fbpx

Blog

5 Things to consider when looking for a hangar door.

Aviation

When you’re ready to start looking for a new door for your new or existing hangar, there are some considerations that will need to be made, whether you’re a pilot or an airport manager.  At Diamond Doors, we have been building hangar doors for over 20 years and between the many conversations we’ve had with other pilots, and our own needs for our hangars, we’ve established the following list for the top 5 considerations taken when looking for new hangar doors.

1: How Safe Is It?

The top consideration in the minds of pilots and managers alike is safety. Recent changes to building codes require photo-electric eyes to ensure nothing is in the path of hangar doors as they close. Limit switches ensure that if something is in the way of the door, hanging over the eyes, that nothing will become seriously damaged from being in the way of a closing hangar door, and the motor includes an electric brake that locks the door in place once it’s stopped. Another safety aspect to consider is the strength of the lifting mechanism. The old style of cable systems can be unsafe if not regularly inspected for wear and rust. The Diamond Door system uses a hybrid cable consisting of a fiber rope core wrapped in a fine cable braid. The Diamond Doors 10-year warranty speaks to the strength and safety built into this system.

2: Will It Withstand Harsh Weather?

A strong door should mean not only is it in service for decades to come, but also that it can protect the entire structure in case of severe weather. When looking for strength in a door, you should be looking for one that won’t sag under it’s own weight; it should be straight and true when it’s opened. The frame itself should be designed and engineered to withstand high winds,  this is especially important in areas prone to tornadoes or hurricanes. The internal truss system of a hangar door should be engineered to withstand 1:50 wind loads. In July of 2018, a Tornado ripped through Plentywood, Montana. At the local airport, two hangars were outfitted with Diamond Doors, and both were still standing after the storm passed! An owner of two hangars, Douglas Johnson, saw the strength in action first hand.

“Diamond Doors are awesome! I have two and both survived the 7-9-18 tornado at KPWD.”

  • Douglas Johnson, Plentywood, MT

3: Can I Install It On My Existing Building?

Hangars come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Generally with new builds, mounting is pretty straight forward. Our standard mounting hardware and anchor system ensure that the doors will mount safely and securely to any building. When it comes to converting an existing building, or using something like a fabric structure, it can be a little more complicated. The most common question we get asked has to do with a structure that is unlikely to support the weight of a bi-fold door. With our steel header and supporting columns any building can receive one of our bi-fold doors.

4: How Fast Does It Open?

When it’s time to go, it’s time to go. One thing that we’ve heard many times is that most hangar doors take too long to open. It’s important when looking at your options to understand the actual opening speed of the door. Some systems will claim “up to” speeds, but do you know what you’re actually getting? At Diamond Doors, we keep it very simple. We offer the fastest standard opening speed at 18/fpm, with upgrades available to bring your opening speed to 40/fpm! Our doors are great, however we know that when you want to get out and fly, the door’s job is to get out of the way!

5: How Much Can I Customize It?

Many base package hangar doors are very well equipped. Built in safety, strength, all of the things we expect to get. What about the things we want? If you’re building the hangar of your dreams (obviously complete with the aircraft of your dreams) you want a door that provides both form and function. Your first step is to research what’s available. We have customized a lot of doors over the past 20 years. The most common options we see come though are convenience options like pedestrian doors, remote openers, and the aforementioned speed upgrade. The electric auto-lock has also become quite popular. Aesthetic is also important to many, so we know being able to customize the door to get the look you want for your hangar is very important. Between cladding and poly-carbonate panels, we have seen some beautiful buildings with doors to match.

There are many other things to consider, however these are some of the most common considerations we hear from people just like you. Do you have questions about hangar doors? Contact our sales team to learn more about our products. Click here if you would like a quote for your new hangar door!

Blog

Are Bi-fold Doors Right For You? Things You Should Know Before You Buy The Top 3 Door Styles

General

Do you have a building with a big hole in the wall? You probably need a big door for it. There are several options out there that you’re most likely looking into when you’re choosing the right door. Here are a few things to consider. These options also apply to an existing building that you’re looking at retrofitting as well.

Sliding Doors:

This is one of the most economical options out there, and a common application for machine sheds. Sliding doors are cheap and easy to install. Sliding doors are the bulk of the the retrofits that we at Diamond Doors do. Over time issues develop with the rail, the rollers, and the area in the path of the doors. One of the main reasons buildings are retrofit with new doors is that in some occasions, sliding doors allow the elements to get into the building. A bi-fold door however will create a tight seal once locked down that will prevent wind, rain, and snow from entering your building. A bi-fold door also provides a number of options that offer convenient features such as auto-locks, pedestrian doors, and more!

Overhead Doors:

Overhead doors are easily the most popular choice for many large opening applications, this option is something that everyone is familiar with. They are generally very reliable and pose very few issues even in long term use. One key area where bi-folds shine is in the headspace in the building. Where an overhead relies on tracks that cut into the building, creating a dead space that cannot be used, or that must be carefully navigated by forklifts in some buildings, a bi-fold does not. Also, due to the overhead being mounted inside they are more susceptible  to weather. In some cases overhead doors have failed during harsh storm conditions and have been blown into the building, putting the structure itself at risk. As a bi-fold door mounts to the exterior of the building, not only do you retain 100% of the headroom inside, you are also far less likely to have a storm related failure. 

Hydraulic Doors:

A relatively new concept is the hydraulic door. This is basically an entire wall that swings straight out from the building. Some very impressive things can be accomplished with these doors. Especially when talking about hangar doors, this option has become quite popular. There are some considerations to take into account in this instance. Rather than lifting straight up like a bi-fold door, these doors require additional bracing to compensate for the forces pulling the frame outward. Most companies building these doors have this taken this into account and generally do a good job; however, some have not. There are several applications where this style of door is a great option. Some things to keep in mind include the exterior clearance required for the door to swing outward, the additional bracing required, and the limited application potential. Lifting points can only be on each side and not spread out across the width of the door. A bi-fold door can be added to virtually all construction types, where these doors are limited to wood and steel frame buildings, and cannot extend past the roof or roof slope, limiting your total vertical opening height. 

Diamond Doors Bi-Fold

Generally there is a notion surrounding bi-fold doors that they are available at a much higher cost than the other options. This isn’t always the case, what might cost you more upfront can end up saving you money in the future. The first door that was designed and built by Diamond Doors founder, Dick Suderman, in the mid 80’s is still operational today. A bi-fold door is extremely flexible in the applications it can support and offers a number of optional features. If you are currently shopping for a large format door, contact us or fill out a quote form to see how a bi-fold door may be a great option for your new or existing building.

Request a quote with us today for your next bi-fold door.