It has been mentioned a few times over the past few months that the sliding doors in the restrooms are too heavy for a disabled person to operate. Based on average densities online, I calculate the weight of one door to be in the neighborhood of 75#, which is indeed pretty heavy.
There is enough 3/4" square steel tubing left over from the castle build to start a new frame for a door. I may have enough on hand that I could donate the remainder to build one door. Used with 1/4" Lauan plywood for the panel, I believe the door could be built to weigh something close to 25#. A couple of pounds could be shaved off of that by using aluminum tubing instead of steel, but at likely a considerable cost.
Perhaps even better, and certainly easier for anybody to build, would be a wooden torsion box design with 1/4" lauan panels on each side and a pine or fir frame. This would also likely be in the neighborhood of 25#.
One step further might be to use 1/8" lauan panels to reduce the weight even more. Is this something “we” are interested in doing?
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I agree the doors are difficult to operate.
I think the weight of the door is only one factor.
The caster wheels give a lot of resistance and improvements may reduce the need for a door change.
Perhaps we could try larger wheels or wheels with bearings in them for smoother movement.
I think the fir torsion box with melamine or formica coated luan is probably the lightest option.
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You might check with @rustin.atkeisson
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I’m sure the rollers have an effect. After fixing the door in the men’s room, though, I’m of the opinion that better rollers or bearings will only have so much effect. It’s still a bit of mass to get moving, and I can see somebody on wheels having to position themselves just right to move the door before it moves them. In fact, I’m not sure I’m completely convinced a swinging door wouldn’t be easier to operate. I can see that space limitations probably played a role in the decision to use sliding doors, but I think a swinging door could be installed with a little more effort.
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I’ll be there Tuesday, I’ll put it on my list to look at.
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How about a corrugated plastic folding closet door, like this one?
I have also seen similarly-folded curtains with large-hole grommets on a curtain rod (conduit? galvanized pipe?) used in situations like this.
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Nothing says ghetto like a shower curtain in lieu of a bathroom stall door! Otoh, it does fit in with the missing ceiling tiles in the hall.
From a more practical standpoint, a curtain is an awful idea. Aside from peeking underneath to see if the stall is occupied, one who prefers not to speak to others would have to pull the curtain aside to peer in on whoever is occupying the stall to see that it’s occupied. Bad idea.
OK. How about the folding door? Light weight, full length, and (optionally, if purchased that way) lockable.
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As live-hinged things tend to have a short life, I would expect a folding partition like that to not stand up to the abuse it is likely to endure.
They’re hard to manipulate, don’t usually stay where they’re put.
They’re also prone to excessive wear and tear.
I believe the solution is a lighter door and better casters.
The issue is when can the work get done, who will do the work and what is the cost.
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I think we could forego the Formica and just paint them. That would support getting them done sooner.
Just the lighter door may make the rollers work well enough.