Hangar door

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Mtns2Skies

Final Approach
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Mtns2Skies
Since this is hangar talk I thought I'd ask here. We'll be building a 45'x45' hangar at our local airport here in the near future. Any suggestions on hangar door?

We're leaning towards a schweiss bi-fold with straps rather than cables. Don't have much experience though, that's just from cursory googling.
 
I have a Powerlift - one piece, hydraulic, 50’ x 15’ on a 60x60 hangar. Three years and no problems. Several of our neighbors have the same, all with no issues. What’s really nice about them is being able to open it partway and use it as an awning. Also they open in a fraction of the time that a bifold takes.

Another neighbor has a Higher Power door. It’s also a one piece door, but it tilts inward as it lifts, and is mounted on two stanchions that are standalone units rather than attached directly to the hangar frame. The Higher Power door purportedly puts less stress on the structiure and takes less power to open.

I wouldn’t even consider a bifold if building abother hangar. Powerlift or Higher Power, you won’t go wrong with either.
 
ateamer said:
I wouldn’t even consider a bifold if building abother hangar.
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Howcome? All of my rental hangars have been bi-fold (winter climate). Are there benefits beyond using it as an awning?
 
What’s the draw to the bi-fold versus a stack door? Seems the elimination of any motorized door mechanism would be favorable, as one less thing to maintain.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
Since this is hangar talk I thought I'd ask here. We'll be building a 45'x45' hangar at our local airport here in the near future. Any suggestions on hangar door?

We're leaning towards a schweiss bi-fold with straps rather than cables. Don't have much experience though, that's just from cursory googling.
Click to expand...

Check out Diamond Doors, bi-fold 3 years old on mine and zero problems.
 
I had a 48 x 13 Powerlift installed 6 years ago and haven’t had any gripes with it since. Seals tight, unlike a bifold. Provides shade and rain protection when open. Heck, I can ride It up to work on the hangar roof, or use it as a lift to take heavy stuff out of the truck. I wouldn’t do that with a bifold.

Bifold allows you to park a tiny bit closer, but that’s about the only advantage IMO.
 
RyanB said:
What’s the draw to the bi-fold versus a stack door? Seems the elimination of any motorized door mechanism would be favorable, as one less thing to maintain.
Click to expand...
Stack don't work well with snow & ice. Otherwise I'd be all for it.
 
I like my Schweiss bifold. It raises easily without taking up a lot of room in the process (sometimes I also have a plane parked on the ramp when I want to open it). I've had it for about 14 years now with no problems whatsoever. It's got a plywood sheathing on it designed to look like rail and style doors and 2" of rigid foam insulation on the inside.

51934664219_8d12dfc4d5_c.jpg
 
I have nothing to add to topic of hangar doors. However, I must say you have a beautiful home and setup. Congratulations.


flyingron said:
I like my Schweiss bifold. It raises easily without taking up a lot of room in the process (sometimes I also have a plane parked on the ramp when I want to open it). I've had it for about 14 years now with no problems whatsoever. It's got a plywood sheathing on it designed to look like rail and style doors and 2" of rigid foam insulation on the inside.

51934664219_8d12dfc4d5_c.jpg
Click to expand...
 
flyingron said:
I like my Schweiss bifold. It raises easily without taking up a lot of room in the process (sometimes I also have a plane parked on the ramp when I want to open it). I've had it for about 14 years now with no problems whatsoever. It's got a plywood sheathing on it designed to look like rail and style doors and 2" of rigid foam insulation on the inside.

51934664219_8d12dfc4d5_c.jpg
Click to expand...
Some how this comes across as being far more boastful of your home than it does of actually promoting your hangar door.

“Let me show you my hangar door!”

*provides image of sprawling mansion with a turf lawn*

:confused:
 
The lawn to the right is the runway. My wife cleared a lot of space out back because she said she wanted a lawn. I pointed out that we already had 3000' of lawn out there.
 
flyingron said:
The lawn to the right is the runway. My wife cleared a lot of space out back because she said she wanted a lawn. I pointed out that we already had 3000' of lawn out there.
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Ok — but what does this have to do with ‘Hangar Doors’ other than trying to show off your property?

You have a nice setup, don’t get me wrong.
 
flyingron said:
The lawn to the right is the runway. My wife cleared a lot of space out back because she said she wanted a lawn. I pointed out that we already had 3000' of lawn out there.
Click to expand...


My wife would want to graze horses on that strip. I say “runway,” she says “pasture”......
 
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RyanB said:
Ok — but what does this have to do with ‘Hangar Doors’ other than trying to show off your property?

You have a nice setup, don’t get me wrong.
Click to expand...
I was trying to show how you could make a Schweiss Door look good. I was looking for a picture of just the door, but that one was handy.

Note that the door people managed to make both the hangar door and the adjacent garage doors match.
 
I was in a hangar with a Schweiss with straps for 7 years, and it was a good door. However, if I wind up building my own hangar, I may go with one made by Higher Power. I've seen a few of these and they're really cool.

https://www.hpdoors.com/
 
RyanB said:
Some how this comes across as being far more boastful of your home than it does of actually promoting your hangar door.

“Let me show you my hangar door!”

*provides image of sprawling mansion with a turf lawn*

:confused:
Click to expand...
Gave me that impression as well, I thought I was the only one.
 
Mine’s a 50’ x 14’ Schweiss hydraulic swing up. At 12 years old I called the local hangar door guys to ask about service. They asked if it was broken. I said no. They told me not to worry about it. Seals tight in my cold and windy location. Very pleased.

Power Lift is what the local guys install. Not many bifolds around here. Probably because of the wind. One-piece doors are easier to seal and hydraulics are pretty bomb-proof.
 
RyanB said:
Ok — but what does this have to do with ‘Hangar Doors’ other than trying to show off your property?

You have a nice setup, don’t get me wrong.
Click to expand...
I didn’t take it as a boast but I would not want his house. Looks like a **** place to live in my opinion. I guess it’s only bragging if you think it’s a nice place to live.
 
FWIW, there is a bifold door on the circa 1975 hangar I am in. One of the two cables that lift it broke a couple years ago, but it was not a super big deal. Also, once I had it freeze to the pavement and had to go along the seal with a pry bar to get it to open. Took 10-15 minutes.

If I park my car about 3 feet away, it opens without hitting the car and I am not blocking the alley between the hangar rows. Not much shade, but if it's pouring down rain, the near side of the car is out of the rain so I can load / unload stuff.

My primary recommendation would be to put the door on the south side of the building.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
FWIW, there is a bifold door on the circa 1975 hangar I am in. One of the two cables that lift it broke a couple years ago, but it was not a super big deal. Also, once I had it freeze to the pavement and had to go along the seal with a pry bar to get it to open. Took 10-15 minutes.
Click to expand...
A hydraulic door would just rip the concrete up no pry bar needed. ;)
 
ateamer said:
I have a Powerlift - one piece, hydraulic, 50’ x 15’ on a 60x60 hangar. Three years and no problems. Several of our neighbors have the same, all with no issues. What’s really nice about them is being able to open it partway and use it as an awning. Also they open in a fraction of the time that a bifold takes.

Another neighbor has a Higher Power door. It’s also a one piece door, but it tilts inward as it lifts, and is mounted on two stanchions that are standalone units rather than attached directly to the hangar frame. The Higher Power door purportedly puts less stress on the structiure and takes less power to open.

I wouldn’t even consider a bifold if building abother hangar. Powerlift or Higher Power, you won’t go wrong with either.
Click to expand...

This sounds like the way to go^^^^^^^^for several good reasons ateamer pointed out, IMO.

I like that it can provide total rain and shade protection.
I bet it seals better than a bi fold? And how fast it can open.
Hate having to stand at mine holding the button in waiting for it to creep up.
When it rains it best to just close the door cause if it's open it causes rain to get in the hangar from water drips.

Last summer I noticed one of the cables were slack and I put it back on guide thing down low. It then started grinding the cables as it went up and down. I got the airport manager/AP to look at it on a ladder while I held it. The cable over over riding it's self. He was able to get them straightened out and has been good since last summer. I'd get straps on a bi fold verses cables.
I open and close my hangar door regularly since I am at the airport a lot.
041.jpg
 
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The hangar I rent has a bifold door. The one feature I like are the sections of the door that have plastic panels. They let a good bit of light thru.
 
Most of the hangar doors around here have windows in them. Mine has two. I’d like 4. That day was single digits and the pic taken about a half hour after I plowed. Southern exposure is huge in cold climates.


35DD877F-03AB-4808-B0DB-9E777C457B2A.jpeg
 
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