Looking for a different variation from the usual garage door that rises and falls with the push of a button? Swinging garage doors can be a classy touch to your fabulous home and instantly transform a highly visible part of your house from average to exceptional.
Maybe your business needs new garage doors and you’re looking for something different than what you’ve had before. Swinging doors might be a great fit!
In order to safely install swinging garage doors, it would be best to consult with a professional. These doors are extremely heavy and improper installation could cause serious injury.
Strap Hinges
Assuming you already have your swinging garage doors picked out, now it’s time to get the hardware you will need to safely install the doors. Decorative and heavy-duty strap hinges are crafted with a gauge of thick steel to bear heavy, large doors and remain sturdy and strong for years to come, despite exposure to harsh elements.
The hardware is made for doors between 400 and 5,000 pounds and the hinges can be directly mounted to the frame or to the wall. The hinges can be used with steel, hollow block, brick, concrete or wood jamb frames.
To help you decide which type of strap hinge is right for your garage door project, consider the weight of the garage doors you chose and whether you will be manually opening them or using a power-operated opening system. Ball-bearing and disc-bearing hinges have different weight limits and ball-bearing hinges are better for higher frequency use than disc-bearing hinges are.
If you are installing strap hinges to a non-reinforced door, such as a hollow metal door, you will need hinge back plates to avoid damaging the door.
Here’s a list of what you need to consider when choosing a strap hinge:
– Swing Door size (width, height, thickness, and weight)
– Frame / jamb construction
– Pintle type and location
– Frequency of swinging door use
To further help you determine what kind of hinges you need as well as how many hinges you need, use this formula to calculate the moment, the measure of the turning force on an object (i.e. hinges).
– Weight of swinging door (expressed in pounds)
– Width of swinging door (expressed in feet)
– Frame / jamb construction
To calculate the moment on the hinge, multiply the weight of the swinging door by the width of the door: Weight & Width = Moment. After moment is determined, obtain the manufacturer’s recommendation, using the moment.
EXAMPLE: 1,500 LBS WEIGHT X 4′ WIDTH = 6,000 FT/LBS OF MOMENT
Pintles
According to Wikipedia, a pintle is a pin that is inserted into the hinge so that the hinge can turn. Some pintles are permanently sealed in the hinge and some are removable. There are different pintle styles you can choose from, depending on where you want the hinge to be in the doorway.
Ready, Set, Go!
Now that you know what kind of hardware you will need to successfully and safely install your beautiful swinging garage doors, select the strap hinges and pintles appropriate for your specific project. Be sure to get hinges that can bear the load of your garage doors and take into account the jamb frame, frequency of use, and whether you’ll be manually opening the doors or using a power-operated opener.
Richards-Wilcox Hardware
At Richards-Wilcox Hardware, we can be your one-stop-shop for the hardware you need to safely install your swinging garage doors. We are experts in strap hinges and pintles, offering our years of experience to help you select just the right thing to get the job done right the first time. Our products are sure to hold strong, no matter what.
