Question:
I was just looking through the archives at Deja.com and really didn't
see much information that would help me. ( BTW, Deja has
rec.woodworking messages since the beginning of time! ) I have an
overhead door approximately 15' x 7'. One of the hinges just ripped out
of the 2 x 6 trimmer. The other had been pulling out for some time
until I added the extra lag. The door is pretty heavy. Originally it
looked like it had a 2 x 3 construction with truss rods, top and bottom,
on the interior to keep the door from bowing when in the open position.
Currently the door has a 2 x 4 top and bottom plate with about 3-4 studs
across the 15' length, newer than the 2 x 3 construction. The exterior
is a 1/2" plywood with a vertical groove spaced every 4" to make it look
like a tongue and groove construction. Top and bottom is a 1 x 4
decorative trim with three decorative trim diamonds spaced evenly across
the length of the door. The "diamonds" are 1/2" plywood about a foot
and a half tall.
All that plywood makes it pretty heavy on dry days let alone when the
rain gets everything wet. I know I need to replace the 2 x 6 trimmers,
not much material left after those lags pulled out. I will probably use
douglas fir to replace them and instead of lags I was thinking of
running bolts all the way through, counter sinking the nuts and thick
fender washers and covering them with a wood plug. No lags to pull out
and neither will the bolts unless the 2 x 6 splits. Overkill? Better
method? Tips?
I would also like to rebuild the door. Can I stick with 2 x 3
construction, including top and bottom plate, to lighten it up? I'm
pretty sure the truss rod the length of the 15', top and bottom will ad
a lot of strength. What is the thinnest ply I could use while still
maintaining structural integrity? I know if I really want to have some
kind of decorative trim, I could use a 1/4" ply and give the illusion of
thickness with a contrasting paint. All tips or help will be
appreciated!
Answer:
-As one who makes his living with garage doors, I would be glad to discuss
this with you via e-mail. There are many dangers involved with working on
an overhead door, and many different types of deadly counterbalance systems.
I wouldn't be comfortable dishing out the kind of general info to the masses
that could get somebody hurt. (I have had to work on too many garage doors
stained with the blood of a DIY project gone bad!)
That said, I'll be glad to give you some pointers. Please be careful and
don't mess with anything on the door until you are sure you know what you're
doing.
-You'd think by now they'd have special lapel ribbons
for all the victims of Garage Door Violence!
And here I thought Fireman and Law Enforcement had dangerous jobs.
They pale in comparison to that great american hero, the fearless
garage door installer.
I bet Larry has some staggering statistics on those that are crazy
enough to attempt to change their own motor oil too!
At least this guy takes pride in his work.
