a long time, 
http://www.gateequipment.com/block-hinges.html
gate hing images
[ame]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&newwindow=1&safe=off&biw=1280&bih=823&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=gate+hing&oq=gate+hing&gs_l=img.3..0l6j0i5l4.285437.286031.0.287750.4.4.0.0.0.0.188.375.0j2.2.0...0.0...1c.KrZPFBB50Ig[/ame]


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I would also consider putting a cable and turnbucket from the top of your hinge post down to an anchor point in the bottom plate of the wall.


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## Jim S. (Apr 22, 2004)

My suggestions for hinging the doors:

1. Use the longest strap hinges you can find. By strap hinge, I mean exactly this type...










2. Use at least 3 hinges. Place the middle hinge above the halfway point of the door. I like to put it about a third of the way down from the top hinge. All the door's weight is at the top, as far as hinges are concerned. The bottom hinge serves more or less as just a pivot.

3. When fastening, if possible use bolts, nuts and washers through the walls and the door. This is the strongest possible fastening method for hinges if practical. If you cannot use those, use the longest and widest lag bolts that will work. Helpful hint with lag bolts: Use a bar of soap to coat the threads before installing. They will go in much easier.

I have to say, I am not a fan of hinging heavy doors like this. If I am building a large hinged door, I would rather use a wood frame and metal as the covering. Much lighter. If it needs to be weatherttight, I use the rubber gaskets you can buy for use with metal siding to seal up the openings when I install the metal.

Most heavy wooden doors should be constructed so that they have a firmly affixed cross-brace running from the outside top corner (opposite the hinge) to the inside bottom corner (next to the hinge). That will keep the door from sagging or getting out of square for many years.


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## NorthCountryWd (Oct 17, 2008)

Have not had good luck with hinges on heavy doors. I built doors out of 12'x8' SIP panels (won't ever sag) and the very expensive sealed bearing hinges were junk in 3 years. 

There are angled guides and weatherstripping you can get for the sliding barn doors that help with sealing. They are not completely air tight and require occasional adjustment.


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