Routine maintenance is a crucial part of extending any product’s useful life.
We change the oil in our vehicle and rotate the tires. We install software updates on our electronics. We hire professional landscapers to prune the shrubs and weed the landscaping around our stick-built home.
While no post-frame building lasts forever (just like the examples listed above), you can prolong its lifecycle with regular pole barn maintenance.
A common concern for older post-frame buildings, aside from rotted columns, is the functionality of the sliding doors.
Over time, the pole barn sliding door may become hard to open. High winds may have caused it to deflect. Metal-on-metal friction causes the sliding door to drag. Debris clogs the upper and lower door track.
If your post-frame building is experiencing inconveniences, it may be time to replace your pole barn sliding doors.
These five telltale signs will also tell you if you need to replace your outdated door system with the EasyMotion Sliding Door by FBi Buildings.
How Do Sliding Doors Affect Pole Barn Structural Integrity?
A sliding door system is only as strong as the weakest link. Therefore, your sliding door must be engineered to perform well.
The width, height, and placement of door openings play a crucial role in pole barn structural integrity.
Moreover, the door frameout must be rigid enough to keep barn door parts aligned for proper operation. A typical door frameout consists of the following building components:
- Foundation
- Jamb columns
- Header
- Block or bracing
The slightest deflection in the door header can cause it not to open or close correctly. These factors also affect the longevity of your post-frame building and its sliding doors:
- Building design with open or closed doors
- Type of pole barn flooring
- Footers and truss-to-column connections
Editor’s Note: Your post-frame builder must be familiar with frameout tolerances and forces to ensure a functional door system for years to come. Avoid frameout approaches that aren’t approved by structural engineers.
What Are the Advantages of the EasyMotion Sliding Door?
If you're ready to replace your pole barn sliding doors, you may consider the EasyMotion Sliding Door by FBi Buildings. This exclusive door system was engineered with accessibility, strength, and aesthetics in mind. The following door features ensure it operates smoothly year-round.
1) Posi-Guide Sliding Door Track
Weather and rodents cause issues for sliding doors with a standard bottom track. Furthermore, gravel, ice, leaves, or snow make it difficult to open and close. The Posi-Guide Track eliminates these problems.
A unique low-friction polymer roller is protected behind and underneath the track. This system keeps the sliding doors snug to the post-frame building. In addition, the rollers are self-cleaning and never need to be oiled.
In addition, the powder-coated aluminum frame can match the pole barn color and won't rust. On the other hand, an unpainted door frame causes metal-on-metal friction and dragging.
2) StepSaver Sliding Door Latch
FBi Buildings introduced the StepSaver Latch System in 2010. This sliding door latch is a first in the post-frame construction industry.
You can unlock and open your pole barn sliding door from the interior or exterior.
Cam latches and snugger chains are no longer needed. Save time and energy running around the walk door to disengage these standard sliding door parts. Instead, you can turn the keys and grab the handle.
3) Increased Sliding Door Strength
Next, the frame determines the door strength (regardless of the type).
The EasyMotion Sliding Door comprises an aircraft-grade aluminum frame that interlocks from top to bottom. It provides a strong connection between the split sliding doors to withstand strong winds and minimize deflection.
Other sliding doors in the pole barn marketplace don’t interlock. They move independently of each other in severe weather, causing excessive deflection.
The aluminum framing and girts have an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. It’s still easy to move with less wear and tear on the door hardware.
4) Multiple Center Door Guide Options
Lastly, FBi Buildings offers (3) integrated center door guides for your post-frame building:
- Wood Center Door Stub: Most cost-effective option if your building pad is gravel or if you're considering a future concrete floor (pictured)
- Concrete Center Door Stub: This option is less likely to be damaged by farm equipment since it's made of steel
- Concrete Apron Approach: This option provides stability against high winds and minimizes bird or rodent entry
Overall, the EasyMotion sliding door is designed to operate flawlessly. Given normal usage, routine maintenance is not required. However, in the event of a collision, your barn doors may need to be adjusted.
Do you think you can fix your pole barn sliding door? Watch this short YouTube video for a step-by-step breakdown of performing sliding door adjustments on your post-frame building.
Are You Ready to Replace Your Pole Barn Sliding Doors?
More pole barn owners are replacing their hard-to-open sliding doors on their post-frame buildings. We can understand why with a durable and lightweight barn door like EasyMotion on the market.
We recommend downloading our FREE EasyMotion Sliding Door Guide for more information about this exclusive door system.
Are you ready to tackle this renovation project? Our Repair & Renovation Specialists will get your door back on track (no pun intended). We have 7+ and growing construction crews dedicated to pole barn repairs.
For more helpful information, we recommend downloading the Ultimate Guide to Pole Barn Repairs & Renovations.
Do you have more questions about pole barn sliding doors that are not covered in this article? If you need help designing and planning, please contact FBi Buildings at 800.552.2981 or click here to email us. If you are ready to get a price, click here to request a quote, and a member of our customer engagement team will help you determine the next steps of your project.