Greenhouses, Sheds and Sun Rooms - Building a Shed Door

I am building a shed door and have a question about the brace that goes diagonally between the horizontal braces (to form a Z shape). I have seen shed doors with the brace starting away from the hinges and moving diagonally down towards the hinge side and I have seen this brace in other doors, fitted exactly the opposite.

I am wondering if it matters how this brace is fitted and why?

If it's an actual load-bearing brace rather than a decorative touch, it should run from the top at the hinge side to the bottom of the free side.

Basic physics; you want to "lift" the outer edge.

Ooops...gotta disagree with TG

If you are using wood...then the bottom should be towards the bottom hinge, and run up to the top on the latch/swinging side. The wood then supports the outer top and transfers the weight down to the solid attachment near the bottom hinge

Now, if you are using one of those cable or rod type braces, it would be the opposite, since the rod or cable will pull up on the outside bottom edge and transfer the pulling force to the secure attachment near the upper hinge.

Think of it this way (using wood for example) how much weight can a 2x4 support in compression, if you just prevent it from wobbling? 300, 400, 500 pounds? Now..use 2 or 3 screws and try and attach that much weight hanging from the bottom of a 2x4.

And just the opposite..a cable is no good when you try to force the ends toward each other...but you can hang a lot of weight from one when the load is securely attached....ummm like pulling a car out of a lake...lol

It will be a wood door. 1"x6" planks, held together by 2"x4" braces, with another brace going diagonally. It seems many doors have them both ways, but I suspect one way is more correct than the other.

Well..check these out...

A storage shed door to fulfill your dreams (http://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/storage-shed-door.html)

Building A Shed Door That Will Last. (http://www.secrets-of-shed-building.com/building_a_shed_door.html)

How to make a shed door (http://www.buildeazy.com/newplans/board-and-batten_shed_page8_4_06.html)

There are variations on everything. The main thing is, you want to transfer the load to the solidly attached framing.

Besides..thats how Norm explained it to me...lol

I bow to gunguy; my mind was entirely on the cable type.

No Marine ever bows to a Squid...a tip of the hat will do. Oh wait..can't uncover either..lol

Thanks to both of you. It would appear to be a confusing issue since I see an awful lot of doors built both ways.

Well, personally..it's not confusing..I just think a lot are built improperly. Those are the ones that need to be lifted to close. The best are the ones with 3 horizontal braces and 2 diagonal.

I did it myself with some doors I built for attic access to a shed, I thought the V look was cool, since my name is Vic, but after just a year they had to be lifted to close, and these were only 2 x 2 or so.

Mine will be built with 3 horizontal and 2 diagonal. I assume I can screw the diagonals into the plank wood as well or should they just be bonded to the horizontal braces?

Yes you definitely want the 1x6 attached to all the bracing. And the diagonals need to be a tight fit to the horizontals. If you really feel like working hard, check how they are notched into the horizontals on the second link. Probably not absolutely required, but a nice touch.

By the way, guns, when I said "bow to gunguy" I didn't necessarily mean I would be facing you..... :p

ROFL.....good one.......

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