[jimmy21]

I'm in the process of trusting my garage with storage trusses. Instead of capping off the gable ends I'm going to leave openings so I can open it up and easily get big items in and out. What would be the best way to build doors? It doesn't need to be super fancy but needs to keep water out. The opening is 10' wide and 7 high, but I'm thinking a 6' wide opening would be sufficient.

 

[Maintenance 6]

Why not frame it to accept a pair of double doors. You could buy a nice set, pre-hung for less than building something and you will have all the weatherproofing features built in.

 

[jimmy21]

well i was picuring something more along the lines of a barn loft door. Out of plywood or something. It is going to be ladder access only. Wouldn't prehung doors be fairly expensive?

 

[Tizzer]

Last I heard, you should never cut a truss - let alone the gable truss.:whistling2:

 

[joeyr]

Last I heard, you should never cut a truss - let alone the gable truss.:whistling2:

I agree with you. An engineered truss is just that. Engineered. If you tamper with trusses and a building inspector sees this, he will fail you and make a engineer come out to re- engineer a fix for the weakened truss.

BUT, if you are building a hand cut roof with rafters (some time people call rafters trusses by mistake) then you could build anything into the gable end you would want.

Are these trusses engineered or are they hand cut rafters?

Joey

 

[Gary in WA]

Since you are getting attic trusses for the common trusses, just get two more for the gables, easier framing down to 6' doors of plywood on a wood frame with siding and head flashing. http://www.attictruss-garages.com/

Gary

 

[jimmy21]

Last I heard, you should never cut a truss - let alone the gable truss.:whistling2:

who said anything about cutting a truss? maybe i didn't explain it right......... i didn't get any gable trusses. All 13 of my trusses are identical and im going to frame the two end trusses so the opening is 5'x7'. I want to build some sort of door in this opening, but i don't want to spend the money on regular house doors, since it will be ladder access only. Not to mention, having a door knob 12' in the air might look a little off


Does that make sense now?

I've got my trusses up and one side sheathed, ive got a few questions, but im going to make another thread for it

 

[Maintenance 6]

You could build your own jamb and door. I wouldn't use plywood. I'd make it out of tongue and groove boards with a "Z" frame inside. Use some hefty "T" hinges. You'll need to keep it painted real well. I'd also add a turnbuckle in the opposite direction of the diagonal in the "Z" to keep it from sagging.

 

[jimmy21]

thats the kind of info i was looking for. i was going to do double doors. What are you talking about making the Z out of? I think i'll do an X and trim all he way around it, I don't think sagging will be too much of a concern. Im mainly worried about keeping it water proof. Should i just have it go into a normal door jam, or should i have the trim on the door hang over the edge of the door and meet up with the walls when it closed?

 

[jgoldbe2]

Big Barn doors (pivot or sliding)

Check out -------------- They manufacture high-quality, custom built oversized doors. If nothing else, their website might give you some ideas about how to approach this project.