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Sliding Door Track for a Radiused Door

6/27/17       
Pat Gilbert

Has anyone bent sliding door track for an interior door to accommodate a radiused (in plan) door?

See the picture, he wants it to work like a barn door.

TIA


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6/27/17       #2: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Keith Newton

Pat, this shouldn't be a problem if you can find a metal or machine shop with a roll bender, and use the standard flat bar rail, or round tube, and have the radius of the arc.

The flat bar type would be less critical, being more flexible on that axis, where your stand-off mounting plates will hold it.

Bends are hard to make all the way to the ends, so order longer than you need.

And I'm sure you know the door will need to be on the opposite side of the opening you show in the lower pic. You've got to have a clear wall for the door to park over when open.

First step is choose the hardware in your phone to text to your local metal shops, so they'll know exactly what you are needing them to do.

6/27/17       #3: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Thanks Keith

"First step is choose the hardware"

Do you have one in mind?

6/27/17       #4: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Joe Calhoon

Pat,
I think you are in CA. Functional Fenestration sells tracks and they can probably refer you to a local company that can bend these for you.
As another source, Hafele sells Hawa tracks that are good.

6/28/17       #5: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Thanks Joe

I wonder if this sort of track could be bent without deforming it.

I also wonder about the 4 wheel carriage making the radius without binding.


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6/28/17       #6: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Joe Calhoon

I don't know about that type track Pat. No experience myself but several shops have bent FFIs lift and slide tracks. It's a little different since it's bottom hung and there is a limit to the radius the bottom carriage will follow.
Your radius looks tight. Is it hung on the outside of the wall? In that case the flat bar type with single roller would work best. I don't think FFI has those.

6/28/17       #7: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Dan

Hafele can do it with their Hawa Media 70 track. Contact their architectural department.

6/28/17       #8: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Keith Newton

Pat, I would avoid the U shape with the wheels inside. You would be darn lucky to find someone who could custom bend that for you.

Just plug into google search, and you'll find lots of options from $50 to $500.

The tracks which are about 1/2" thick by maybe 1 1/2" or more tall would be easiest and most forgiving.

The full rounds should bend without deforming enough to matter.

If your capable of building the door, your next main worry, is that there isn't going to be any blocking inside the wall where you need to hang it on, so don't overlook that.

Rolling Barn Door Hardware Kit

6/28/17       #9: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Alan F.

kncrowder

http://www.kncrowder.com/pdf/slidingdoor-cat-pages/page-7-curved-track.pdf

6/28/17       #10: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Thanks guys,

FWIW the Hafele product is done in Switzerland. FFI doesn't do any bending and weren't able to refer me to anyone yet.

KN Crowder looks promising but I already turned in the bid.

I was able to locate a local guy that can bend flat bar. He said as mentioned that a U shaped piece would crinkle and not work.

6/29/17       #11: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
TonyF

Pat Gilbert:

I don't know if you can use the defined radii in the available tracks or not; if not you might call them and see if their supplier can do custom.

TonyF

McMaster-Carr Door Hanging Posts

6/29/17       #12: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
David R Sochar Member

Pat - I have had radius pocket door tracks fabricated twice by steelworkers. They both had to do it twice to get it right. Tubular track will not bend.

The trolleys/hangers should be selected and you should be able to give the fabricator a piece of the straight track and a trolley and a decent drawing. Then you you have to explain that this really needs to operate like warm butter. They should be able to cut the curves with a water jet or some such digital thing to make the curves accurate.

6/29/17       #13: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Dave

Are you saying to cut the rails instead of bending?

6/29/17       #14: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
David R Sochar Member

Yup. Those metal guys have these machines that can cut perfect arcs in steel. One for the upper plan curve, then they roll the two outer sides, and then two more narrow arcs plan cut for the trolley wheels to ride on. Give them a drawing with a good radial info, and drew holes located. The trick is to get the welder to put away his 5lb hammer, and use a tender touch. $250 does it for us.

6/29/17       #15: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

That seems like there would be a lot of waste.

6/30/17       #16: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
David R Sochar Member

The problem with one attempt was that the metal fabricator used short curved pieces to make the curve for the 2 - 42" wide doors on an 8' radius. This was false economy since the butt joints we not level, had weld on them, etc. Hardly smooth as butter. The second attempt had the steel cut out of one piece and was smooth and worked very well. We had two doors, so we speed the track at 2 pcs 6' long, with a center butt in the field. We used Johnson T-2000 track/trolleys, and the track was simpler, sort of a "T" shape.


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6/30/17       #17: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Thanks Dave

If you had your choice would you use staves or laminated plywood.

6/30/17       #18: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Adam

We did this job 20 years ago. It was a gang of real wood interior doors hung on a track. There were (3) 36" solid mahogany on each side. They went into the walls like pocket doors. Divided a dining room from a living room in an open floor plan. 18' of doors that disappeared into the walls.

The customer wanted to be able to push on one side with their finger to push 9' of doors into a wall. We are all sailors. The Architect speced the Harken mainsheet traveler track and the doors were hung off of it.

The Harken guys often bend track. Its really no big deal for them. All depends on your budget. They will be low on friction if you go that route.

Harken Curved Track

7/1/17       #19: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
Pat Gilbert

Adam

I don't see any carriages on that page?

7/2/17       #20: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
bob

richards wilcox
www.rwhardware.com

7/17/17       #21: Sliding Door Track for a Radiused D ...
nathandavidson Member

It it interesting to know that it is actually possible to use existing tracking to have it bent to accommodate to the new door frame. I have always thought that bending it could damage it and you would have to change the entire track. It is good to be learning some new things every single day for our own DIY benefits.


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