The size and scope of farms seem to continually be on the rise, which is of course affecting farm buildings. Much of this increase can be attributed to the size of today’s larger equipment. This creates demand for better buildings that require a wider diversity of building materials. Contractors are constantly faced with the challenge of sourcing new products to meet the building owner’s demands.

One of the ways that Westman Steel is addressing these changing demands is with a newly launched bifold door product. These bifold doors are well suited for agricultural buildings, airplane hangars and other large commercial applications. This new product is manufactured by one of Westman Steel’s sister companies, Meridian – a leader in the agricultural industry and best known for their smooth-wall grain bins.

Each door is custom manufactured with options your customer can choose from. Standard features include: dual electric locks, push button controls, factory pre-wired with a CSA C22.2 No. 247-14 control box and pig tail and more.

Consider the following FAQs you can likely expect from your customers:

Will your door work for my building?

The doors can literally be mounted to any type of building.

Will I lose any head room in my building?

Not at all. By mounting the door hinges up in your truss, you should maintain the wall’s full height and clear opening. Westman Steel can also miter the corners of the door to fit your building’s profile, or they can extend up above your roofline to achieve the full clear opening.

Will I lose more heat from my insulated building with a bi-fold door?

In the closed position, a bifold door is sealed tight against the outside of your building. The insulation panel is fastened to the outside of the doorframe, creating a full thermal brake for the entire door. Conversely, a sectional door has wind pushing against it, which allows cold air to blow in from the sides. Ultimately, a bifold door will save you money on your heating bill.

Is a bifold door more expensive than an overhead sectional door?

Typically, sectional doors that are 18 feet in width and smaller are less expensive than their bifold counterparts. With that said, this is only relating to the initial purchase price. If you consider maintenance costs, you will find a bifold door is well worth the investment within a couple of years. A bifold door has very few moving parts compared to a sectional overhead door. Plus, Westman Steel’s bifold doors’ components are heavy duty and designed for commercial and industrial applications.