simple but sturdy screen door lock from both sides
March 17, 2022 2:08 PM Subscribe
Our dog Stevie Nicks has learned that if she bashes into the screen door on our patio enough she can get it open and go through into the non-dog part of the yard. How can we keep that door closed even if she bashes it?
We have a screened in patio, with a dog door to it from the house, and yet another dog door from the patio into "her" half of the yard. There's a screen door for people into the other half of the yard.
She likes "her" half but, well, forbidden fruit is sweet.
We could probably do hooks on both sides of the door, but 1) it would have to be quite a hook and 2) inevitably someone would get stuck on one side or the other with the hook latched on the side they can't get to.
WHAT I'M IMAGINING: a U shaped latch on the door. The arms of the U can either hang down (door is openable) or be swung up so they keep the door locked. One arm of the U is on the outside, one arm of the U is on the inside, the bottom of the U is through the door itself and the arms spin freely around it. Moving the outside arm moves the inside arm, and vice versa. A person could not get locked on either side but Stevie Nicks (the dog) could. There's probably a little nub on the doorframe that holds the arm horizontal when it is locked, when it is unlocked it swings freely. Does this exist? Is there a better solution? Should I, heaven forbid, try and hack this together?
I mentioned the dog so I will pay the tax, which also illustrates what we are up against.
We have a screened in patio, with a dog door to it from the house, and yet another dog door from the patio into "her" half of the yard. There's a screen door for people into the other half of the yard.
She likes "her" half but, well, forbidden fruit is sweet.
We could probably do hooks on both sides of the door, but 1) it would have to be quite a hook and 2) inevitably someone would get stuck on one side or the other with the hook latched on the side they can't get to.
WHAT I'M IMAGINING: a U shaped latch on the door. The arms of the U can either hang down (door is openable) or be swung up so they keep the door locked. One arm of the U is on the outside, one arm of the U is on the inside, the bottom of the U is through the door itself and the arms spin freely around it. Moving the outside arm moves the inside arm, and vice versa. A person could not get locked on either side but Stevie Nicks (the dog) could. There's probably a little nub on the doorframe that holds the arm horizontal when it is locked, when it is unlocked it swings freely. Does this exist? Is there a better solution? Should I, heaven forbid, try and hack this together?
I mentioned the dog so I will pay the tax, which also illustrates what we are up against.
Sounds like a variation on the standard chain link fence lock would work. The arms are up when in the open position, not down (so gravity holds them in place when locked, no doorframe nub needed), but otherwise it's basically what you're describing.
posted by Lexica at 2:30 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Lexica at 2:30 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
I've got a friend who had a related problem with the gate to her backyard. She wound up getting this latch, drilling a small hole through the gate, and running a length of cable through the hole and connecting to the hole on the part of the latch that swings up up. Pulling on the cable unlatches the gate from the other side.
posted by adamrice at 3:15 PM on March 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by adamrice at 3:15 PM on March 17, 2022 [2 favorites]
Since dogs and babies are roughly the same, you could try a childproofing latch like this one (I've used that one, it's very nice. And it's a little non-obvious from the pics but it does open easily from either side) - though I'm not sure it will work nicely on a screen door if it's one of the really thin ones.
posted by brainmouse at 4:50 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by brainmouse at 4:50 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
What's the existing hardware? or is there none, and it's just the door's weight and/or a spring?
posted by snuffleupagus at 4:53 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by snuffleupagus at 4:53 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]
Ah, we had a beardie mix! I am a little confused, do you have any sort of latch on the door at all right now? Any hardware store will have a number of different screen/storm door latches and locks, why not just start there?
posted by rockindata at 5:02 AM on March 18, 2022
posted by rockindata at 5:02 AM on March 18, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Lyn Never at 2:24 PM on March 17, 2022 [1 favorite]