[Sleeper]

I have double folding louver doors without a track at the bottom. I love the door but I need to latch the bottom without having to bend over because the cats push their way through the door.

I do not want the cats in the room and most of the time I have my hands full going in and out of the room. A latch in the middle doesn’t work and I tried a hook on the bottom, but it is such a pain in the back trying to latch it plus I forget about it when going in and almost rip the door off its hinges.

It would be nice to have a latch handle in the middle with maybe a brass rod connected to a latch on the bottom like they have in metal cabinets. Anybody see such a thing?

 

[joek30296]

Would something like this work?
http://www.lowes.com/pd_309007-4688...olt&pl=1&currentURL=?Ntt=foot+bolt&facetInfo=

Looks like the one we used to install where I worked. Press with foot to latch, press with foot to unlatch (spring loaded). Pretty simple to install.

 

[Sleeper]

Umm, now that's interesting!
I may buy a couple of those for some other doors I have, but I'm not sure if I want a hole in the floor at this location. I have carpet right now and I may replace it with hardwood flooring eventually, but I have to think about that. It will work and and may look better that a 3ft bar.
Anyway thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Sleeper]

I may have to make something of my own and I was thinking about buying two of these Shutter Bar/Door Latch with some 3/32 brass tubing and tie them together with stiff wire.

 

[durdyolman]

A possible alternative

I have double folding louver doors without a track at the bottom. I love the door but I need to latch the bottom without having to bend over because the cats push their way through the door.

I do not want the cats in the room and most of the time I have my hands full going in and out of the room. A latch in the middle doesn’t work and I tried a hook on the bottom, but it is such a pain in the back trying to latch it plus I forget about it when going in and almost rip the door off its hinges.

It would be nice to have a latch handle in the middle with maybe a brass rod connected to a latch on the bottom like they have in metal cabinets. Anybody see such a thing?

It would be interesting to know what the room is used for, and why the doors are there. How often do you go through? If the door is only to keep the cats out, you may be able to leave the doors open and train the cats to stay out. If there are aesthetic reasons for the door, or you need to keep heat/AC separate, etc. then the problem does exist. Could a couple strong magnets at the bottom help avoid a hole in the carpet and still keep the cats out?

Just thinking...:blink:

 

[Chataigner]

Something like this perhaps :

http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/prod...r_pour_porte_vachette__coloris_gris&numpage=1

These are used on "french windows" everywhere here, but no idea where you would find one in the US...

 

[cabinetman]

How about just spring loaded hinges like this.

.

 

[Sleeper]

It would be interesting to know what the room is used for, and why the doors are there. How often do you go through? If the door is only to keep the cats out, you may be able to leave the doors open and train the cats to stay out. If there are aesthetic reasons for the door, or you need to keep heat/AC separate, etc. then the problem does exist. Could a couple strong magnets at the bottom help avoid a hole in the carpet and still keep the cats out?

Just thinking...:blink:

Well the room is a 10x11 room off of the master bedroom that I use as my study/computer room and my wife also has one side for her sewing stuff. I originally put in the doors so I don’t disturb the wife for when I can’t sleep, but found it was also useful in keeping the cats out.

I don’t like the cats in there because they get into the sewing stuff and I’ve stepped on my wife's pin cushion more than once. Stepping on bobbins also hurts pretty good in your bare feet and they pull the thread of the sewing machine and drag it all over the place.

They love to roll around in the sewing pattern paper and they do a pretty good job of messing up my important papers as well. I just can’t leave anything on my desk because they will find a way to make my life miserable and training them is not an option.

As far as heat/cooling goes, the doors are louvered so air can pass through freely. I'm not sure about magnets, but I guess its worth a try.

 

[Sleeper]

How about just spring loaded hinges like this.

.

Well I just don’t know. I guess they are called Bi-fold doors and I just don’t know how it would work.

 

[cabinetman]

Well I just don’t know. I guess they are called Bi-fold doors and I just don’t know how it would work.

They keep the doors straight, until you go to open them and then there's the spring action, that returns them to straight.

.

 

[Sleeper]

They keep the doors straight, until you go to open them and then there's the spring action, that returns them to straight.

.

I had a latch in the middle to keep my grandson out when he was little and it held the doors closed, but without a track on the bottom to keep them inline the cats push the bottom in enough to squeeze in.

 

[durdyolman]

Another thought

Perhaps 2 strips (1x5 +/-) on the back and front of one of the doors that the other door could slide into. No hole in floor/cats in room.

 

[Sleeper]

Perhaps 2 strips (1x5 +/-) on the back and front of one of the doors that the other door could slide into. No hole in floor/cats in room.

Interesting! I’ll have to experiment with that to see how it will work, Thanks

 

[durdyolman]

Interesting! I’ll have to experiment with that to see how it will work, Thanks

With all the different tips on the problem you might think there is more than one way to skin a.....

 

[Sleeper]

Perhaps 2 strips (1x5 +/-) on the back and front of one of the doors that the other door could slide into. No hole in floor/cats in room.

Well that was actually way too easy so I didn’t have to spend any money at all for that fix. :thumbsup::smile: Thanks again

 

[durdyolman]

Well that was actually way too easy so I didn’t have to spend any money at all for that fix. :thumbsup::smile: Thanks again

Simple solutions to major problems. Enjoy.

 

[durdyolman]

Let us know how it worked out.

 

[Sleeper]

Let us know how it worked out.

It works great and the only thing I’m going change is replace the wood with brass door striker plates. I know I have some around because I’ve replaced some door locks recently and they always supply new ones with each lock assembly. :thumbsup:

I'll either bend the inside tab or cut it off with a Dremal tool

Oh I forgot to mention that the cats are pissed.

 

[FrankC]

Do you have theses brackets on the backs of your doors?

http://www.swisco.com/Door-Aligner-Pair/pd/Wood-Folding-Closet-Door-Replacement-Accessories/23-139

 

[Sleeper]

Do you have theses brackets on the backs of your doors?

http://www.swisco.com/Door-Aligner-Pair/pd/Wood-Folding-Closet-Door-Replacement-Accessories/23-139

Oh yes I do, but they look a little dangerous. I’d hate scrape my ankle on one of those in the middle of the night. :no: Thanks anyway Frank