Does anyone have pictures of a Dutch door that doesn't have a 50 / 50 split?

[PonyRiderMom]

I hope that questions makes sense. It looks like I’m going to convert half of my barn into a run-in. There are already two Dutch doors, more or less near the ends of the long side, so they are in a good place. However, one is 30 inches wide (!) and one is 40 inches wide, so I will be replacing them with new doors that would be a full four feet wide. I love the look and functionality of the Dutch doors, and I would like my new doors to be Dutch doors also.

However, the way the ones I have now are set up, and the way I’ve always seen them, they have a 50 / 50 split, meaning the door is cut in half exactly at the middle of the door. This looks really nice, but for my situation I’m not sure it’s a great idea. This ends up barely coming up higher than the lower part of my big guy’s chest, and he has a history of making poor decisions, so I’m hoping to make the bottom half of the door higher, so that he doesn’t get any ideas about jumping out or something.

I’m just not sure how it would look. Of course functionality is the most important thing, but esthetics are nice also. I’m wondering if I go with a 60 / 40 split, if it would look OK. Does anyone have a set up like this that they could take a picture of and post?

Or even just tell me if there’s some way to Google this. My searches so far haven’t been very effective.

Thank you!

[Demerara_Stables]

How tall are the doors you have? Coming up to the lower part of the chest sounds like the doors are too short or the flooring is too high. All of the doors I’ve seen are 50/50 and the window goes no lower than the base of the neck for even really big horses.

[js]

What about something like this?

[PonyRiderMom]

They are 78 inches high (6.5 feet). Big guy will have to learn to duck. The barn roof slopes down on this end. There’s a massive beam that supports the roof here as well. So I don’t think the doors can be made any taller.

[PonyRiderMom]

Does that metal gate-y part swing open on separate hinges? I’m wondering how you get the door all the way open…

[Demerara_Stables]

Ah ok. Mine are 7’ tall.

There are some good ideas on the Lucas Equine website: https://www.lucasequine.com/photo_gallery_view.php?id=13 including yolks and mesh gates with a dutch door that goes over it.

[endlessclimb]

Who cares what it looks like, if it’s functional. With that short of an opening, a 60/40 wouldn’t look weird, but they will have to duck to see out the upper opening.

[Simkie]

Here’s a pic of a dutch door with a taller bottom door:

Dutch Door Package + Black HW — Barn Depot

Here’s another:

Exterior Dutch Doors | Wooden 4x7 Dutch Door with Window | Dutch doors...

And another:

How to Build Dutch Barn Doors

One more:

Custom Dutch Barn Doors | Standard Doors for Horse Barns

I don’t think it looks weird at all, but if you don’t like the look, don’t do cross bucks on the top. Put in a window or brace it in a different way, so you’re not visually comparing the different cross buck angles between top and bottom.

(Btw I just googled barn dutch door size and flipped over to images. Tons of examples for you!)

[PonyRiderMom]

That’s a good idea to not use the cross bucks on the top, so it looks visually different. Of course, now I need to try to visualize THAT haha. Maybe I’ll get out some drafting paper and see what I can do. I just find seeing pictures of actual doors is much more helpful then seeing a drawing. Thank you!

[Simkie]

Another option would be to make the space for the cross bucks the same size. Since your bottom door is taller, make the horizonal board at at the bottom thicker to reduce your cross buck space to the same as your top door.

Sort of like how this door has a thicker board at the bottom.

Pin by Rita Miranda on Casa | Dutch doors exterior, Dutch doors diy, Dutch door

Aha, like so. Not full cross bucks, but the bottom door is taller, and the space for cross bucks is the same, because of that thicker bottom board. Looks nice!

32. Opened Dutch Door | Dutch doors diy, Dutch door, Modern front door

[PaddockWood]

Look down this thread and you’ll find a taller lower door:
https://horseadvice.com/horse/messages/3/218726.html

Mine are conventional sized but I do highly recommend Silvercraft out of Indiana. Amish owned
and the doors are SO nicely built.
https://www.keimcompany.com/sites/default/files/2023-03/Silvercraft%20Catalog%202023%20[DIGITAL].pdf

I would add I think it would look OK - just need to make sure if you stall your horses that they can hang their head out.

[endlessclimb]

I tried to get in touch with these guys and they wouldn’t respond. I’ll try again - my chincy doors will work for the remainder of the year but won’t make it 2 years I don’t think.

[PaddockWood]

Interesting. And that is disappointing they wouldn’t at least respond! Maybe they only work through builders.