A common selection in agricultural garage doors, this G-5000 design is featured in Ice White, measuring 16 x 18 feet. With the added windows that are right at head height, you’ll ensure premium visibility when exiting in vehicles or on equipment.
Farm buildings come from humble beginnings…
These started as primitive shelters that protected animals and crops from theft and the elements.
These days, there are utility-specific farm buildings for almost every need. Fortunately, for every potential need, we’ve also got a customized agricultural garage door solution!
As farmers have constructed various agricultural structures over the years, they’ve been used for everything from horses and cows to sheep and pigs, and more. Grain and hay storage, equipment garages and outbuildings, and even ice houses and smokehouses—the uses are as varied as the farmers who build them.
If you’re in the market for an agricultural garage door and commercial garage door operator, you should know how to choose one based on the use of the building(s) and their size, among other factors.
1- Protect Expensive, Oversized Farm Equipment with a Large Agricultural Garage Door
Check out the G-1000 Construction, available in multiple sizes to make storing any equipment a breeze—fit your trucks, trailers, tractors, wagons, balers, and even those massive harvesters and plows!
Protect your equipment, protect your livelihood!
The invention of agricultural machinery has streamlined farm work, saving time and money by making jobs quicker and easier to complete. These expensive tools need to be stored out of the elements to prevent unnecessary wear and tear and potential weather damage.
- Tractors and seed drills offer versatile solutions all around the farm, from the fields to the family yard, and more.
- Pickup trucks and trailers are essential for transporting equipment and crops, and make getting around a breeze.
- Harvesters streamline the harvesting process and allow for a greater return on profits.
Of course, there are dozens of other types of equipment that you may have around the farm. What matters is that you address the needs of your specific farm, including your farming methods, land, and other factors.
This is why consulting a garage door expert should be your first step in choosing new agricultural garage doors.
Of course, it’s pretty obvious that a large agricultural garage door can provide the protection your equipment needs, both from potential thieves and the outdoor environment.
Our G-5000 agricultural doors offer impressively durable construction for premium protection from the elements. They feature everything that you expect in a large door, including the option to get one like this, measuring an impressive 28' x 16', or the same width as the largest female killer whale on record and more than twice the height of basketball legend Michael Jordan.
Even though farm equipment is usually huge and heavy, that may not be enough to deter some thieves. Those parts could be desirable for any number of reasons. That’s why you need secure buildings for all your equipment—being proactive can prevent unexpected incidents.
You can’t protect your farm from everything, but it sure helps to protect as much as you can!
Of course, doors of this size also require hardware capable of keeping up with them.
Here you see the two options for heavy-duty hardware when installing agricultural garage doors. These specifically reference our G-5000 models and are rated based on the cycles per day.
2- Adding Insulation Protects Your Space and Your Livestock
Don’t let anyone go cold anymore! Your pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, horses, and even your barn cats can stay warm all winter.
You’ve got to provide shelter for all of your animals, too. It will keep them safe and healthy, and ensure that they don’t spread viruses or fall ill because of exposure to the elements. And the more insulation, the better!
Turn to garage door weatherstripping to help keep the space warm and reduce heat loss. This insulating material includes a PVC retainer to ensure that it’s water-tight and a flexible weather seal mounted inside to add insulation.
Need more temperature control? Perhaps you’re trying to keep feed or grain dry but conveniently accessible. A properly insulated agricultural door can ensure everything is protected.
Do I really need garage door weatherstripping for my outbuildings?
You’re protecting the most important assets of your farming business. And, you can protect them even further with an additional polyurethane or polystyrene insulation layer.
If you need a door that can stand up to anything, our G-5000 is available in R-18 for premium protection. You can also get it in R-12 or 16 for less harsh environments. In this image, you see the 24' x 14' model with added windows, in Ice White.
What’s the difference between polyurethane foam and polystyrene (Styrofoam)?
- Polystyrene
This inexpensive insulation is made in sheet form. The sheets of Styrofoam (polystyrene) are inserted between the panels, leaving the gaps and cracks in the door exposed to the elements.
- Polyurethane
On the other hand, this injected insulation fills all the gaps and keeps the elements out for good. It’s twice as insulative as Styrofoam, more flexible, and just a better choice all around.
See how the polyurethane (left) fills in all the gaps, whereas the polystyrene (right) leaves plenty of space for air and water to get through.
So, what’s the general standard for agricultural insulation?
There isn’t really a “standard” when it comes to R-value. A building’s energy efficiency will depend on the insulation of the doors, not just the rating of the insulation. After all, two doors with similar R-values could be totally different in terms of heat loss when one is insulated with polystyrene and one has polyurethane.
This is why it’s best to get the expert advice of a commercial and agricultural garage door specialist.
3- Don’t Forget Waterproof Accessories and Garage Door Openers
Check out the versatility of the G-5000 construction, pictured here in sizes 18' x 14' and 12' x 12', respectively, giving you the perfect agricultural garage doors for any outbuilding.
And of course, you can’t forget to invest in a quality garage door opener system. In the case of farms, that includes considering things like humidity and dust that can damage the electronics or cause problems.
Your farm buildings need to be equipped with water-resistant equipment that’s rated for commercial use.
The CRBH commercial garage door opener from LiftMaster is the perfect choice for farm buildings, barns, and more!
The LiftMaster CRBH is a jackshaft opener that’s identical to the RBH model, with the exception that this model is waterproof and meets all regulatory standards. It is ideal for use with high-lift sectional garage doors or those that are larger and need the vertical room. Also featured is a chain host for manual access in the event of a power outage. It’s a heavy-duty opener rated for as many as 25 cycles per hour and 90 cycles per day. Thanks to the roller bearings and clutch adjustment, it operates smoothly and quietly, as well.
Farm equipment and outbuildings see a lot of dust. From harvesting season to storing grain, the dust never seems to settle. That’s why it’s best to install garage door operators that are encased and protected from the elements.
There are several things to consider. Conestoga Buildings did a report on the 8 most common causes of barn fires. A few include:
- Extension cords and outdated wiring
- Smoking in or around the barns
- Improperly stored crops, hay, or livestock feed
- Dust, cobwebs, and debris buildup
All LiftMaster commercial door openers are designed with safety in mind. Their corrosion-resistant and water-resistant covers protect the motors so that they can operate properly and without incident. Also available from LiftMaster are control panels, commercial photo eyes, optical edge weatherstripping systems, and other accessories that are waterproof and NEMA 4-compliant.
You can find the details about the KPW250 here. This keypad is ideal to go with our LiftMaster commercial opener systems. The weatherproof, sealed design is NEMA 4X-compliant and is ideal for damp spaces.
4- Extend the Lifespan of Your Agricultural Garage Door with Routine Maintenance
Your farm equipment gets dirty, fast. With harsh conditions and dusty environments, it can be hard to keep things clean. Fortunately, Farm Progress has a blog with some great advice on how to manage dirt and dust to keep farm equipment running.
Mud and dust are all in a day’s work around the farm. That’s why it’s essential to pick a material for your agricultural garage door that’s easy to clean, like aluminum or steel.
Your commercial garage door deserves a certified garage door specialist who can perform the maintenance service quickly and efficiently. These pros have the right tools and expertise to ensure your garage door is in its best shape at all times.
Avoid damage with these tips on how to clean your steel or aluminum garage door!
To keep your garage doors clean, it’s best to use car wash and wax products. Stick with a soft mitt, too. Any abrasive sponges or cleaners could damage your paint or cause the garage door to delaminate.
Without proper garage door maintenance, your agricultural garage door could fall into disrepair, hampering your day-to-day operations and ultimately, your profits.
No one wants to go out to the farm to find out that something is broken or the garage door simply won’t work. If you don’t have a functional garage door to access your equipment, your entire livelihood is in jeopardy.
You’ll also want commercial door maintenance with:
- Priority service and timely execution
- Skilled, experienced technicians and installers
- Safety-first work processes
- A visual inspection of the entire system
- A condition report
- Alignment, adjustment, and lubrication of garage door tracks, springs, and the door itself, as needed
Here are some annual garage door maintenance steps to help you improve your door’s lifespan and reduce the need for repairs.
Your maintenance schedule will depend on the number of cycles your garage door endures in a year and the type of building/use involved. Schedules are typically every 3, 6, or 12 months.
Don’t Forget About Your Commercial Door Design!
Don’t be afraid of color.
Your farm is your livelihood. It’s your legacy, and if you do things right, it will live on for at least two or three generations beyond you. Why stick with boring white when you can do something a bit more daring? You can choose greens to create a unique contrast or even choose from a selection of beiges and browns to keep a neutral, but unique, look.
As you can see, there’s a lot to consider with commercial doors for your farm, but it’s not all technical specs. It’s time to get creative and consider all the design and color options. A lot of our images show how people tend to choose white for their agricultural garage doors.
You have a lot more options than that. In fact, you can even have our experts provide a sample or color code that matches your custom color request.
In a setting like this, farm machinery, employees, trucks and trailers, and other traffic can generate a lot of potential hazards. See how you can customize your doors with colors, window sizes and styles, and more. Our G-5000 garage doors come in 9 total color options.
Putting a few windows on your garage doors not only improves safety but also adds more natural light to the space when the doors are closed.
Just when you thought you had to get “all or nothing” with garage door windows, you see this design. That’s right—you can even choose to get just one window on a door like this, measuring 12' x 12'.
Windows will be something that you decide based on your needs. If there’s a lot of movement around the agricultural buildings, you might want more windows to increase visibility. However, if there’s not a lot of traffic, no windows might be fine.
Are you ready to talk about the cost of your agricultural garage door system? Ask us for a free quote through email.
At The Door Company, it’s our commitment to find the right garage door solutions for farm buildings and other agricultural needs. We know commercial doors and openers and can help you choose the perfect fit.
Looking to have a conversation about your agricultural garage door needs? Our experts are waiting!
Give us a call: 613-821-2130 or visit us.
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