I have to replace an over head garage door (single car) with a door closer to the original which was a pair of swing-out doors laid up with what I think was 1×6 t&g.
If a make a pair of swing-outs, is there someway to combat the inevitable sag and warping? I think the usual z-bucks on the back may not last long-term but backing it up with marine ply may make the door weigh too much.
Since the garage is flush with the house front, appearance is key. Any suggestions?
Replies
when you say swing out . do you mean one a peice door?
if you dont want sag, use a wheel on the inside unsupported end. If youre worried about moisture, use an epoxy coat like system3 or west epoxy and cover both sides with a thin layer then paint. The epoxy may set you back $150 but its sure waterproof and lighter then marine grade ply.
I'm assuming that you're making two doors, so each one is half the width of the opening. I did that five years ago for a neighbor, and the doors are still solid. I used that z-back structure you mention, with vertical planks screwed to it. The doors are still square. I know because two years after I built them, the doors appeared to have sagged, so I measured them carefully to see what was going on. It turned out that the framing in the wall had warped. These doors are darn big and heavy, and the entire weight leans on the wall framing. Fortunately, the inside of the wall was unfinished, so I could reinforce the framing to stop the warping, and then rehang the doors straight.
I built the same deal for a friend of mine. Used tons of polyurethane glue, 1/4" luan and 2x4's planed down to 1" for the framing. To stop the framing sag, I put 3/4 pressure treated plywood on either side of the load to help distribute the load evenly. That was about two years ago also, still no problems.
scares me, and I'm fearless
Thanks for all the advice. Yes, its a pair of doors that will hinge on the sides.
I think I'll go the route of screws, plywood and plenty of polyurethane glue with a small aluminum cap on top to divert any rain. With some sort of pin top and bottom to hold it flat when closed, it should last more than a few years.
You might consider adapting gate hinges to support/swing these things. As you add enough material to prevent sag and warp, the weight stressing the hinges goes up and the wood holding the screws or lags in the framing wears out more quickly.
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