xSpace wrote: The door that we see, your top side view LOOKS like the trim is holding the framing in place....AND THAT is a typical door installation.
Hi Brian,
The diagram of the 'top side' view of the door ... IS the exact print from Rods' 1st edition
book ... 'Build like a Pro'. Although I may be violation copyright protocol ... what I have
posted [above] is HIS design for the Super Door. When I purchased his 2nd edition ... it
was the same diagram !!! I posted this, SPECIFICALLY' to illustrate what is considered to
be the bible on this stuff.
MORE importantly, I am NOT trying/pretending to be an expert on this. If I DID ... then I
would be denying MYSELF the potential to learn from the experts here. It's called playing
the naive student. Any tidbits of knowledge/insights that you guys share is ALL my gain.
That doesn't mean I'll understand right away, NOR will I except ANYONES point as The
Almighty. What I do is remove MY judgment/bias and opinions and try to absorb what
someone is trying to teach me. I believe that mindset put me 'under the wings' of some of
the top producers ... because they saw that I make the sincere effort and determination to
learn, implement AND innovate. My passion and desire to learn & understand.
Alright .... enough
Had the important conversation with my contractor, relaying the design concept that Glenn &
Brian have presented.
First & foremost ... my door MUST be attached to open INTO the room. To MAX the height
of the door, it must be then attached to the INNER frame. This means the possible 300lb
door would be secured to ONLY the inner room. OK
When talking with the engineer/designer at PAC international, isolation sway brackets were
installed to meet this potential criteria. That being, EACH of the 4 interior walls have a pair
of isolation sway brackets [Heavy Duty] in place. For the door area, I also have 4 more
brackets on site. It was suggested that 2 or 3 be installed about the hinge side, with at
least 1 installed on the 'latch' side.
Now ... I did some, rather, serious yanking & pulling on the currently exposed inner framing.
Confidence is HIGH as to the structure integrity and stability.
According to the PAC designer/inventor [whose name just escapes me] ... explained that
the TRUE stress will exist on the hinge side ... as a TWISTing force.
Within the 'endpoint' where the frame & the jamb connect ... we will add the concrete
anchor bolts [as used in the rest of the floor plates] to secure the floor plate.
When it comes to the wall studs on the hinge side ... we will use as many as needed ...
right now, I don't know what that will be. [suggestions if possible].
Key point ... the hinge side will happen to be a short wall [before it corners off to the
kick-off wall around the sump pump area.
My intent, is to leave enough area behind the door swinging left into the room, that having
a 4" thick absorber panel ... MOUNTED 4" off the door surface [exactly like the wall panels
in the room] would allow the door to open slightly over 90* [hopefully more]. My restriction
is on the latch side where I have a support beam under the buildings' Main Load Bearing Beam.
It's in my sketchup file
OK .... now if what I've described makes sense and is conceptually correct ... I need to hear.
The 'split frame' concept proposed by Glenn makes absolute sense to maintain isolation.
The 'on site' consensus is that the structure we've built can support this.
Diagrams and pictures are always welcomed !!!!
And I do have a concern about the hinge side jamb being an exception to the 'separation'
rule. I believe Brian, you stated this ... ?!?!? I don't recall ... I need to understand why
this was proposed.
Gentlemen ... true to form ... nothing that is important can be too easy .... and I sincerely
thank-you for your continued patients AND guidance you have shared with me throughout
this process. Please excuse my sometimes attitude during this ... I have been without a
work room for more than 6 months ... and my heart is aching

Please bear with me.
Thank-you!