Designing An Opening: "Hangar Doors" For Flexible Spaces

What once started as an industrial solution specific to aircraft or large farm equipment, large vertical openings have morphed into a hot new trend among restaurants, mixed-use developments, board rooms, and residences. Designing your hangar door and understanding the limitations inherent in each style of opening can be a daunting task. However, each type of vertical bifold door isn’t necessarily created equal.

Where do I start? Well, in my years as a design consultant and sales professional the first question I would ask is a simple one: What size is the opening and where is it going? The client almost always has a good idea of what they want, and as a designer, it’s my job to find the best fit for their ideas.

Many manufacturers build industrial-type hydraulic doors that can be slow-moving, loud, and prone to hazardous hydraulic fluid leaks. These are perfect for agricultural equipment storage areas where these limitations don’t matter, but for many architectural applications, the risks are too big.

Then there are the clunky cable and strap lift door systems with pulleys, motors, jamb locks, and cables or big, bright yellow straps similar to the tie downs on large trucks. These are just as loud and slow-moving but also create a visibly distracting opening that loses quite a bit of space when opened.

Both of these traditional, dead-lift style openings require massive structural planning or modification to the building as well as special, high load electrical connections that can further complicate the design’s space. Moreover, the typical large bifold doors require field painting, field applied glazing captures and weather stripping, and installation crews with limited experience. There should be a better option.

Renlita is the leader in highly customizable and beautifully detailed custom openings with several key benefits. First, the counterweight balanced systems can be designed to be manually operated or electrically operated using a typical 110V 6-8 amp outlet with a much smaller and quieter motor system. Second, there are many different design styles available, and each carries its own unique look and allows for design flexibility. Odd shapes, arched tops, slanted doors, and custom mullion or muntin layouts coupled with top-tier design assistance and engineering, create architectural openings that architects, interior designers, and end-users can all appreciate.

From Concept-to-Completion, a true partnership in your design means working with your team to identify your architectural vision and engineer it into reality. But our work doesn’t stop at designing, engineering, or even manufacturing your one-of-a-kind opening. Renlita’s trained installation team and attention to detail mean that you don’t need to coordinate with multiple glazing, painting, and installation teams. Small structural and power needs as well as minimal fold-up space means your Renlita project will be smooth, turn-key, and free of additional problems created by a typical dead-lift, non-finished system, with an all-inclusive price.

Folding doors, windows, or walls can create truly flexible spaces at the touch of a button, and we can help guide you toward the right solution for each of your projects. Contact us today for a free consultation and find out why Renlita is the only Concept-to-Completion partner you need.