Struggling with greenhouse doors

I sure could use some suggestions on doors and pictures if you have them. I never thought that I would get so bogged down over building doors. If you look back at the post “hoop bender” you will see that I am trying to build doors for a 20’x20’x10’6” tall hoop house.
I obtained the two doors from a sliding door unit that was thrown away because the frame was bad. I framed these glass door panels in 2”x4” treated lumber by cutting a rabbit for each to fit inside. The doors look good but they are very heavy and I fear that the first time a gust of wind slams it shut it will shatter. Both doors would have given me an opening of approximately 6’6”.
The greenhouse will be used almost exclusively for tropicals like banana, citrus, dragon fruit, miracle fruit, papaya etc. What size door would you recommend for these types of plants/trees? I plan to over winter these plants so they would need to move in and out of the greenhouse twice a year. It just gets to unbearably hot here in the summer to keep them inside.
I suppose I could just buy a 36” wide storm door but it would be difficult to move some of these plants through an opening 3 foot wide and 6’6’’ tall.
Please do post pictures of your doors if you have them.
Oldude

OldDude could you add something to keep the doors from swinging shut by themselves? Doorstops or something like that?

MollyD

So do they slide or swing? If they swing then I'd be a little concerned also. Do you really need them to let light in? Otherwise you could go with a preframed double hung shop door. I have also seem them with glass window in the upper half.

Keith

You could even go with a PVC double hung french door. You would want to install the spring loaded chains to keep the wind from causing damage.

Go to the auto discount parts store and get you a couple of those mini van hydraulic arms,I think they run about 16 bucks or so a piece.
These would be great,because there is always tension on them at all times!
Then take a bar of steel,90* bend with a twist in it,so you can attach a wheel to the bar and then attach it to the bottom of the door,to take the weight off the door when you swing it open.
Don

Why get a door closer for a mini van? Just get a door closer made for a storm door.

Thanks for the help and suggestions.
Oldude

This is the first door that I framed up. It measures 41” wide X 7’ tall. I just need to lock in the corners and sides with aluminum flat.
Would you think that this opening is large enough? If I add the other door the opening would be 7” tall by 82” wide.
Oldude

Well it's bigger than a 36inch door,and I have trouble getting those big plants in a 36" door
If it was me and you can go with those big doors,I'd go for it,just for the thought of not having to struggle with those big plants!!!
Eggs only reason why I suggest the mini van arms is because you don't have to mess with the ketch to hold the arm open,and the fact it will always have tension on the doors,and the wind won't whip it out of your hands,if price was a problem,I'd go with the storm doors,but if money wasn't a problem I'd go with the mini arms!!!

I got ya Tropic. I was thinking of the "higher end" storm door closers, which are a bit more heavy-duty. I'd put two on each door. I doubt the wind would be much of a problem. Plus, I'd think closing the door with a van door piston would be very easy (keeping it closed might be a trick, too). Anyway, was just an alternative method.

Cheers =)
Eggs

Oh I wasn't even thinking of the industrial commercial heavy duty door closures,they would
be great,but very expensive unless you could find them at a salvage yard for general contractors,or used building material warehouse!
Yep those would be nice!!!

Don

I would think one would be good enough. Keep the other just in case. Does your wheelbarrow fit? any other pics of your project?

Keith

Tropicman
Which plants give you the most grief squeezing through your 36” opening and would a 5” wider door make much difference? I would think that the papayas would not like the squeeze, but citrus and banana would cooperate a little better.
Fourks
Here’s the link to my greenhouse project. http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/775596/

I think a friend of mine has a couple of those old hydraulic door closers that he will part with, and I will also look at the French doors.
Thanks all Oldude

Hey old dude,when those big alocaisa ears are 6ft tall and 5 feet wide and there is 3 or 4
leaves and stem coming out of the pot!!
Then the large palms,which are as wide as tall,and yes the bananas,I have them in 55 gal
drums,the trunks are 10ft long,and hard enough just trying to get the 55 gal drum thru the door! Most of my plants will hardly fit thru a 36inch door!!!
In this picture the 36inch door is behind these plants that I brought in for overwintering.now if I'd had the french doors that would have been a lot easier!

That greenhouse is attached to the back and south side of my house,I step out the backdoor into my greenhouse,took this pic yesterday foot of snow outside and 75* inside the greenhouse,these here are my small plants!

Forgot the pic