Tell me about your dutch doors and latches!

[Liezl223]

Hello,

We are building a barn and my builder has not made dutch doors before, so rather than re-invent the wheel here, Im looking for suggestions on what works and what doesn’t.

*As far as latches, I would like to be able to open then from the inside and outside so I don’t have to walk around the outside of the barn and go into individual paddocks to open. Cant figure this one out in a way that I can open but horses can’t! Thoughts?

*I saw somewhere online that it was suggested to sandwich a rubber mat between the wood on the bottom door for horses that like to kick/paw. (I have those horses) anyone done this? Not sure if it would finish well and since doors will be open most of the time, will this look good when doors are open to the exterior?

*system for holding doors open? Hook and eye? seems like could be dangerous?

*My openings are 4x8. both sections 4x4, or should bottom be higher?

*Chew guards on bottom door? any manufacturers you like or ways to do this and look very finished?

Thanks in advance to any comments…this is the best place ever to learn from experienced people!!

[Nestor]

Comments within the quote!

[QUOTE=Liezl223;8260729]
Hello,

We are building a barn and my builder has not made dutch doors before, so rather than re-invent the wheel here, Im looking for suggestions on what works and what doesn’t.

*As far as latches, I would like to be able to open then from the inside and outside so I don’t have to walk around the outside of the barn and go into individual paddocks to open. Cant figure this one out in a way that I can open but horses can’t! Thoughts?

Looking forward to seeing what others have done! I couldn’t figure out another way.

*I saw somewhere online that it was suggested to sandwich a rubber mat between the wood on the bottom door for horses that like to kick/paw. (I have those horses) anyone done this? Not sure if it would finish well and since doors will be open most of the time, will this look good when doors are open to the exterior?

Do you mean attach a mat to the bottom portion of the lower door? Aesthetics aside, if the horse paws/kicks, it may be worth it!

*system for holding doors open? Hook and eye? seems like could be dangerous?

I did a screw eye on both the door and the outside of the barn, with a double-ended snap to hold the doors open. But my dutch doors open into their paddocks which are at the back edge of the property, so looks are no concern. I haven’t had any issue with this set-up!

*My openings are 4x8. both sections 4x4, or should bottom be higher?

My doorways are also 4x8, and I did the top and bottoms at 4x4. The bottom door is plenty tall for the 17.3 monster who hates to be shut in his stall, so I’d say you’re good on size there! Most barns nowadays have only 7’ high doorways, so then you may need a taller bottom door, but not if you do 8’.

*Chew guards on bottom door? any manufacturers you like or ways to do this and look very finished?

I did this myself. Well, my handy SO did. I got angle iron, I think per a suggestion on here, which is just metal folded at a right angle, cut to the size I needed and drill a few holes and attach it to the doors. I used it on the top of the lower dutch doors and on both edges of the sliding doors in the aisle.

Thanks in advance to any comments…this is the best place ever to learn from experienced people!![/QUOTE]

[Highflyer]

We have latches like this: https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSpuYWAYneIt4_nGUe0zhEC8jcG0-20pFmAx9LhP1YbLWfZAj8p

When the door is closed and latched, drill a hole in the wood in the middle of the “U” of the latch. Screw a screweye into the hole with the openings facing to the side rather than up/ down (this way you can open close the latch)-- to horse proof, close the latch and then put a snap on the screw eye so that the latch can’t be opened without removing the snap.

[beowulf]

www.barndepot.com

they sell doors (WELL duh) but they also have blue prints of some of their doors for your builder to look over… they sell a lot of doors & hardware around the NE region, but ship anywhere.

[moving_to_dc]

Warning - my barn IS NOT a fancy schmancy show barn - it is functional and affordable, so my answers may not be what you are looking for…

[QUOTE=Liezl223;8260729]
*As far as latches, I would like to be able to open then from the inside and outside so I don’t have to walk around the outside of the barn and go into individual paddocks to open. Cant figure this one out in a way that I can open but horses can’t! Thoughts?

I had the same concern with my dutch doors, so I mounted the bottom sections latch horizontally on the outside of the door, and the top section latches vertically inside to the bottom section. That way they can swing as 1 full door, or just the bottom half. I can still access the stall from inside or outside without issue. I use the standard stall latches, but mine have the ability to put a snap/caribiner on them to lock them in the open or closed position.

*I saw somewhere online that it was suggested to sandwich a rubber mat between the wood on the bottom door for horses that like to kick/paw. (I have those horses) anyone done this? Not sure if it would finish well and since doors will be open most of the time, will this look good when doors are open to the exterior?

I think the rubber matt idea is a good one, and should look fine when opened. My doors are the typical red/white, and the decorative X pattern only shows when they are closed. When they are open, they are red center with a white frame, no X pattern. Just paint your frame white and it will look fine with a black center.

*system for holding doors open? Hook and eye? seems like could be dangerous?
My top door locks to my bottom door when open. My bottom door is secured with a small hook & eye, and you are right, it does concern me that somebody might catch an eyelid rubbing on the area where the hook is. But I also don’t want something bulky that sticks out to catch a shoulder…

*My openings are 4x8. both sections 4x4, or should bottom be higher?

Depends on how tall your horse is. If a 4’ bottom section is too low, then make the bottom taller than the top. No biggie.

*Chew guards on bottom door? any manufacturers you like or ways to do this and look very finished?

My chew guard is simply sheetrock corner guards held on with long screws every 6" or so on both sides. They’ve been up for 15 years and are still working. I wouldn’t recommend putting them on with nails, or short screws, or spacing the screws out over long distances.

Thanks in advance to any comments…this is the best place ever to learn from experienced people!![/QUOTE]

[Libby2563]

More comments within the quote!

[QUOTE=Liezl223;8260729]
Hello,

We are building a barn and my builder has not made dutch doors before, so rather than re-invent the wheel here, Im looking for suggestions on what works and what doesn’t.

*As far as latches, I would like to be able to open then from the inside and outside so I don’t have to walk around the outside of the barn and go into individual paddocks to open. Cant figure this one out in a way that I can open but horses can’t! Thoughts?

My top halves have twist latches so I can open them from inside. Once the top half is open I can reach out and open the standard sliding latch on the bottom. I did have a hard time finding twist latches but this page has a pic of what I’m talking about: http://www.horsekeeping.com/ask-cherry/20080412-latches.htm. I really like the functionality and my horses have never opened them. If they do, it’s just the top half anyway.

*I saw somewhere online that it was suggested to sandwich a rubber mat between the wood on the bottom door for horses that like to kick/paw. (I have those horses) anyone done this? Not sure if it would finish well and since doors will be open most of the time, will this look good when doors are open to the exterior?

Do your horses really kick/paw at the exterior doors often? IME that is more of an interior door issue, when they want food or attention. If you’re worried about it though, that sounds like a neat idea.

*system for holding doors open? Hook and eye? seems like could be dangerous?

My lower halves are held back with a small hook and eye and I haven’t had a problem. They stay latched even in high winds.

*My openings are 4x8. both sections 4x4, or should bottom be higher?

My openings are 4x7. 8 would have been better. The bottom is 4’ high but there’s a pressure-treated 6x6 underneath so the total height is 4’6". I wouldn’t be comfortable with much lower but I do think 4’ is about standard. 5’ would be quite high.

*Chew guards on bottom door? any manufacturers you like or ways to do this and look very finished?

My barn came with them so I can’t help you with sourcing but would DEFINITELY recommend them. Even horses that aren’t chewers in general seem to enjoy the top of a Dutch door.

Thanks in advance to any comments…this is the best place ever to learn from experienced people!![/QUOTE]

[Simkie]

[QUOTE=Libby2563;8261363]
My top halves have twist latches so I can open them from inside. Once the top half is open I can reach out and open the standard sliding latch on the bottom. I did have a hard time finding twist latches but this page has a pic of what I’m talking about: http://www.horsekeeping.com/ask-cher…12-latches.htm. I really like the functionality and my horses have never opened them. If they do, it’s just the top half anyway.[/QUOTE]

I have Plyco dutch doors installed by the builder, and these twist latches were used, installed in the bottom door. The top door connects to the bottom door with one of those sliding bolt latch things, and it’s on the outside. I can lock the doors closed with a snap in the handle to prevent it from turning.

To hold the bottom door back, an “L” shaped piece with a notch at the end was installed on the barn exterior and the handle of the twist handle locks into it. The upper door is held back with a little rotating piece that latches to a heavy eye bolt screwed into the barn exterior. When not in use, it’s flush with the side of the door and no pointy pieces stick out.

Oddly not the hardware on the plyco site, although their handle solution looks interesting.

Oh, here they are for sale: http://www.hardwareworld.com/Barn-Door-Latch--Black-p7OAKPT.aspx

Lots of hits with “barn door latch”

[keepjumping]

Just a thought that popped into my head for the top of a Dutch door…why not an old fashioned latchstring door with the latch on the outside (toward the paddock) and the string on the inside? String could be made short or recessed to keep horses from playing with it and then the latch could be opened from inside the stall. Bottom door could have a standard slide latch on the outside (easy to open once top door was open)

Something like this, although I’ve seen it done with regular metal latches as well.
https://astriddegroot.wordpress.com/2011/09/28/double-shed-doors/

[airhorse]

We use one of these on the upper and lower door.

http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/596662-hillman-swinging-door-latch.html

[2DogsFarm]

[QUOTE=airhorse;8261677]
We use one of these on the upper and lower door.

http://www.farmandfleet.com/products/596662-hillman-swinging-door-latch.html[/QUOTE]

I have these & one horse figured out how to fiddle with them (from both inside & out) & let himself out.
Not cool when I am keeping them in for shoer or vet :mad:

My redneck solution is to tie the latch shut on the outside with baling twine or a double-ended snap.

The catch that holds the doors open from the outside is pretty safe - metal folded back on itself, so minimal sharp edges and covered by the door itself when latched open.

[DiamondJubilee]

http://www.systemfence.com/Barn_Door_Latches

This is what we use for our dutch doors to get into the barn. I never thought of putting them in a stall, but I can’t see why not. The inside latch (with the bar type handle) would be very difficult for a horse to figure out as you have to move it straight up. We have that inside the barn and the “human” handle on the outside. Its a really nice latch!

[airhorse]

@2DogsFarm;8262296

I have these & one horse figured out how to fiddle with them (from both inside & out) & let himself out.
Not cool when I am keeping them in for shoer or vet :mad:

Solution 1, heat the connecting rod with a torch and rotate one set of handles 90 degrees. You end up with two vertical handles on on side of the door and we just drop a rod with a short 90 on the end through the holes in the handles. Just turning the handle works for some horses.

Solution 2, put a clip on the handle.

Of course this locks the door from on side, so we alternate doors where possible or prefer to lock on the outside so you can always get in.

[Jarpur]

As far as chew guards, we’ve used ones from this company: http://countrymfgstore.com/hochgu.html; service was fast and shipping is included with an order of four pieces or more.

Only note is that the holes (for screws) on the top and sides are lined up with each other, so one must choose to use the top OR side hole for fastening at each location (perhaps not if using very short screws? but we didn’t want to do that). Hasn’t been an issue with our application, as these are so stout they didn’t require using each and every hole for a fastener in order to keep them in place, but it might be in some circumstances.

[bdj]

I have twist latches on my dutch doors (installed by the builder). The hold backs protrude a bit, but no problems with them so far… I haven’t needed to “lock” them shut, but if I do, a bolt snap or a carabiner should do the trick.

[fordtraktor]

TI had those twist latches on my Dutch doors when I bought my farm. One of my horses easily figured out that if he lunged against the door repeatedly he could pop the latch. So I went back and installed a traditional sliding latch below it on all the doors. I wouldn’t rely on those alone to keep a horse in, just an FYI. They work fine, until they don’t. I had them snapped shut with a double end snap too, he could still pop them. If I don’t have the second latch done now he lets himself out in about 30 seconds of being put in the stall. I had another horse that would do the same thing, so it isn’t just that this horse is some sort of Houdini.

They are nice in that you can run a double end snap from them to a loop of twine attached to a screw eye to tie the door back. Safer than a hook. I still use them for that and just have double latches on the doors.