Case Studies Archive - Diamond Doors

Frank’s Farm Story: An Agricultural Bifold Door That Opens Up the Whole Shed

Customer StoryAgricultureManitou, Manitoba5 min read

Frank’s farm needed more room for big machines. Here’s how one agricultural bifold door opened up the whole shed.

Watch Frank and Travis tell the story in their own words.

1970sFrank’s family starts farming the land

30yrsManitou Building Centre serving the Pembina Valley

16yrsFrank and Travis working together

1998Diamond Doors begins building bifolds

When farm machines outgrow the shed, the door is often what holds you back. Frank farms north of Manitou, Manitoba. His answer was a Diamond agricultural bifold door. It opens the whole end of his machine shed. It keeps all the headroom. And it lets him drive straight through.

On Frank’s farm, spring is a team effort. When seeding starts, his daughters take the wheel. A couple of friends come out to help. The whole family pitches in until the work is done.

“It’s awesome to have everybody working together and helping out.”
Frank, farmer near Manitou

Project Snapshot

Location: North of Manitou, Manitoba
Building: Machine shed, built about 10 years ago
Challenge: More room to move big machines in and out
Solution: Diamond bifold doors with autolock
Dealer: Manitou Building Centre
Result: Full headroom and drive-through access

A Manitoba Family Farm Built From the Ground Up

Frank’s family rented the land in the ’70s. They bought it in the ’80s. They put up every building on the yard themselves.

Bigger Farm Machinery Needs a Bigger Shed Door

Like a lot of Manitoba farmers, Frank has seen machines get bigger every year. Big machines need a place to live. They also need a door wide and tall enough to get them inside. Frank sees it this way: next to the price of new machines, a good shed is money well spent.

Why a Bifold Door Instead of an Overhead Door

A couple of years ago, Frank called Travis with a storage problem. Travis is a sales rep at Manitou Building Centre. The store has served the Pembina Valley in southern Manitoba for about 30 years. Travis has known Frank for 16 of them, and they’ve done many jobs together.

Frank already had a shed with a Diamond bifold door on the front. He loved it. For the new work, he planned to add an overhead door in the side wall. That way he could move machines in and out.

Travis had a better idea: use another Diamond door.

Overhead door

Rolls up inside the building
Track and door take up headroom
The middle of the shed loses height

Diamond bifold door

Mounts to the outside of the building
You keep the full height inside
Can reach above the roofline with an add-on header

“If we wouldn’t have gone with a Diamond door, we wouldn’t be able to use the center for putting machinery in and out.”
Frank

For Travis, it was an easy call. Frank already had a Diamond bifold he liked. So the team knew right away that more Diamond doors belonged on this shed.

“Diamond doors are basically bulletproof. We tell customers that day in and day out.”
Travis, Sales Representative, Manitou Building Centre

He says customers also like how easy the doors are to put up. Each door ships built, wired, and painted.

Bifold or overhead door? See what comes with every Diamond door.

Explore the Door

A Bifold Farm Door Built for Prairie Conditions

Now the bifold opens the whole end of the shed. Frank sees the payoff every day.

Drive-through accessFrank can drive in one end and out the other.
Full headroomHe can still use the middle of the shed to move machines.
Steady in the windThe open door stays solid on windy days.
Hands-free lockingThe autolock system locks the door for him.

“I’ve had it open on windy days and it doesn’t seem to bother it a whole lot. Everything seems to be good and secure.”
Frank

His favourite feature is the autolock. “You don’t have to manually lock them like you used to,” he says. “The automatic locks on the doors are awesome.”

A Farm Built for the Next Generation

For Frank, the new space is about more than storage. It’s about the place his family keeps coming home to.

“It’s nice knowing that it’s going to be in the family for a long time in the future.”
Frank

“We’re so fortunate to have a place like this with lots of space,” he says. “The kids are coming all the time, and we do a lot of things as a family, and work and play together.”

Agricultural Bifold Door FAQs

Why choose a bifold door over an overhead door for a farm shed?

A bifold door hangs on the outside of the building. So it doesn’t take up headroom inside. With a self-supporting header, it can even reach above the roofline for the biggest opening.

Can a bifold door be installed on an existing farm building?

Yes. Many farmers add Diamond bifold doors to old machine sheds, shops, and quonsets. If the building can’t hold the door on its own, you can add supports or a self-supporting header.

How is a Diamond bifold door installed?

Each door comes built, wired, and painted. You can hang it with basic tools and a forklift. Or a Diamond Doors dealer like Manitou Building Centre can put it up for you.

Your Farm, Your Door

Planning Your Own Farm Building?

Building a new machine shed or fixing up an old one? A Diamond bifold door opens the full width of the building. You keep all your headroom. Our sales team gets back to you within 48 hours.

Get Pricing Find a Dealer

Prefer to talk? Call 1.866.325.7600, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST.

Why These Wisconsin Pilots Chose Diamond Doors for Their Aviation Hangars

For this group of five Wisconsin pilots, finding the right hangar door for their private hangars meant quality that lasts, offering them access to their airplanes without a headache. Choosing a Diamond door was the answer.

Marc Stamsta ordered his Diamond door in 2015, equipped with the autolock package, remote opener, and fully insulated to protect against the winter chill. He was pleasantly surprised by the price, but more important was the ease of access to his hangar.

“I wanted a door that would go up and down to facilitate me getting my airplane in and out when I wanted to,” said Stamsta.

Dan Coffey, another local pilot, adds that longevity was important too. “For the next 20 years too,” said Coffey, “without any headaches.”

Coffey ordered his door in 2017. Eight years later, he’s still pleased with its performance. Like Stamsta, he ordered his door with convenience in mind, choosing to include the autolock system and remote opener package.

Other factors that made the Diamond door an appealing choice? Larry Sullivan and John Semenske agree that the quality of the door and the design were key factors in their decision to purchase a bifold hangar door from Diamond Doors.

“For me, it was having some experience with a different door that constantly required adjustment and changes…” said Sullivan. “I said, there’s got to be something better, and then March had run into Diamond Doors.”

Semenske adds that “I looked at… every door out there, compared pricing, got quotes from everybody, and then looked at the quality and the type of door. I came to the conclusion… a Diamond door was the best door out there, and it was also the best value.”

Bill Schnell was happy with the speed of his 50’x13’ hangar door. “It’s a big thing. And also with the electrical engineering background – I like the wiring and the motors and the design.”

The technical features and quality door design were all highlights for this group of pilots. However, they also unanimously agreed that the best part of working with Diamond Doors was the accessibility and service from the sales team.

“When you call, somebody picks up the phone and they help you, and they get to the answer,” said Semenske.

He adds that “Serge was good too… I made him do a lot of work, but he was happy to do it and was always very nice to work with.”

At Diamond Doors, customer satisfaction is our measure of success. We’re available by phone toll-free at 866-325-7600 or by email at info@diamonddoors.com. Contact our sales team today to get free pricing on your bifold hangar door.

Video Transcript

Marc Stamsta: So why did we do the door?

Larry Sullivan: Yeah, and then when you look at the price, then you’re like, whoa.

Marc Stamsta: Well, then the price for me, that wasn’t the thing for me. It was a little bit, I was pleasantly surprised, but I wanted a door that would go up and down to facilitate me getting my airplane in and out when I wanted to.

Dan Coffey: Yeah, for the next 20 years, too, without any headaches.

Larry Sullivan: For me, it was having some experience with a different door that constantly required adjustments and changes because it wouldn’t quite latch normally, plus the insulation on it.

And so I said, there’s got to be something better, and then Marc had run into the Diamond doors.

John Semenske: I went through, and I think I looked at, like most of us probably, looked at every door out there, compared pricing, got quotes from everybody, and then looked at the quality and the type of door.

And I came to the conclusion when I bought [the door, a] Diamond door was the best door out there, and it was also the best value.

Bill Schnell: For me, I like the speed of the door. It’s a big thing. And also with the electrical engineering background – I like the wiring and the motors and the design.

Now Marc’s door was all done with relays. We were able to retrofit it with all the latest. So it went really well.

Larry Sullivan: We also were able to arrange, I think there were some other shipments coming, so we worked with the company and was able to save a little money because it was shipped with some other doors that were in the area, and we timed it that way.

So that saved a little money, which was appreciated.

John Semenske: I would say that’s one of your best things about Diamond Door was your accessibility.

When you call, somebody picks up the phone and they help you, and they get to the answer. They don’t, just, they all send you.

Marc Stamsta: We didn’t have to e-mail so much.

John Semenske: It’s a little like old school where they actually talk to you and work through a problem.

Dan Coffey: Yeah, customer service.

Marc Stamsta: Good, Dan.

Bill Schnell: And a knowledgeable person on the phone too, not the secretary. Kevin was really sharp, knew his stuff.

John Semenske: Serge was good too. I heard when I bought my door, he was newer with the company and he was great.

And then I started out with a 50 by 50 hanger, and then I switched to a 60 by 60, and then I wanted the door this size and then that size. So I made him do a lot of work, but he was happy to do it and was always very nice to work with.

AirVentures Trip Leads to a New Retrofit Bifold Door

Brian, the owner of Chase Aviation Company—an aircraft acquisition and resale business with nearly 20 years of operation headquartered in Jamestown, New York—knows firsthand how critical reliable hangar doors are to daily operations.

When he purchased a hangar originally built in the 1970s, it didn’t take long to identify the biggest issue on the property: the outdated bifold door system. The existing aircraft hangar door required a full ritual every time it was used. Someone had to find the keys, walk to each end of the 58-foot span, manually release the uplatches, drop the floor bars, and hope the door would seal properly. It rarely did.

Light gaps were visible even in the dark, and during 10-degree Jamestown winters, that meant heat—and money—escaping constantly from the aviation hangar. On windy days, the hangar door wouldn’t open at all, creating both operational delays and serious safety concerns.

Determined to find a better solution, Brian attended AirVenture in Oshkosh and met with multiple hangar door manufacturers. Among all the options, Diamond Doors stood out, not just for build quality, but for a key engineering advantage no other aviation hangar door provider offered: a second motor designed to actively drive the door shut and secure a tight seal.

“That second motor that closes the door shut was really what sold me,” Brian said. “It was the only system I saw that felt truly well thought out.”

The upgrade transformed the entire aircraft hangar experience. With the new bifold hangar door, a single button opens and closes the full 58-foot span. The auto-lock system pulls the door into a complete, weather-tight seal—eliminating light gaps, blocking cold air, and improving energy efficiency.

No more walking the length of the aviation hangar, no more manual latches, no more worrying about safety or performance. Just a high-quality hangar door system that works reliably every time.

Video Transcript

Having my own hangar, I love the convenience of it, but as you come back to an old door, it’s like, oh, I got to dig for the keys, I got to go through the two man doors, then I got to go unlock the latches, and then I got to stand there and watch and hope that, you know, my kid or my dog doesn’t come run underneath it, because I don’t know if it’s going to fall. And now we just don’t, we don’t really have to think about that.

So Chase Aviation Company is an aircraft acquisition and resale company. I’ve been in business for almost 20 years now. The headquarters is here in Jamestown, New York. I’ve got a sales guy down in Charlotte, North Carolina, one in Charleston, and then for our management side of the business, I have a pilot down in Melbourne, Florida.

So I purchased the hangar in July of 2025. It was built, I think, originally in the 70s. By the time I got to it, it was definitely something that needed a lot of renovation. After I purchased it and started using it a few times, all that creaking and popping, and there was one time that the wind was blowing at the hangar and the door wouldn’t even go up. And so it quickly became obvious that I needed to spend the money and replace the door. We were going to go to AirVenture anyway, and we go every year. Flew in and just decided to start looking at some of the different options that I had. So I met with every provider that I could find. I was in one of the hangars and diamond doors. They had this beautiful display, and I’m looking at it and like, wow, this is really something. That second motor that closes the door shut was really what sold me on it. I think that’s the only one that I’d seen that was that well thought out. I gave them initial dimensions just kind of off the top of my head, and they came back with a quote, and that was enough to make me go, oh wow, okay, so I can replace the entire door and just do it all right, which is the way I like to do things.

The old door system was a bifold, similar concept, but there was manual mechanisms that you had to physically go over to, and it was like an uplatch, and you had to really pull down on it, and it just didn’t quite work right, and it didn’t form a perfect seal. So when you turned the lights out, you could see these light gaps, and when it’s 10 degrees out, that’s just money literally going out there. And so every time I see that auto lock system suck the door closed, I’m like, I don’t know, there’s just so much satisfaction to not having to go walk, you know, 58 feet to the other end of the hangar, close that one, walk all the way back, put the little drops, those bars down in the floor, and it went from, I got to get the door open, to one button, and just stand back and watch the glory.

Nebraska Farmer Chooses a Bifold for His Farm Shop Door

Located in the heart of Nebraska, James Hansen takes pride in his farming operation.

“I was raised around here and farmed with my dad for years,” he says. He took a number of years away from the farm to work as a diesel mechanic for the state of Nebraska, but when his father retired, he stepped back in. “I took kind of an early retirement from the state of Nebraska and went into full-time farming and haven’t looked back since.”

“When I’m farming, I feel like I’m working for myself, and you take a lot of pride in it,” says Hansen.

That sense of pride translates into a job well done. When it came time to choose a new door for his farm shop retrofit, Hansen did his research. “I heard a lot of good things about Diamond Doors,” he says. “I’ve seen your website, I started doing more research on AgTalk, different websites on farmers who’ve dealt with different styles of doors and had very good reviews on Diamond doors as far as quality.”

Hansen added a few important options to his bifold door package. This included the insulation package, bifold door trim and cladding to complete his building upgrades, windows, and a square cut corner.

“The ceiling height was a huge thing for me,” he says. “I needed that… I have a 14-foot header height [on the building] and I could not drop below that because of the combine.”

Because Hansen uses his farm shop to do maintenance on his combine, it was important to make sure that his door offered at least a 14-foot clear opening. Typically, this isn’t an issue, as Diamond bifold doors mount above the clear opening to provide the full clearance needed. However, the overhang around Hansen’s building limited the available options.

That’s when Diamond Doors suggested a square cut corner, which allows the door to open to the fully without running into the overhang.

At the end of the day, Hansen is pleased with the door. “Very good quality product,” he says. “I’m happy with it. Very happy.”

And since customer satisfaction is our measure of success, we’re happy too.

Video Transcript

James Hansen: I was raised around here and farmed with my dad for years. Went to work for the state of Nebraska as a diesel mechanic for about 25 years, and then my dad had retired and I ended up just kind of taking over his farming operation.

I took kind of an early retirement from the state of Nebraska and went into full-time farming and haven’t looked back since.

When I’m farming, I feel like I’m working for myself and you take a lot of pride in it.

I did do a lot of research and heard a lot of good things about Diamond Doors. So yeah, that’s why I went with them and I’ve been very happy with the door.

I seen your website, I started doing more research on AgTalk, different websites on farmers who’ve dealt with different styles of doors and had very good reviews on the Diamond doors as far as quality and just never had any trouble with them. So that’s kind of what made me go.

I did go with the three inch insulation, so it’s very well insulated.

The ceiling height was a huge thing for me. I needed that.

The structure, the frame, the locking mechanism, it’s all solid.

I have a 14-foot header height, and I could not drop below that because of the combine. I bring my combine in here. That was the biggest thing – that was the reason for going with the bifold door, too, so I didn’t lose that.

Yeah, very, very good, good quality product. I’m happy with it. Very happy.

And I told Tim that.

I said, man, I just– and I’m not one that you know, says a lot, trust me, but I wanted – I felt you needed to know.

Bifold Door Offers Big Upgrade for Quonset Hangar

Gil Gauthier, a Manitoban pilot, had a lifelong dream come true when he purchased his very own airplane. But, as any pilot knows, having a dry, secure place to store your aircraft is important. After several years of renting a hangar, a quonset style hangar with sliding doors went up for sale.

“It wasn’t insulated, and it had very poor electrical,” says Gauthier. “But you know what? I checked and the plane fit… just barely.”

While Gauthier was excited to have his own hangar space, he knew that it needed a few upgrades to really maximize its potential, especially throughout our cold, Canadian winters.

Replacing the sliding doors was Gauthier’s first priority. The old doors had a top track to support the weight of the doors and for the doors to slide along. A bottom track ensured the doors stayed properly aligned. But sliding doors are impossible to seal well, allowing the wind and weather to sneak into the hangar uninvited.

Still, the doors worked… until winter came around.

Gauthier says that he quickly realized he was “clearing snow for not only where the door was, but the door had to slide out of its way. The tracks would get stiff, the frost would heave. The doors were impossible… I often had times where I could not go flying because the doors had frozen in place.”

After that first winter, Gauthier said, “I’m calling Diamond Doors and I’m getting a quote to get a new motorized bifold door.”

He adds that, “It was the best investment [he] could have ever made.”

Door Features and Options

A Diamond bifold door offers a unique solution for quonset hangars. Installed to the outside of the hangar, these doors maximize the size of the clear opening and provided Gauthier with a few extra inches of headroom to maneuver his airplane into the hangar.

Diamond Doors included the self-supporting header option on the door package, allowing the bifold door to extend past the arched walls of the quonset hangar. While it’s not entirely free-standing, this system supports most of the weight and loads of the door. It transfers only the outward pull of the door to the building.

Gauthier added a few other features and options to his door. Since he planned to insulate his hangar in the future, he opted for Diamond Doors’ three-inch insulation panels with an R16 insulation value.

He also included two dual-pane windows for natural lighting and upgraded his door with the autolock system and remote opener package.

“One thing that I got – that I’m super happy I did – is they also have an auto-lock mechanizing system,” says Gauthier.

Safety First

Safety is always a concern at the airport and around aircraft. “My issue is that when I take the plane out, I often have my passengers here. I’m also the pilot and I have to watch out for them.” With the remote opener package, he can open and close his door without leaving the seat of his plane.

Leaving his plane running while passengers wait inside was never an option, and neither was having his passengers operate the door while he waited inside the plane. “From a safety perspective, and from a convenience perspective… [the autolock system and remote opener package] is so much nicer than having to run in and out every time I open and close the door.”

“With the remote, I can now just literally have everybody in the plane and press the button and the doors start closing themselves.”

Gauthier was satisfied with his hangar door upgrade, and is happy to recommend Diamond Doors to other pilots. “Now I have an old quonset style building that… has a giant bifold door that’s remote controlled. It’s safe, it’s secure, it’s solid.”

“I’m a big fan of Diamond Doors. Give them a call, they’ll have a solution for you. I guarantee.”

Video Transcript

Hello my name is Gil and I’m a local pilot here in Manitoba and recently one of my lifelong dreams came true – I was able to buy my very own airplane. And as anybody who knows who has an airplane the very second thing you’ve got to figure out is where am I going to keep this airplane?

It’s an investment. I want to make sure it’s protected, and hangars are very very hard to find at local airports. Often they’re not building, there’s none available, there’s not even for sale.

So after a few years of renting, a hangar came for sale – this really nice little quonset style hangar.

It wasn’t insulated, and it had very poor electrical but you know what? I checked and the plane fit… just barely. Maybe like four inches from the top of the tail to the frame of the door.

Now this quonset hanger, after I figured out it fit, first thing I wanted to know was “Okay, how do I get in and out?” Because it wasn’t insulated, it wasn’t really made for winter, and it had the old style sliding garage doors which had a track on above and it had posts on the bottom to make sure it guided.

“And then there’s just two by sixes across the floor to keep the door from banging around.”

“This is about nine foot four to the bottom of this, here where the track is.”

“Issues with the door. Kind of… can go right outside.”

“No more padlock. As you can see the doors are just loose in front so we have to leave a trench there. Even this piece was coming loose and you can see right inside the airplane hangar. So having this removed, all the structure will be gone and even these posts that kind of keep the door in place when they’re open. That blue thing was welded and extended because these posts have shifted up vertically.”

“And that’s just held by wood. It’s a very solid structure, but the only thing keeping this closed is just wood sitting in between a little dirt track.”

It worked… till winter came along.

And then I realized I was clearing snow for not only where the door was, but where the door had to slide out of its way.

The tracks would get stiff. The frost would heave. The doors were impossible.

I’m a decent sized guy at over six feet tall, and I often had times where I could not go flying because the doors had frozen in place, or they had iced over, or the track was binding, or the frost had heaved.

So as soon as we finished our first winter, I said, I’m calling Diamond Doors, and I’m getting a quote to get a new motorized bifold door.

It was the best investment I could have ever made.

Not only did I get the door, the exact dimensions they had, but Diamond Doors had actually a really neat solution – a motorized bi-fold door that can fit in front of a quonset.

Because it’s not really an evident problem. You have a rectangular door on a curved building side. How do you even make that work?

Diamond Doors told me it’s not an issue.

They actually have a metal header frame system. They can give you all the details about it, but essentially, it’s self-standing.

It’s a steel girder truss system that supports everything that the door does, and that is just leaned up against the hanger.

Now, the neat part was, because the quonset is strong because of its shape, the front wall really didn’t do much other than just block the wind from coming in. Diamond Doors was able to actually give me even more opening.

So now I have a full 10-foot height opening between the floor and where the door goes because it folds up and out of the way.

And because all of the hardware on the Diamond door is on the outside of my hanger, as the mechanism goes up and the door opens, everything’s to the outside, not to the inside, so I don’t lose any space internally.

Couple other things I said, “I need it insulated.”

They said, “We got you covered.”

I said, “I’d love to have some windows because it’s pitch dark in here when I’m not here”

…“We got you covered.”

So they put windows in there as well.

And one thing that I got – that I’m super happy I did – is they also have an auto-lock mechanizing system.

So whenever you have motorized hangar doors, somebody presses the button, you hold the button and the door opens up, and then you get the plane out, and then when everybody’s out of the way, you get the door back down. Very very common stuff.

My issue is that when I take the plane out, I often have my passengers here and I’m also the pilot and I have to watch out for them. So every time I pulled the plane out, I would either have to have them loitering around outside the plane while it’s pushed out onto the taxiway, and I had to go in back behind them and close the door, or I have them waiting in the plane unattended and I have to go back inside the hangar and close the door.

Passenger safety and being able to open and close the door without me getting out of a running airplane, which is not doable, or having passengers come do it, which is not safe, or me leaving them outside alone in the plane while I come back to slide these sliding doors, none of those were viable safe solutions for me.

Diamond Door said we have a motorized latching system.

What will happen is as the door closes, it secures.

Not everybody has these on these bifolds. You have this lever and you close the door and you lock it in place, but you have to be in the hangar to do that every time.

They have a motorized option – it’s a bit of an upgrade but well worth it in my opinion.

What they do is that latching mechanism is now motorized, meaning you can get an optional little garage door opener remote, keep it in the airplane or in your vehicle, press the button and the door opens from outside without having to send somebody in to unlatch and do all the latching mechanism.

So the safety of having the auto lock really is a huge plus.

Plus when we’re flying in late, arriving at night, it’s dark, I can literally pull the plane right up in front of the hangar, press the button, the auto lock mechanism unlatches, opens the building, and the hangar door starts going up all on its own.

It’s also got infrared beam sensors, so if anybody runs across the door while it’s closing, you’re protected there because it immediately stops the door.

So from a safety perspective, from a convenience perspective, and let’s face it’s so much nicer than having to run in and out every time I open and close the door.

Now when my passengers are kind of loaded, ready to go in the plane, normally I go back inside, close hangar doors get that all set up but I’m leaving them in the plane without me because I don’t want them running the door.

Well, with the remote, I can now just literally have everybody in the plane and press the button and the doors start closing themselves. I don’t have to actually go back out there and get everybody. Plane is secure, the hangar is secure, we just kind of proceed. Love the door.

As you can see behind me, once the door is all the way up, all of the hardware is actually on the outside of the hangar, so it’s not taking up any space on the inside.

And as an added benefit on a nice, hot, sunny summer day, it makes for a pretty cool awning for the entrance of our gazebo, where we can just kind of enjoy the sunset and talk about the flight we just had.

Another little cosmetic thing was this quonset hanger I bought was green.

An old forest green. Not my choice, but that’s what it was.

And Diamond Doors said, “No problem, we have colors to pick from,” and they were able to match the color almost perfectly.

So now I have an old quonset style building that’s about to get insulated, but now has a giant bi-fold door that’s remote controlled, it’s safe, it’s secure, it’s solid, and I now have daylight without having to always have the lights on.

So I’m a big fan of Diamond Doors, give them a call, they’ll have a solution for you, I guarantee.

A Bifold Door and Post Frame Building That Will Last for Generations

Moving an oversized cattle and hay storage building twelve miles to a new building site is no small task, but third generation farmer Andy Keen had a plan.

The original post frame building, constructed in 1976 by Andy’s stepfather’s uncle, was designed to serve as cattle and hay storage. However, in 2024, Andy realized that the now dilapidated building could be put to better use as storage for his growing farm equipment, but it would take time and hard work to get it there.

That’s when he partnered with Tim Friesen of Celerity Builders to make the vision a reality.

“Tim came on board,” says Andy, “and right away, I knew it was going to be good.”

The project had a few big needs, including some structural reinforcement and new doors to fit Andy’s equipment.

Door Options for Post Frame Buildings

There were a few things to consider when looking at door options for Andy’s post frame building, including pricing and design.

“Andy Keen’s door was unique because of the building… and the 50 foot clear width [that he needed],” says Tim. That’s where Diamond Doors came in.

The unique design of the building meant that width and height were limited for certain door styles, but a bifold door could easily maximize the size of the door’s clear opening. Pricing for other door options didn’t come close to what Diamond Doors could offer.

Tim had worked with Diamond Doors in the past, and Andy had heard about the company through a local Hutterite colony.

“We really like the design,” says Andy. He adds that it’s a light door, meaning that a Diamond door doesn’t put excessive strain on the building. “You’re not worried about the hardware and wear and tear.”

Plus, the overall design of the bifold door made retrofitting it to an existing building the simplest option.

“With the type of post frame building [Andy] had, we would have had to do other additions to the building [to accommodate] the weight of the other door styles,” Tim says.

But with a Diamond door? “We were able to just put the door up with a few minor alterations.”

A Bifold Door and Building That Will Last for Generations

Andy is proud of the finished project, saying that he “has a building that my son and my daughter will be able to use, and maybe their kids too.”

The Diamond bifold door is a centerpiece of the entire post frame building, and an integral part of Andy’s day-to-day operations.

“These doors, they just work so smooth and so well,” he says. “You’re never worried about them.”

With the significant investment in the cost of machinery and farm equipment nowadays, it pays to have a place to safely and securely store it. “It’s something that we know pays dividends for our farm in the future,” says Andy.

As a reliable, easy-to-operate, and secure door, a Diamond bifold door plays a key role in protecting farm equipment on Andy’s post frame building.

When asked about ease of use, Andy says that you “hit the button, they open. Hit the button, they go down. That’s peace of mind. We’re glad we chose Diamond Doors.”

Video Transcript

ANDY KEEN: Hi, my name’s Andy Keen. I’m a third generation farmer from Manitou, Manitoba. Our kids will be 4th generation on the farm here.

My stepdad’s uncle built this building in 1976, and he used it for a hay and cattle shelter.

We made a decision last year to move it home to this farm, which is about 12 miles east of where it originally was built.

He didn’t have doors on it. The wind would whip through and you’d get the weather and the snow and what have you in it, so we made the decision we were going to put doors on it.

I first found out about Diamond Doors at our local Hutterite colony here. And we really like the design.

They’re a light door and you’re not worried about the hardware and wear and tear on the door.

We made the decision that we would hire a contractor that would square the building up really good for us. In other words, get it back exactly the way it was.

Tim came on board and he right away, I knew it was going to be good.

TIM FRIESEN: My name’s Tim Friesen. I own and operate Celerity Builders and we are a general contracting company in commercial and ag buildings.

With Andy Keen’s door, it was unique because of the width of the building and he wanted that 50-foot clear width.

We considered some other options. He wanted to see the price point on some different options of doors and so we did explore that. They didn’t come close in price and with the type of post-frame building he had, we would have had to do other additions to the building, the weight of the other doors.

For the building he had, we were able to just put the door up against it with a few minor alterations and make it work.

ANDY KEEN: We have a building that my son and my daughter will be able to use, and maybe their kids too.

The Diamond doors are just an integral part of the day-to-day operations. The investment we have in machinery nowadays, to be able to put that machine away in the evening and protect it from the elements conveniently and know that it’s safe and sound, is something that we know pays dividends for our farm in the future.

These doors, they just work so smooth and so well. You’re never worried about them. Hit the button, they open, hit the button, they go down. That’s peace of mind.

We’re glad that we chose Diamond Doors.

A Bifold Door Upgrade for an Old Barn

After countless paint jobs, Richard Hanson decided it was time to do something about his barn.

Built in 1889, Hanson’s family originally used the barn as a cattle barn, hay storage, and shelter for the farm’s workhorses. 136 years later, it was time to either tin it, or bulldoze it.

Hanson, who farms 3400 acres in with his son, father, and brother in western Iowa, hired contractor Elmer Salazar to do the work.

“We were talking about something on the doors one day,” says Hanson. “I’m like, I’d really like to put a better door on here. [Elmer] says, ‘Well, I sell doors.’”

Elmer Salazar has been a dealer for Diamond Doors since 2023, selling and installing bifold doors across Iowa. “I like installing doors,” he says with a smile, “and the customer likes Diamond doors, so it’s a good thing.”

But while the hangar-style bifold door was exactly what Hanson was looking for, he wasn’t sure if it was the right fit for his old barn. “That’s an old, old building,” he says. “It doesn’t get much older than that.”

This didn’t concern Salazar, since he installs bifold doors on everything from pole barns to brand new sheds.

Advantages of a bifold door on an old barn

A bifold door offers a few advantages for this kind of project. First, Diamond bifold doors are a good fit for retrofit applications, where a customer puts a new door on an existing building. The self supporting header option provides structural support to carry the weight and loads of the door, which is especially useful for older buildings where the cost of adding the required bracing and support is prohibitive.

The second advantage is the convenient use and operation for the bifold door. Unlike sliding doors, which must be opened manually and frequently jam or become loose in their tracks, Diamond bifold doors are easy to operate with the push of a button.

Finally, Diamond doors offer reliability and easy maintenance. In fact, Salazar says that “from the time that I had to be a dealer, I never had to come back for maintenance or something in the doors, and that’s something that I think makes Diamond Doors special for me. I mean, they work great.”

Hanson is quick to agree. “It’s well built. It’s quiet operation… and you can just tell the way they’re built that they’re high quality.”

Video Transcript

RICHARD HANSON

I farm with my son, my dad, and my brother.

We farm about 3,400 acres, about half corn, half beans, 40 acres of hay, and we’ve got cattle and hogs.

Yeah, this shed was built in 1889.

They used to milk cows on this side – this side was for the workhorses. It was full of hay and the outside needed painting for the thousandth time and so we decided to tin it instead because we either had to fix it up or bulldoze it.

So we decided to straighten it and fix it up and then we put all our working stuff in here for the cattle.

And we were talking about something on the doors one day – I think we went over to the shop to get something.

I’m like, yeah, I’d really like to put a better door on here. He goes, well, I sell doors. I’m like, really?

And we started talking about it. I’m like, well, it was the exact type I was looking at was the hangar style.

ELMER SALAZAR

I hear this customer that where we at right now, Mr. Richard Hanson, he got three doors. So that means, you know, he likes the doors. I like installing doors. I’m a dealer from Diamond Doors, and the customer likes the Diamond Doors, so it’s a good thing.

RICHARD HANSON

And then when we were kind of deciding to just do the barn, I’m like, it’s not a hog barn or anything.

He’s like, no, he goes, I put them on everything. I put them on pole barns. I put them on brand new sheds.

I’m like, well, that’s an old, old building. It doesn’t get much older than that.

And he’s like, well, we can do it.

And there’s plenty of, plenty of lumber in this barn for holding it up. I mean, you know, these old six by sixes are strong.

You don’t have to dig out tracks for a slide door.

All of our pole barns had those, you know, and you get tired of doing that. The wind kind of bangs on those. Eventually they get loose. The nice thing about these is they just, and there is a backup. If there’s no power, you can use a drill to raise it up if you have to. We never have had to do that.

ELMER SALAZAR

From the time that I had to be a dealer, I never had to come back for a maintenance or something in the doors. And that’s something that I think makes Diamond Doors special for me.

I mean, they work great.

Even the first door that we learned how to do it, never have to go back and do anything.

RICHARD HANSON

Yeah, it’s well built. It’s quiet operation. They’re high quality. And you see, you can just tell the way they’re built, that they’re high quality.

Bryan Baeumler Has a Diamond Hangar Door

Bryan Baeumler has no shortage of experience with construction and renovation projects. As the host of multiple HGTV shows, including Island of Bryan, Renovation Resort, and Bryan’s All in, he’s a well-known name.

“I do a lot of things,” says Bryan. “I do a little bit of construction. We do some TV production. We build cabinets. We run a hotel.”

Aviation rounds out his list of accomplishments. “I’m a pilot, and I am a proud owner of a Diamond door,” Bryan adds.

“My path into general aviation… was a bit of a winding road. I mean, I was born literally into a hangar. I have photos of me in a bassinet under the tail of a DC-3. I worked for a company called Can Air Cargo for years during high school, doing ground equipment maintenance, aircraft maintenance on their Convair 580s and 737, the 200 series with the gravel kits.”

Like Diamond Doors, Bryan’s family has a history of aviation. “I was always surrounded by an aircraft or aviation, flying a lot with friends and family. My dad was a pilot as well, and kind of pushed me that direction.”

Diamond Doors headed down to Florida to visit with Bryan and hear more about his bifold hangar door.

Bryan and his wife, Sarah, typically aim to buy the “worst property in the best neighborhood” and turn it into something beautiful. Their Florida home was just that – it wasn’t quite abandoned, but after years of vacancy, nature was starting to take over.

“We came up with a great design for a new home that would suit our family,” says Bryan. But there was one thing missing – a workshop to handle the majority of the renovations.

The hangar quickly became one of the most important spaces to Bryan. “I needed a space as a workshop to renovate the remainder of the home,” he says, but there were complications. “The existing door was creaky and dangerous, and I was kind of worried about it falling apart.”

That’s when he started to think about an upgrade.

“We did our research and we found Diamond Doors, and being a Canadian company, a Canadian-made product, that interested me right off the bat.”

“Just the features that they have, the safety features, the hurricane locks that are on the door already, the system itself, the installation, the ease, the fact that we could set up the measurements, send them, it’s manufactured, sent down, installed.

“We’ve got remote control operation, which is great too. When I taxi in, I pop the door open and shut down and just roll on in.”

And for a busy man like Bryan Baeumler, it was the easy ordering process for his bifold hangar door that really made Diamond Doors shine.

“Dealing with [Diamond Doors] was easy. It was very well managed. It was something that I didn’t have to think about or manage or over-manage… and this was probably the most seamless installation in the home.”

Bryan adds that “[The door] is one of my favorite things in the house, to be honest. I don’t know if Sarah would agree, but she doesn’t have to agree. It’s my hangar.”

Learn more about a Diamond bifold door for your hangar by visiting our Aviation page. Or, request a free quote for your next hangar door by clicking the button below.

Video Transcript

Spell my name. I haven’t spelled it in a while.

Bryan with a Y, B-R-Y-A-N. Baumler, B-A-E-U-M-L-E-R. Or Bravo, Alpha, Echo, Uniform, Mike, Lima, Echo, Romeo.

I’m Bryan Baumler. I do a lot of things.

I do a little bit of construction. We do some TV production. We build cabinets. We run a hotel. We do that.

I’m a pilot, and I am a proud owner of a Diamond Door.

My path into general aviation was a little, it was a bit of a winding road.

I mean, I was born literally into a hangar. I have photos of me in a bassinet under the tail of a DC-3. I worked for a company called Can Air Cargo for years during high school, doing ground equipment maintenance, aircraft maintenance on their Convair 580s and 737, the 200 series with the gravel kits.

I was always surrounded by an aircraft or aviation, flying a lot with friends and family. My dad was a pilot as well, and kind of pushed me that direction.

[In] 2017, we had purchased a hotel in the Bahamas. So traveling from Canada to the Bahamas was a two-stop process. It was arduous.

Our oldest son is an equestrian, was riding in Wellington, Florida. So we were looking at a temporary base in between the two while we renovated the hotel and built the business there. And we found the Aero Club here.

And I thought, what a great time to get my pilot’s license.

It’s a time saver, it’s a huge convenience for us, and it’s a lot of fun.

When we bought the home, I mean, we typically, and we’ve multiple times in the past, we looked for the worst property in the best neighborhood, and that’s what we found here.

It was not abandoned, but it had been vacant for a number of years and nature had started to take over and the beasts and the creepy crawlies. So we came up with a great design for a new home that would suit our family.

Looking at that and renovating that space as well, this was one of the most important spaces to me initially because I needed a space as a workshop to renovate the remainder of the home.

We needed access into here. The existing door was creaky and dangerous, and I was kind of worried about it falling apart. So we did our research and we found Diamond Doors, and being a Canadian company, a Canadian-made product, that interested me right off the bat.

But just the features that they have, the safety features, the hurricane locks that are on the door already, the system itself, the installation, the ease, the fact that we could set up the measurements, send them, it’s manufactured, sent down, installed.

Ordering the door, I mean, it was seamless. We had great customer service. They came down, did all the measurements.

Installation was really a breeze for me. I watched the entire system unfold.

We’ve got remote control operation, which is great too. When I taxi in, I pop the door open and shut down and just roll on in.

I’ve been building and renovating residential homes and doing commercial development for almost 35 years now. Dealing with sub-trades or suppliers, you know, it can be, you can pull your hair out, literally.

Dealing with [Diamond Doors] was easy.

It was very well managed. It was something that I didn’t have to think about or manage or over-manage. I don’t typically like when I have to hold everybody’s hands, and this was probably the most seamless installation in the home.

[The door] is one of my favorite things in the house, to be honest. I don’t know if Sarah, I don’t know if Sarah would agree, but she doesn’t have to agree. It’s my hangar.

Arizona Hangar Doors – Bifold Doors for Pilots and Aviation Enthusiasts

For Scott Dupuis, having his own hangar is a dream come true. Together with his wife, he built a hangar on a quiet lot at 45AZ Willow Valley Airport, an airpark that he is passionate about revitalizing.

“They built the whole neighborhood to be an airpark,” says Scott. “Then it just got overgrown back in the 70s and turned into a junkyard. A gentleman down the street in the dome house down there bought the airstrip and revitalized it.”

When a meeting at the local airfield led to Scott getting a lot for his own hangar at 45AZ, he set out to build it himself. “My wife and I built this hangar ourselves, just her and I,” he says.

Scott had originally planned his hangar with a different door, but when he saw the quality of a Diamond door, he “immediately cancelled the original order” and ordered a Diamond door instead.

When asked about some of his favourite aspects of the Diamond door, he lists several.

“I loved the look of the welds. The quality of the build was great. It was painted nice… and the insulation package… was very attractive.”

He placed his order and waited for his hangar door to arrive, but when it did, he was intimidated by the installation process. He decided to give the Diamond Doors team a call – and was glad that he did.

“That’s another reason why I love them,” says Scott. “The support was great.”

A Diamond door arrives onsite fully assembled and ready for installation, with a thorough installation manual to simplify the process. With a few questions and great support from Diamond Doors, Scott was ready to weld his door hinges to his hangar frame and install the bifold door.

“The build quality is impeccable,” Scott adds. Arizona is a dusty environment, but after a year of use, his bifold hangar door is as quiet as ever. “It’s just the quietest, smoothest opening door,” he says. “After a year, I would expect squeaks and noises, but [there’s] nothing.”

Overall, Scott was very pleased with his decision to install a Diamond bifold door on his Arizona hangar. “It’s like my centerpiece of my building, and I love it,” he says. “I am very proud of it.”

Learn more about a bifold door for your hangar by visiting our Aviation page. Or, request a free quote for your next hangar door by clicking the button below.

Video Transcript

Hi, I’m Scott Dupuis. I’m in Fort Mohave, Arizona.

I’ve had my Diamond door for about a year now. We’re here at 45 AZ Willow Valley Airport, the only hangar on the airfield.

Originally, the airfield was here back in the 60s, and they built the whole neighborhood to be an air park. And then it just got overgrown back in the 70s and turned into a junkyard. A gentleman down the street in the dome house down there bought the airstrip and revitalized it.

I met him at one of the meetings at the local airfield and talked to him about getting a lot here and he welcomed me in.

So I was lucky enough to get a lot on the air strip.

He just recently passed away, so I’m taking it on now to keep revitalizing it and bringing more aviation down here in the dirt.

I had to have a hangar.

I’ve always rented my entire life. In fact, this is the first time I’ve not rented a hangar. So that has been a dream of mine.

My wife and I built this hangar ourselves, just her and I.

I initially had a different door, but I had a friend at a local airport and he had a Diamond door. I saw the quality of it and I immediately canceled the original order.

I just loved the looks of the welds. The quality of the build was great. It was painted nice. The insulation package that he had gotten was very attractive.

So I called up Diamond to see what we could do, and they were very helpful.

It was quite intimidating.

In fact, I called Diamond Doors, and that’s another reason why I love them – the support was great.

So I called them. I was like, how do I weld this thing? And they just told me, and they sent me drawings on how to weld it. It looked good, so I hit it with the welder.

It’s been hanging ever since, so it’s quite rewarding.

It’s just like the quietest, smoothest opening door, and after a year, I would expect squeaks and noises by now, but nothing. I mean, it’s a dusty environment here. Just the build quality is impeccable.

For me, the differentiator between a steel building and a hangar is the door. I mean, it’s like my centerpiece of my building, and I love it. Absolutely love it, whether it open or closed. So I am very proud of it.

Manitoba Hangar Home Door

Richard Bembridge is no stranger to Diamond Doors and it was a record of excellent service that brought him back for a bifold door for his hangar home in eastern Manitoba, Canada.

“I have two hangars at the St. Andrews airport,” said Richard. “The newer one has a Diamond door on it. I had some service experience with Diamond Doors and they were phenomenal, so it was a really easy decision to make.”

Diamond Doors offers standard tin cladding and polycarbonate sheeting as finishing options. However, each door is customizable and can be designed to suit the exact finishing requested by the customer. For Richard, the polycarbonate panels were exactly what he was looking for.

“I was pretty set on a Diamond door when the process began. When it became apparent that the Diamond door could achieve the polycarbonate panels to allow for this light feature that we wanted, it was a no brainer.”

With polycarbonate panels on the top and bottom half of the door, Richard is satisfied with the results. “It works really [well] and at night time it lights up spectacularly,” he says.

Polycarbonate sheeting is a great choice for natural light and can offer some insulation value. The 30mm polycarbonate offered by Diamond Doors provides insulation capabilities similar to that of many double pane windows. This makes it the perfect choice for an insulated hangar home in Manitoba’s cold and snowy winters.

Another advantage to a Diamond bifold hangar door is that it is installed on the outside of the building. This creates room for a larger clear opening – and taller planes.

“One day we might want to move an amphibious airplane in and out of here, so height was a consideration,” said Richard. “The way that the door moves, it’s up and out of the way. It makes it so that whatever you’re moving in and out is not impeded by the door in its parked position.”

Diamond Doors is proud to offer a quality hangar home door and customer service to match. “Everything I’ve had to do with Diamond Doors has been A plus,“ Richard added. “For that reason, I would absolutely recommend using a Diamond door for your hangar, or hangar home, or your project.”

Learn more about a bifold door for your hangar home by visiting our Aviation page. Or, request a free quote for your next hangar door by clicking the button below.

REQUEST A QUOTE

Video Transcript

My name is Richard Bembridge and I’ve been a pilot for around seven years.

It was my son’s interest that got me started. He graduated high school, decided he wanted to become a pilot, and I basically followed in behind him.

We have two planes. We have a 1947 Stinson 108. That’s a really nice plane to take on a short trip. And we have a 2007 Cirrus SR22 GTS Turbo Normalizing that is for long cross country [trips].

We decided to build this house probably three or four years ago now. Particularly, it was about having the ease and access to the plane and the convenience of flying. When you’re finished you put it away in your own space – no different than your car. It’s also easier for maintenance. The mechanic can come here, or there’s some cleaning and maintenance attributes that you can perform yourself, in your own home and the comfort of not having to travel to where your hangar may otherwise be.

In the door itself, it fronts the entire house so we didn’t want a wash of black metal or some other coloured metal to complement the rest of the building. We wanted some kind of clear component to it so the polycarbonate panels became a focus of designing the door.

I put them on both halves of the door so that we didn’t have that inconsistency. It works really good, and at night time it lights up spectacularly. You turn the lights on inside the hangar and the door is absorbing all the light and broadcasting it out into the darkness. It’s quite nice.

Diamond Doors is a staple in the aviation community – I think everybody in Manitoba knows that if you’re building a hangar, Diamond Doors is the foremost consideration.

I have two hangars at the St. Andrews airport. One of them is rather old and one of them is rather new. The newer one has a Diamond door on it and I had some service experience with Diamond Doors and they were phenomenal, so it was a really easy decision to make.

Quite frankly, the only research I really did was online. I was pretty set on a Diamond door when the process began, and as I said, when it became apparent that the Diamond door could achieve the polycarbonate panels to allow for this light feature that we wanted, it was a no brainer.

Height was a consideration. One day we might want to move an amphibious airplane in and out of here, so height was a consideration. The way that the door moves, it’s up and out of the way. It makes it so that whatever you’re moving in and out is not impeded by the door in its parked position.

The mechanical attributes of the door are kind of tried, tested, and true – you almost take them for granted a little bit. The built-ins, if you will.

It actually is a great option for anyone building a building of this nature, where you have to move something in and out that is the size of an airplane or tractor. Perhaps you want to have a storage for antique cars or something.

Everything I’ve had to do with Diamond Doors has been A plus. For that reason, I would absolutely recommend using a Diamond door for your hangar, or hangar home, or your project.

A Manitoba Family Farm Built From the Ground Up

Bigger Farm Machinery Needs a Bigger Shed Door

Why a Bifold Door Instead of an Overhead Door

Overhead door

Diamond bifold door

A Bifold Farm Door Built for Prairie Conditions

A Farm Built for the Next Generation

Agricultural Bifold Door FAQs

Planning Your Own Farm Building?

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Door Features and Options

Safety First

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Door Options for Post Frame Buildings

A Bifold Door and Building That Will Last for Generations

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Advantages of a bifold door on an old barn

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RICHARD HANSON

ELMER SALAZAR

RICHARD HANSON

ELMER SALAZAR

RICHARD HANSON

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