Tag Archives: doors for post frame buildings

How to Select the Right Doors for Your Post Frame Farm Shop

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How-to-Select-the-Right-Doors-for-Your-Post-Frame-Farm-ShopIn many instances, the principal reason home, farm, municipal, and business owners choose post frame construction over other building types is because there are no load-bearing pillars and walls within. Vehicles and machinery can be easily maneuvered without obstruction while large objects may be placed, serviced, and stored easily. As a result, post frame structures often require larger doorways than conventional structures. What are the right doors for your post frame farm shop?

Post frame farm shops demand even broader access. Whether working on tractors or other farm equipment, woodworking, storing farm equipment, and more, having ease of access is critical.

Calculating the size and type of doors for your post frame farm shop will begin with how you plan to use the structure. Remember that sometimes your priorities for the building may change over time, so you may later wish you had installed larger doorways.

One notable advantage of post frame structures is that the doorways can be widened more easily than with “stick” frame or masonry structures. The vertical supports are spaced at least eight feet apart, so modifications become much easier to accomplish even after building.

Planning and Selecting doors for Your Post Frame Farm Shop

If your farm shop is intended to accommodate tractors and other large equipment such as harvesters, you will need to ensure that the access is wide and tall enough to allow for easy entry. The dimensions should be sufficiently sized to admit the largest vehicle you expect to store.

For example, a full-sized combine may require an entry that is well over 20’ wide and perhaps 16’ high. Knowing you will prefer to service and store these larger pieces of equipment away from the winter elements, you will need to design your shop accordingly.

Types of Doors

Determining the type of doors to install is a matter of style and functionality. The three most common types for an agricultural post frame structure are:

Overhead Doors

Much like the typical garage door, overhead doors open upward either manually or with an electric door opener. These doors can be up to 30’ in width and are perfect for large equipment and frequent access. These can be the most practical option for most purposes.

Sliding doors

Sliding doors are usually the least expensive of all options. These can consist of one or two pieces. The single slider will move right or left, as needed. Two-piece options will open at a center point, and the halves slide away from each other. These can be mounted on the outside. Alternatively, in cold climates, on the inside of the structure to prevent blockage from snow or ice.

Hydraulic Doors

Hydraulic doors are heavy-duty and can be extremely wide. Aircraft hangers frequently use this type of door. As well they are also popular choice for access by large farm machinery and equipment. Outfitted with hydraulic lifts to swing the door outward and up, these also create a rain-protected area for working outside.

Level the Approach

During the design phase, care should be taken to ensure that the area of approach is sufficient to accommodate large vehicles and equipment where appropriate. Also, terrain need to be smooth and slightly angled downward and away from entry. This practice allows water to flow away and minimize potential flooding risk.

Adding Man Doors

Strategically place a man door or two, so you will not have to raise or slide a massive door every time you enter or leave with smaller objects. Doing so also helps to preserve energy and keep warm or cool air inside the building.

Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings

Post-frame buildings are ideal for many applications. Whether for a farm shop, storage building, equestrian center, fire station, or even a school annex or personal residence, post frame buildings are versatile, practical, stylish, and affordable.

For information regarding post-frame applications, contact the experts at Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings. While on the Pacemaker website, you can view many of our remarkable projects and see how many ways modern post frame buildings can work.

For more information, phone the experts at Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings in North Webster, Indiana, at +1-574-834-4448.

Hardware Options for a Pole Frame Barn

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Hardware-Options-for-a-Pole-Frame-Barn-315Pole frame or post frame buildings are descriptive terms for a framing and construction technique that provides durability and practicality for commercial, municipal, agricultural, residential, and retail construction. Pole or post frame building techniques first gained popularity as agricultural and equestrian buildings decades ago. While the method of construction has evolved with modern materials and techniques, the real advantages of post or pole frame building are readily apparent.

Post frame buildings are easier to construct, require less labor and materials, provide more open space for maneuvering, and, by design, endure high winds and devastating storms better than many conventional structures.

Pole frame buildings are extremely versatile. Depending on their intended use, the industry offers a full catalog of hardware options.

Choosing the Right Pole Frame Building Doors

A major decision for selecting the appropriate hardware will pertain to the type of pole frame exterior doorways to be installed. This decision depends on several variables, but the size of the opening is most important. Whether you will be entering and exiting with a truck or tractor or will need access for horses or other animals, the door opening must be substantial.

In any case, the type of door and the appropriate hardware will be an important decision. Doors and hardware can be both functional and decorative. In areas where snow and ice are a seasonal threat, the larger doors may be overhead garage-type doors that will operate without having to clear away snow from the entrance. These may also be sliding doors although placing the tracks on the inside is preferable.

In warmer climates, normal human-powered hinge doorways should work, although opening and closing large doors can be strenuous.

Hardware for the Right Purpose

Specialty door hardware for pole frame structures is available is many types and styles. Hardware can add to the appearance of the structure while providing practical advantages.

From a functional standpoint, the hardware design for a sliding door needs to be:

  • Handle heavy door weights that can range from 200 lbs up to 5,000 lbs
  • To manage sizes from 7’ to 24’ feet in height and up to 50’ in width

The tracks and other materials for the hardware should be made from heavy gauge steel. Therefore to withstand severe conditions and massive loads.

Determining the Type of Hinges to Use on Swinging Doors

The type of hardware to install depends upon these factors:

  • Frequency: More robust hinges and hardware are important to survive frequent daily opening and closing.
  • Frame or Door Jamb Construction: Ensure that the material and construction of the door jamb are capable of withstanding heavyweights and stress levels.
  • Door Size and Weight: Heavier doors require heavy-duty hinge construction.

Hardware for Swinging Doors

For swinging doors, hinges are made from higher grade steel than for standard doors to withstand heavier loads. The finish for the hardware should be treated also to prevent deterioration in harsh weather conditions.

Manual or automatic doors need strap-type door hinges engineered to handle weights up to 5,000 pounds. Furthermore,  if properly mounted to substantial metal or wood door jambs can handle even higher weights.

Additionally, opening and closing doors frequently require sturdy hardware.

Contact Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings

For more information regarding the use and installation of the appropriate doors and hardware for your pole frame barn or equestrian center, contact the professionals at Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings. With over four decades of experience designing and perfecting post frame buildings, the experts understand the issues and advantages surrounding this affordable and durable construction.

Visit the Pacemaker website or call 888.834.4448 to find answers to any questions.

Post Frame Building Door Considerations

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Post-Frame-Building-Door-Considerations-315The versatility of modern post frame construction is undeniable. As the engineering, technology, and materials have evolved, post frame construction has become a sensible and economical option for a broad range of uses. No longer merely an excellent choice for solely agricultural applications. Post frame construction is used extensively for many types of structures. For example, municipal offices, fire stations, churches, schools and annexes, warehouses, manufacturing, retail stores, equestrian buildings, and even personal residences.

One principal advantage of post-frame construction is the ability to build with wide open interiors without obstructions caused by several load-bearing columns and walls. As a result, large vehicles and equipment can be moved into and out of the structures without unnecessary maneuvering or disassembly. In retail and manufacturing, the open areas eliminate vision-blocking barriers and allow production lines to operate in minimal space.

Designing Doorways for Post Frame Structures

Selecting the appropriate ingress and egress demands of the building is an essential step in the building design process. Openings and doorways must be as wide as needed for access by large vehicles, equipment, and delivery of supplies or inventory. When heavy equipment is involved, the design should address elements such as load limits on flooring and surfaces entering the doorway.

What will be dimensions of the largest vehicles or equipment that will move into and out of the building? For those very wide or heavy vehicles and equipment, orient the building entry in a direction that allows for easy, unobstructed access without excessive maneuvering.

Is the load limit of the exterior access and interior floor sufficient to maintain the potentially heaviest weight?

Will there be a sufficient number and proper placement of doorways for every occupant to escape quickly in an emergency?

Does the climate involve significant snow or endure extended periods of frigid temperatures? In many areas, clearing snow and ice frequently may be necessary. In cold weather, you may also choose to install a quick-response door system that saves energy within.

Large Door Options

Need a large doorway? there are three options, although variations of these are possible. The most common options are sliding doors, overhead doors, and hydraulic doors.

  • Sliding door systems may be a single door opening right or left. Or alternatively, double doors that move in opposite directions. These doors operate manually. But consider the amount of time it takes to operate if the doors require frequent use. Sliding doors are the least expensive of the three options requiring less complicated engineering, easier installation, and less energy consumption.
    Additionally, If the weather involves considerable ice and snow, continually clearing exterior sliding tracks can be a time-consuming endeavor. If interior space permits, mounting the doors and tracks inside of the entry is a better choice.
  • Overhead Doors that open and close vertically like a typical garage door is a very convenient option. While smaller doors may open manually, large doors, up to 36’, require electronic operations that can be triggered when a vehicle nears the entry or through a remote-control system. These are not as susceptible to ice and snow as sliding doors are.
  • Hydraulic & Bi-fold Doors are a heavy-duty option for large doorways, typically used for airplane hangars and other large vehicle entry. The doors are hinged at the top and open outward and upward, powered by robust hydraulic systems. The doors can be a solid piece or bi-folds. Many vehicle repair shops and agricultural equipment storage use these systems. When opened, the door itself provides additional covered workspace.

Pacemaker, the Experts in Post Frame Construction

Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings Offers Design and Construction Ideas. Headquartered in N. Webster, Indiana, Pacemaker Post Frame Buildings has been assisting in the design, engineering, and construction of modern post frame buildings for municipal, agricultural, civic, equestrian, and residential buildings in the Midwest for 40 years.

To view some of Pacemaker’s outstanding finished projects in every segment of their business, visit the Pacemaker Gallery’s “What We Create” section to learn more.

Also, visit Pacemaker’s Contact Page to learn more.