Latches for internal double doors

[pelago]

The door frame for my living room entrance is approx 1960mm high, 1140mm wide, currently occupied by wooden and glazed double doors, each door approx 570mm wide.

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• pelago
• 13 Nov 2008
• 1

The problem is at the moment is that they are latched using a couple of magnetic latches at the top of the door stops, as you might use on cupboard doors.

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• pelago
• 13 Nov 2008
• 1

There are no mortice latches and the knobs are just glued on.

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• pelago
• 13 Nov 2008
• 1

This is rather unsatisfactory, as currently when trying to shut the doors they tend to bang loudly and rebound.

What latch options are there for double doors, something that would give a more satisfactory closing and opening action? Many thanks in advance.

 

[gregers]

you could try using some sliding bolts,or a pair of flush bolts and a latch and handles.

 

[pelago]

Thanks. So basically you're saying that if I wanted a mortice latch and handle (which I would like as that would match other doors in the house) I need to have one door bolted? That's what I was afraid of, the problem being that just having one door in normal use would be a bit too narrow, especially if carrying something.

I suppose I could replace the doors with one normal width one, and a sidelight the correct width to fill the rest of the gap. On the other hand, it is sometimes quite helpful to have the full width of the doorway available, such as when moving furniture.

Here's a thought - can you get extremely narrow doors? I could have a normal door on the left, and a very narrow door on the right which would spend most of its time bolted, but could be unbolted when necessary? I'm sure I've seen such a thing in an old office I used to work in, but I don't know what such things are called.

Or if that was too ambitious and I wanted to stick with the two 570mm width doors, do people think ball latches at the top might be better than magnetic? Any other advice?

 

[Symptoms]

pel - if you don't need to lock these doors why not consided removing the door stops and existing hinges, swap the hinges for double action sprung jobbies to create a type of saloon door ... yes, they'll open both ways but will no longer crash/bang and will always come to rest closed.

 

[pelago]

Symptoms - I don't need to lock these doors, in fact most of the time they are open, except closed at night to stop the cat scratching the furniture. Actually, I expect the cat would be able to push them open if just a swing door, so maybe this wouldn't work!

I quite like the idea of a 'door and a half' that I mentioned in my last post. In fact, I'm almost tempted to modify the doors I've got - putting in longer rails on the wide door and shortening the rails on the narrow door. Opinions?

 

[Symptoms]

pel - no way a moggy could push open these hinges unless it's Tarzan's chum. You can even get a type that you can adjust to make easier/harder to open.

 

[Graham15045]

I have been looking for a double door catch and have found this:-
http://www.bkservicesonline.co.uk/s...uct_info&cPath=115_475_1090&products_id=15601

Hope it helps