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I am a homeowner not a contractor or builder, but I am a proficient woodworker. Looking at the pricing of the custom garage doors, I am figuring I can make the door myself in my shop, and my builder can install it with conventional hardware. I have modeled a design using 3D CAD, that has 4 horizontal panels, making up a 7’x 9′ door. The bottom 3 are 19″ high, and the top, with glass lites, is 27″ high. Excepting the top panel, the others are made with 2×4 frames laying flat, then faced on the inside with 1/4″ ply, faced on the outside with 3/8″ MDO, and stuffed with EPS panels. Each 2×4 frame has two intermediate 2x4s, sectioning the frame into three equal panels. Some 1/2″ clear vertical grain cedar boards trim out the face, mounted to the MDO, to give the door a three-panel “carriage house” look. The top larger panel has a three-hole 2×4 core like the others, but is trimmed out so as to accept lite frames and muntins. How does this sound? Will my 27″ top panel make the curve as it tracks up in a conventional roll-up mechanism? Am I likely to need any special hardware or heavier duty lifting mechanisms or springs? I can share CAD views using .gif files if it will clear things up.
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I am a homeowner not a contractor or builder, but I am a proficient woodworker. Looking at the pricing of the custom garage doors, I am figuring I can make the door myself in my shop, and my builder can install it with conventional hardware. I have modeled a design using 3D CAD, that has 4 horizontal panels, making up a 7'x 9' door. The bottom 3 are 19" high, and the top, with glass lites, is 27" high. Excepting the top panel, the others are made with 2x4 frames laying flat, then faced on the inside with 1/4" ply, faced on the outside with 3/8" MDO, and stuffed with EPS panels. Each 2x4 frame has two intermediate 2x4s, sectioning the frame into three equal panels. Some 1/2" clear vertical grain cedar boards trim out the face, mounted to the MDO, to give the door a three-panel "carriage house" look. The top larger panel has a three-hole 2x4 core like the others, but is trimmed out so as to accept lite frames and muntins. How does this sound? Will my 27" top panel make the curve as it tracks up in a conventional roll-up mechanism? Am I likely to need any special hardware or heavier duty lifting mechanisms or springs? I can share CAD views using .gif files if it will clear things up.