Ok I’m going batty with the barn door. It keeps freezing despite no debris on the track, no water dripping, and being sufficiently greased. It is a metal sliding door on my polebarn. The exact same door on the other side never does.
Any suggestions?
I have 3 large sliding doors on my barn, the South and the East door never freeze, the North door pretty much freezes shut every year. It’s the cold side that gets little sun.
YES ! pour a little salt ~ table salt on the door’s pathway ~ should fix the problem
[B]*** Here you go ~ just pour some table salt on the door’s pathway across the barn opening ``` all the way across `` every once in awhile should keep that door in ‘business’ !
Good - Luck ``` works on all my barn doors !
and of course ``` HAPPY & [/B]MERRY ! from my barn to yours !
[QUOTE=Chachie;7305508]
Ok I’m going batty with the barn door. It keeps freezing despite no debris on the track, no water dripping, and being sufficiently greased. It is a metal sliding door on my polebarn. The exact same door on the other side never does.
Any suggestions?[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Zu Zu;7307285]
[B]*** Here you go ~ just pour some table salt on the door’s pathway across the barn opening ``` all the way across `` every once in awhile should keep that door in ‘business’ !
Good - Luck ``` works on all my barn doors !
and of course ``` HAPPY & [/B]MERRY ! from my barn to yours ![/QUOTE]
Salt & metal, salt and concrete do not go well together. Get some of the pet safe ice melt.
Sorry ~ i apologize ``did not mean to offer poor advice ~
[I]sorry i did not mean to offer poor advice ~ i take it all back :lol:
[/I]
[QUOTE=LauraKY;7307301]
Salt & metal, salt and concrete do not go well together. Get some of the pet safe ice melt.[/QUOTE]
If you mean that the track is getting moisture that freezes you might , try a bit of 100% auto-antifreeze in the track. Dribble a bit on the high end and roll the door back and forth to distribute it. It will lubricate the track rollers too. Clean up any that drops to the ground. Unless embittered, animals like the sweet taste but it is poison. Also it ruins paint, so keep it away from any painted surfaces.
Before we got smart and changed to overhead doors, we had sliding doors in our barns.
We kept a large crow bar by each for just that.
With those 4’ metal bars with a pointy and flat ends, you could pry the door loose easily, by wedging the bar somewhere and heaving, or knocking it loose tapping on the bottom.
Hardware and automotive stores sell spray on lubricants for such doors.
I have this same problem. My paddock is stone dust and moisture in the ground (even when it hasn’t been raining) will cause it to freeze and swell. So annoying. I also keep a crow bar hanging from the barn door so that I won’t get frozen out. I am not sure about the salt…if it’s really cold you’ll just melt the ice enough to get a really good seal when it freezes again… 
WD-40. Just spray it liberally along the sticky track, Re-apply as necessary. It’s even listed as one of the 2000 uses for WD-40 on their web site 
Our present farm came with overhead doors that were not that old. They are not as “smart” as they may appear. Pretty darn difficult to lift up when the spring breaks and or slips. Pretty much impossible on a large one. Ask me how I know. Can be very difficult to repair by DIY. They can “rack” when hit by equipment or over time which makes them difficult lift. Unless one spends $$$ on really well made ones they are easily damaged and look crappy. I have pretty much replaced all of them and hope to get rid of the last 2 in the spring. They do have their place especially if the barn is not set up for sliders. And in certain locations. But I am not a big fan of the “garage” look. Though the more expensive ones have a very nice look to them. With our winter weather they freeze to the ground and require a pry bar at times to break free. If there is a rubber gasket on the bottom to keep snow from blowing under it rips off and becomes an eye sore.
The one slider that was here was problematic. But it was on the old style metal wheel and track system. Everything was replaced with the newer nylon ball and round track. In going on 10 years they have never gotten sticky or frozen. When they freeze at the bottom due to wet snow, like today, pretty easy to break free by just shaking the door.
I am a wood person easy to work with, fix, replace. And looks OK even when damaged. Have built 12’X 16’ board and batten and put up by myself.
It is important for easy function that the tracks are installed level and straight. Over time this may change. This may or may not apply to the OP’s question. OP if you do not have the “ball” tracks think about changing.
As always to each their own.
Low temp grease. http://www.dowcorning.com/applications/search/default.aspx?R=387EN
You’ll have to clean out all the old grease before re-greasing.
