How To Build Sliding Garage Doors

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What Are Sliding Garage Doors

How to Make Sliding Doors

As the name suggests, sliding garage doors slide horizontally to open the main entrance. This is one of the safer and easier to use garage doors available in the market. The door usually runs on a track. The door slides on the track and moves to a storage location when you open it. Sliding garage doors are made of multiple hinged panels. The panels allow the doors to bend and rotate at corners. The panels are interconnected on the doors vertical axis. This technology makes the door extremely versatile.

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How To Build An Exterior Sliding Barn Door

  • Using a tape measure, mark the location of the sliding door brackets on the door. Be sure to space them evenly to distribute the load for smooth operation. Generally speaking, roughly 8 inches from each side will do, but adjust as necessary.
  • Drill through the door and attach the brackets using the hardware and an adjustable wrench. Thread the rollers into the tops of the brackets.
  • Attach the rail and brackets to the barn using the impact driver, sockets, and included lag bolts. Wherever possible, locate the brackets, so the lag bolts thread into the studs inside the wall. Use the level to ensure that rails are perfectly level.
  • With help, lift the doors and slide the rollers into the ends of the frame rail. Ensure that the door is plumb and closes correctly. Once satisfied, attach the end cap to the rail to prevent the door from rolling out of the rail.
  • Instillation + Brackets + Hardware

    We purchased hardware from Etsy which Ill link at the bottom of this post and then we bought the door hinges at Lowes. We had to hang the doors inset into the frame because of the way our garage frame/moulding was built. It made the installation of the doors a little trickier. It definitely took a couple people holding and propping the doors up to get them level while Ben drilled them into the inset of the garage frame.

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    Cut List For Installing A Sliding Door

    Designed to cover a 30-inch-wide opening with 4-inch casing on either side, this door measures 38½ inches wide by 2¼ inches thick by 83½ inches tall.

    • 1×6 pine boards for the back: Cut the boards ½ inch shorter than the height of the opening to allow the door to pass over the floor guide.
    • 1×3 strapping for blocking: Cut a length the width of the work surface ours measured 48 inches. Then cut the rest of the board into blocking.
    • 1×5 pine for the filler strips: Cut three rails the width of the door ours measured 38½ inches. Then cut four stiles to fill between the rails, completing the upper and lower panels of the door. Our stiles measured 35 inches long for the upper panel and 34 inches long for the lower one, to create the 1-inch channel for the floor guide.
    • Pallet boards: About 60 boards at least 24 inches long, mitered to parallel 45-degree angles on each end to fit.
    • 1×6 cedar for face frame: Cut two stiles the height of the door ours measured 83½ inches. Then cut four rails to span between the stiles ours measured 27½ inches. Edge-glue and clamp two of those rails together to make the bottom rail. Rip 2 inches off one edge after the glue dries.
    • 1×4 pine for the mounting rail: Cut it to match the track length ours measured 77 inches.

    Attach The Mounting Board

    Stunning Sliding Garage Doors : Rickyhil Outdoor Ideas
    • At the miter saw, cut a length of 14 equal to the length of the track.
    • We painted ours to match the wall.
    • Use a stud finder to locate the framing and mark locations above the head casing.
    • Level the mounting board above the casing and drill pilot holes through it and into each stud with a -inch bit.
    • Secure it with 3-inch deck screws.

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    Window Sill And Third Hinge

    From here, things get a little more personal. You could take this basic frame any number of creative directions. I chose to do 24 inch high windows starting beneath the top support brackets. Using that as a hint I installed a 2×4 for a window sill using cheap, galvanized steel, ‘L’ brackets . Working under the assumption that that height was where I wanted more support, I opened the door, pressed my third hinge tightly into the gap , and attached it.

    How To Build A Sliding Barn Door In 30 Minutes

    If youve ever built a house, you know there are always things you wish you would have done differently. In our current house, one is putting a regular door going into our toilet room in the master bath. It was always in the way when open. The solution: take it down, and replace it with a sliding barn door. Not only did it solve the problem, but it added another element of visual interest to the room.

    I designed this barn door to be visually sleek and modern. Which means fewer pieces and cuts, and that means easier to build. I was able to build this one in about 30 minutes.

    Heres how I did it:

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    Construction Of A Wooden Barn Door

    There is nothing complicated about building yourself a nice looking wooden barn door. Using the technique described below, you’ll be able to build any size of door you need.

    What Wood to Use:

    The best wood to use for door construction is soft wood. Two most popular kinds are white pine and cedar. Cedar is far better choice to use in warm climates and is more termite resistant than pine. Overall, cedar is considered to be better wood, but the price you’ll pay for cedar is at least 3 times higher than for regular pine. Whatever wood you decide to use for your door, try to pick nicer boards without cracks, loose knots and bows. If you are building a barn with wooden siding, put nicest boards aside for doors & trims.

    The simplest way to build a door is to use 1×10 T& G barn siding for the door and regular straight edge 1×10 barn siding for trims and cross-bucks. If needed, you can substitute 1×10 T& G boards for 1×8, 1×12 or even 2×6 or 2×8 boards. Make sure to get T& G boards for the door itself and regular boards for all of the trims.

    Building Door For a Center Aisle Barn

    Tools Needed

    Small table saw, miter saw, screw gun, electric drill, square and two long pipe C-clamps.

    Fasteners

    All of the boards & trim would need to be fastened with screws. You will need to determine the length of the screws to use. The length will depend on the thickness of your boards.

    Note: When working with cedar wood, it’s recommended to use stainless steel fasteners.

    Images of Sliding & Dutch Doors

    Cost Of Sliding Garage Doors

    Garage Sliding Barn Door Build (From Framing Lumber)

    The total cost of a sliding garage door is typically between $700 and $1500. The variation is due to the variety of materials and door types available in the market. The final price also depends on the complexity of the project. If you want an automatic door, the cost will further go up. Check out this article tocompare automatic and manual garage doors. The screen can cost anything between $50 and $350. The most important thing to remember in this regard is to try and keep the storage for the sliding doors close to the entrance. This will help you save extra material costs and labor charges.

    What About A Garage Door Seal? Take a look at Everything You Need To Know!

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    Garage Door Wont Open: Diy Garage Door Repair Tricks

    Here is another page that gives you some advice about how to carry out DIY repairs on your garage door rather than building a new one or replacing it entirely.

    Sometimes when a garage door isnt working perfectly, people just call out the repairman without even trying to look for the problem.

    However, if you read this page and follow these simple steps, you might not need to call anybody out because you can fix it yourself.

    Swing Out Garage Doors: How To Build In Three Steps

    Today, we try to help to build a swing out garage doors in very simple ways. For your information, swing out garage is one of the traditional garages which has a special or unique design. If we commonly see modern garage door with slide, roll up or tracks, this one exists like a barn in cowboy era. We prefer you to suit your house style with the garage door either. So, the installations do not require complicated steps and materials because it is just like making doors for our garage. Moreover, the working time is not too long obviously. Without further ado, let us go through the steps of building a swing out door for our garage below.

    White painted swing out garage doors plans

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    Hangar Style Bifold Door

    This is a video showing you how this YouTuber made a very DIY door for his shed he calls it a shed, but it may as well be a garage, and you can build doors like these for your garage too.

    The design is actually quite ingenious, and if you think you might want to have a go at making something like this yourself, this video has all the info you need.

    Building Custom Cheap Garage Doors

    Pin on DIY

    In this video, we see how a YouTuber built his own custom garage doors as part of a larger project to construct a whole garage himself.

    In fact, as he explains in the introduction to this video, these doors were a challenge that he didnt particularly relish.

    However, he got the job done, and you can see how by watching his video.

    Also Check: Garage Door Repair Buford Ga

    How To Build Sliding Garage Doors

    Sliding garage doors are a convenient feature that facilitates the removal and placement of things within the building. With carpentry skills and a little imagination, installing a nice-looking pair of sliding doors is very straightforward. When commencing construction, the most critical component is the wood you chose. Softwoods like pine and cedar are excellent alternatives. Cedar is suitable because wood is termite resistant nevertheless, cedar is somewhat more expensive than pine. So, if you want a do-it-your own sliding garage door, below are the steps on how to build sliding garage doors:

    Step 1: Using a table saw, remove the groove from two 1-by-10-inch T& G boards. These boards will act as end boards and are thus not required to have the groove. These, along with the remaining vertical planks, should be cut to the correct length for the door size you choose.

    Step 2: Cut straight-edged 1-by-10-inch boards to the desired width for the door.

    Step3: Utilize scrap timber, a screw gun, and wood screws to construct a makeshift L-shaped jig for the door. Cut the jig to the same height and breadth as the door you are building.

    Step 5: The next step is to align your straight-edge boards across the top, bottom, and center of the door horizontally. Assure that the panels are flush with both the vertical boards outer edges and then use a screw gun to secure the horizontal boards to the vertical boards.

    Painting The Barn Doors

    Once the barn doors were built it was my turn to fill the screw/nail holes, sand and prime/paint. This process was pretty straight forward. I used an exterior primer and paint from Benjamin Moore. I used a brush and a roller for the large flat areas, it took about two coats of each. I painted outside on nice days with the doors raised up and then did the interiors of doors too which no one will really see that much. In the evening we would move them inside the garage to let them dry.

    This is the door all patched before paint.

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    Faux Wood Or Fiberglass Doors

    Though most of us would love to get real wooden doors for our garages, theyre not the best at being weatherproof, maintenance friendly, or budget friendly.

    However, with a faux wood or fiberglass door, you can replicate the richness, grainy texture and natural allure of wood. In fact, these can look so close to the real thing that it wont be possible to differentiate between the two.

    Getting a faux wood or fiberglass garage door will also raise the value of your home, thanks to the popularity that these options are gaining. Additionally, their low-maintenance nature makes them even more appealing.

    Unlike wood that cracks, fades, or disintegrates if not regularly cleaned and maintained, faux wood doors filled with the right types of fiberglass are extremely durable and hold their shape for much longer, despite the exposure to harsh elements.

    Diy Side Sliding Garage Door

    DIY Roll-up garage door converted to sliding barn door

    For the DIY or home gamer, SingCore may just be the perfect fit. We are not a finished door provider, and we do not provide pre-hung or similar products. Our bread and butter is the production of unfinished door blanks designed and built to your specifications.

    Because of this, we only sell to individuals with the skills and equipment to properly finish and hang our doors. If you are a homeowner without construction skills, we recommend that you contact a millwork or finish carpenter in your area, and tell them you want SingCore inside!

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    Figuring Out The Door Frames

    What you want to do is measure the total opening, top, bottom, left, right, and center. While you’re standing there with a measuring tape, divide the top and bottom measurements in half and mark the floor and ceiling centers for reference.For your frame, the horizontal measurements should be subtracted by 1/2 inch: That is, 1/4 inch for the hinge side and another 1/4 for the center. The vertical measurements should be subtracted by 8 inches: That is, two 3 1/2 inch studs plus two 1/8 inch brackets between, plus 1/4 inch on the top and 1/2 inch on the bottom. If your outdoor concrete is very un-level then you may want a bigger bottom gap.

    When To Diy And When Not To Diy A Garage Door

    As weve already mentioned, sometimes doing DIY work on a garage door can be dangerous if you dont have the right knowledge or skills.

    That means, before deciding whether to undertake a DIY project, you need to be realistic about whether your abilities will be up to the task.

    To help you decide, you can check out this blog first and then make a more informed choice.

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    Building The Door Frames

    I bought a gate kit instead of individual support brackets for the door frames. It’s about the same price either way, but I just liked that the support brackets were welded to the hinges. No big deal, I’m sure. NOTE:If you buy the gate kit pictured earlier, do not, I repeat DO NOT use the screws that comes with it! Seriously, they are nasty and cost me several hours time! Just put away the Scrooge MacDuck and get yourself a bucket of decent grabber screws. You’ll be glad you did. Cut vertical and horizontal studs to the lengths calculated in the last step. Don’t forget to mark which piece is which as you cut since they’re not necessarily interchangeable. Screw the support brackets onto the horizontals first, starting 3 1/2 inches in from the edge to leave room for the verticals. Next, attach the verticals and only the top and bottom hinge.

    Garage Door Alternatives That Offer Style & Functionality

    Stunning Sliding Garage Doors : Rickyhil Outdoor Ideas

    Garage door alternatives can offer much that the usual, powered variety don’t . If you don’t mind manually opening them, though you certainly can make them open at the push of a button, your options open up big time.

    Garages come as a standard part of many houses and with them, standard garage doors. But not everyones a fan of these and if you arent either, theres absolutely no need for you to be stuck with a door you dont like.

    Though standard garage doors do come with quite an amount of convenience and functionality , many folks are looking for the new and stylish, but without any compromise on the convenience and functionality too.

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    Make The Barn Sliding Barn Door

    • Take the big plywood and cut it based on the garage door opening size using a miter or circular saw.
    • Sand down the surface completely .
    • Insert the strap steel on the corners and nail them to attach rightly.
    • Take the 2×4 wood panels and attach them based on your design using the glue. You can make a Z shape or simply insert the panels vertically.

    Custom Sliding Garage Doors

    SingCore specializes in producing the highest quality sliding garage doors on the market. Our patented and patent pending core material is ultra-light weight yet super strong. Choose any style of door, skin material, or hardware arrangement that you desire. We building custom door panels to match your specs exactly.

    Recommended Reading: Garage Door Weather Stripping Side

    How To Care Sliding Barn Doors

    No matter if your sliding barn door is painted or not, it will still require some rules to keep it in good shape. Try the given tricks to treat it better.

  • Use Oil On The Metal Parts: Take a penetrating oil and simply just dip it on the hinges, door handle, nuts, and screws to keep them strong against rust and decay.
  • Apply A Reliable Cleaner: Grab a trustworthy cleaner to spray on the door and scrub the surface using an old rag.
  • Coat The Door With Polyurethane: As the barn door will be placed outside , its best to use polyurethane. Itll help the surface to defend against rain, snow, and sun ray.
  • Fix The Small Damages: One of the worst things is to neglect the tiny spoil on the barn door. Instead, locate the damage and immediately treat it.
  • Brush Out The Dust From The Track: Regularly clean the track with a brush to ensure the sliding barn door moves without causing issues.
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