Split Garage Doors?

[evil_twin]

I have been tossing around this idea in my head. I would think it would be awesome if no one has ever done it yet.

Situation: Every now and then when I am working on the cars with my girlfriend, her girlfriends son (17months) will be with us. We don't like leaving him cooped up in a playpen while we're installing interior parts and such. (No we don't leave the doors closed and start the car while he's in there or leave fluids that he might get into). My garage is very safe and very clean when he is in there. Whatever the case, the weather has been getting very nice, and I enjoy having natural light in my 2 car garage. When the door is open, he likes to walk towards the driveway because it's on a slant. We don't like when he sits on the driveway because it's harder to keep an eye on him. Occasionally I will have my dog outside there with him so he can play with my dog also.

The Fix: Has anyone made a garage door that splits in half? If it's 4 panels up, what about dividing the panels, so it would block him and my dog from running around in the front yard without supervision? I figure I can have a pin that I can lock and unlock to make the garage split. The doors are wooden so they are very heavy.

So my question is, has anyone ever done this?

 

[ddawg16]

Not that I know of......but as a parent, I hear where you are coming from....

And the truth is....I think it's worth consideration....

I'm assuming you have a roll up door? If so, there is no reason your idea would not work.....with the door down, pull the pins so that the top half is not attached to the bottom half....hit the garage door opener button....and up goes the top half.....when you are done...hit the button again....

I think you have an outstanding idea......

BTW....our garage is in the back....we bought the house for that reason....we wanted to be able to let the kids play while we were in the garage.....and keep an eye on them.

In fact, I recently just put my roll up garage door back in after building my new garage. Each section is attached to the one above it with brackets that contain the rollers.....I'm not at home right now so I can't go look at it....but I don't think it would be too hard to make some like you describe.

You now realize that you NOW have to follow through with the idea....and POST pictures.

 

[rickairmedic]

Ok heres my question how wide is the door in question ? Why not just build a super sized baby gate to go across the opening which would still let light in and let the little guy see out but would keep him in the garage at least till he figures out he can climb it .

Rick

 

[heffneil]

Any fear of the little ones climbing up the back of the remaining door?

 

[ChrisE]

I'm no expert, but if you had a 4 panel door and somehow could detach two panels at the hinges, I think you might have issues with the spring as these are tensioned to counter the full weight of the door.

Just a thought.

 

[rickairmedic]

One other possible option would be to look at the screen door thread which might work well as well although yo might have to secure it to the sides with more than the velcro that comes with them.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34262


Rick

 

[TRTOOLSUPPLY]

Going up NO PROBLEM!!
Coming back down,NOW THAT'S WHERE THE FUN BEGINS!!!
Richard

 

[CarWashGuy]

A $10 solution for the dog and the baby

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3635639

 

[evil_twin]

Not that I know of......but as a parent, I hear where you are coming from....

And the truth is....I think it's worth consideration....

I'm assuming you have a roll up door? If so, there is no reason your idea would not work.....with the door down, pull the pins so that the top half is not attached to the bottom half....hit the garage door opener button....and up goes the top half.....when you are done...hit the button again....

I think you have an outstanding idea......

BTW....our garage is in the back....we bought the house for that reason....we wanted to be able to let the kids play while we were in the garage.....and keep an eye on them.

In fact, I recently just put my roll up garage door back in after building my new garage. Each section is attached to the one above it with brackets that contain the rollers.....I'm not at home right now so I can't go look at it....but I don't think it would be too hard to make some like you describe.

You now realize that you NOW have to follow through with the idea....and POST pictures.

ddawg, I really want to try it. Good thinking about buying a house with the garage door in the back. What I'm concerned about now is what ChrisE is saying with the spring tensions and such.

Ok heres my question how wide is the door in question ? Why not just build a super sized baby gate to go across the opening which would still let light in and let the little guy see out but would keep him in the garage at least till he figures out he can climb it .

Rick

I have thrown that idea around a bit, but as he gets older I know that he will get smarter and figure out how to knock the gate over. When my, recently deceased, dog was still around he would knock the gates that we had in the house over no matter what it took. We used to set up chairs against the gate, and he would clamp his teeth to the leg of the chair and pull it back. lol.

Any fear of the little ones climbing up the back of the remaining door?

At my girlfriends house, we use a 3 cushion couch to block a door way in the family room so Nathan try to wander around the house all day, and he will climb up the couch, but he will never climb over it. So I think I am good with him not climbing over the door for a while.

I'm no expert, but if you had a 4 panel door and somehow could detach two panels at the hinges, I think you might have issues with the spring as these are tensioned to counter the full weight of the door.

Just a thought.

Wouldn't the garage door motor be enough to hold against the spring tension when it's being pulled up with just the 2 panels? (Please correct me if I'm wrong, I don't want to break this door or motor ) Also, I was thinking that when the panels are detached, and I somehow managed to get the top half all the way up, putting a handle on the top half of the panels, and pulling the release handle for the motor and pulling the top half down by hand so I could attach the 2 halves together. Then just pressing the garage door button so the motor can catch the door at full closed.

One other possible option would be to look at the screen door thread which might work well as well although yo might have to secure it to the sides with more than the velcro that comes with them.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34262


Rick

Rick, I did see that thread. Someone as clumsy as I would forget about the screen and walk through it, as I have done it many times already with sliding screen doors, lol.

A $10 solution for the dog and the baby

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3635639

!!! I always joke around with my girlfriend that we should get him a lead and take him to the mall that way. hahaha.

 

[nova65ss]

Once the upper panels come up the two lower panels will want to shoot up off the floor due to the less weight. You will need to figure out a way to hold them down. The opener will likely not be able to lift the upper sections without help, it may for a while but will eventually tear it up.

It is not too difficult to just unbolt the top half of hinges across the door and give it a try. You can clamp off the lower sections with vice grips and lift it up by hand. You will need to be careful though it will not take much to get it off track if one side lifts higher than the other.

Is the door wood or steel?

 

[1500hd]

I don't think this will work very well. You will need to hold bottom sections down when you split the panels. Maybe by making some kind of a latch on the tracks to overcome the torsion springs wanting to lift the "light" door. You will also need a second roller on the bottom of the lower panel that you are lifting to keep it in track. There is no way any door operator is going to lift the dead weight of the two panels without spring assistment. This means you need to engineer some kind secondary spring system to use only when you split the doors.

 

[rickairmedic]

The doors are wood so I dont think splitting them is going to work for many of the reasons stated . I still think the screen door is your best bet . I have had many many peaple walk into my screen door and hasnt hurt it . My 2 YO grandson never tried to go through my screen door though which is what your after adults will try once or twice to go through till they remember its there .

Rick

 

[evil_twin]

Once the upper panels come up the two lower panels will want to shoot up off the floor due to the less weight. You will need to figure out a way to hold them down. The opener will likely not be able to lift the upper sections without help, it may for a while but will eventually tear it up.

It is not too difficult to just unbolt the top half of hinges across the door and give it a try. You can clamp off the lower sections with vice grips and lift it up by hand. You will need to be careful though it will not take much to get it off track if one side lifts higher than the other.

Is the door wood or steel?

I need to take a look at everything again before I actually do it. You are correct and I completely forgot that the cables ran to the bottom of the door. There is a way to lock the doors down with the original lock so that be my way of holding the door down.

I don't think this will work very well. You will need to hold bottom sections down when you split the panels. Maybe by making some kind of a latch on the tracks to overcome the torsion springs wanting to lift the "light" door. You will also need a second roller on the bottom of the lower panel that you are lifting to keep it in track. There is no way any door operator is going to lift the dead weight of the two panels without spring assistment. This means you need to engineer some kind secondary spring system to use only when you split the doors.

Hmmmmmm...

 

[gophergrove]

What about using one of those mesh retractable driveway safety fences used to keep kids from leaving the driveway? You can mount it just inside your garage door and pull it across when you want to keep the little guy in the garage. You might need to drill a mounting sleeve into the floor or come up with another method of fixing it in place but should be easier than modifying the garage door.

 

[evil_twin]

Very good idea. Now I would have to go and find one. I wonder how strong they are.

 

[gophergrove]

I'm not sure on their strength, I've only seen them driving by houses. I see them more as visual deterrents and to stop the errant rolling ball from leaving the property. I don't think they are designed to prevent a child from going through it since why would they, when put up across a driveway the child can just walk around it...
If you want something that cannot be climbed or pushed under then look at the mesh pool safety fences. They are not retractable and will require mounting holes every 3' or so drilled into the floor but are designed to keep kids from getting into pools so they will definitely keep yours from leaving the garage. My brother-in-law has one around his pool and it is very strong.

 

[tatra]

again an idea i had rolling around too and thought , naw, i'l get get thrown off here for thinking too far outta the box..........for me i am quite visible to the street and would like to have the upper panels raise so as to let in lite and a breeze but keep prying eyes out............

 

[tatra]

sorry double post

 

[kbs2244]

I see full door opening accordion style security gates in some parts of town.
They let you open the door, but still keep people from walking in and grabbing stuff.
They sit inside the regular door and fold into a stack at on side when they are opened.
The open squares are about 8 x 8 inches.

 

[galaxie64bs]

I have some older friends that have a small house and they use their garage for a play area for their grandsons so they don't have to chase them all over when they want to play outside. He took a piece of orange plastic snow fence and stretched it accross the door opening with a couple of small ropes threaded through the top and bottom, he put a couple of bungie cords on the ends of the rope for tension. He just rolls the fence up when it isn't needed. I thought he was a genius!

 

[6th Gear]

A $10 solution for the dog and the baby

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3635639

I clicked the link hoping it wasn't a shock collar