Sliding doors/partition wall - how big can the panels be?

[ellgee]

I'm wanting to build a sliding door/wall that covers a length of racking in the garage (mainly because it looks untidy all the time!).

The racking is 4.2m long, and 2.2 m high.

I thought I'd build a frame infront of it first - from floor to ceiling, then place running tracks onto this.

For the actual doors/slding panels how many would be needed to cover this width, (what would be the recommended size of each door), and what wood is best to use (bearing in mind this is in the garage so they don't need to look perfect!).

hope you can help!

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

I would use exterior grade plywood or if on a budget OSB board.

Are these doors just decorative or are they to keep stuff secure within the garage ?

Weight will be a big factor, 18mm ply is quite heavy and imagine 3 or 4 sheets hanging from a frame.A consideration when buying the running gear also.

You could make up a hollow door with basic timber framework and then 6mm ply either side, or even just the facing side.

This firm may help with gear
https://www.macbuildingproducts.com/index.php?cPath=23_59&osCsid=0904ad61c5daa251619d09bf98c4ce48

 

[big-all]

if you want to avoid dead space where the doors overlap you will need a minimum of 4 doors on open runners

not realy important unless your dealing in boxes or fully occupied shelves

by dead space i mean a point where a door will always be in front off so things would have to be manoovered sideways to clear the overlap area
lets assume 6" ovelap to keep secure
2 doors 6" dead space in the centre
3 doors 2 x6" dead spaces either end of the central door
4 doors all to one end leaves a central overlap which can be accsesed by 2 doors to each end

so if you opening is 4.2m +0.4m[3 overlaps] =1.15m per door

also an open end with a hinged door if its long lengths of timber

 

[ellgee]

thanks for the advice.

so 4 doors (or panels of ply) at 1.15m. When you say open runners, do you mean something like the plastic track made by homelux ( I saw it on the B&Q website the other day) - the panels would just slot into this, but would doors this size slide easily on this sort of track?

http://www.homelux.co.uk/Pro-anglesandedges-SlidingDoorTrack.asp

In response to the first reply, no the doors aren't for security - they're just to cover up the mess on the racking - I try my best to keep it tidy, but its a never ending task!

 

[big-all]

tell me about it
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/bigall2005/?action=view&current=workshop012.jpg

i just mean the track is continuos from one end to the other without stops in between

you could go for 1.08 doors and an inch overlap this will keep the dust out and minimise the overlap

you will need 4 doors anyway as 3x1220 isnt wide enough

here is a possible storage solution boxes and runners no shelves
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/bigall2005/?action=view&current=workshop12.jpg

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

The homelux stuff doesn't look very substantial to me.

 

[big-all]

i personaly would use 12mm ext ply
i would use 2x2planed timber [44x44mm]6mm then 13mm x7mm deep channel 6mm then 13mm x 7mm channel 6mm

exactly the same for the top except the channels will be 14mm deep

grease up the ends with a candle


with the proviso that at 2.2m i would say you need to select dead flat sheets and be prepaired to have to replace them after a few months for flatter sheets that wont develop a bow and fall out

if you have space behind the back doors or in front off the front doors you could add 2 or 3 battons to stop the doors bending i think your on a 50/50 chance that one or more doors will need attention

 

[Bilioustrumpstaine]

i personaly would use 12mm ext ply
i would use 2x2planed timber [44x44mm]6mm then 13mm x7mm deep channel 6mm then 13mm x 7mm channel 6mm

exactly the same for the top except the channels will be 14mm deep

Seems staightforward to me

 

[big-all]

i personaly would use 12mm ext ply
i would use 2x2planed timber [44x44mm]6mm then 13mm x7mm deep channel 6mm then 13mm x 7mm channel 6mm

exactly the same for the top except the channels will be 14mm deep

Seems staightforward to me

cant do drawings

supose if i said imagine a capital E on its back so 6mm groove 6mm groove then 6mm

 

[Symptoms]

In response to the first reply, no the doors aren't for security - they're just to cover up the mess on the racking - I try my best to keep it tidy, but its a never ending task!

Well, as it's just to cover your stuff up, why not make-up some roller blinds? A set of cheap roller mechanisms, enough to cover the span required & fabric (as plain or decorative as you wish). All you then have to do is fix the roller brackets to the garage ceiling, either directly or on a length of batten.