Door Locking Wood Wedge

[Breezy]

My husband built and installed carriage doors on an old outdoor building.

He did a fabulous job! He used old flooring for the inner facing boards...the old wood is just perfect! This building was so solidly built from property oak. The nasty old garage door was removed to better appreciate the construction. It really is that nice.

But then. He added these terribly ugly, yet (un)functional "holders" for a board to "lock" it. They are wrong, all wrong and just wrong. And ugly. Makes me cry, ugly. An entire fleet of them...to hold a 6 foot board. That I need a sledge hammer to "open." Sigh.

I care, because the building is MINE...squeeeee!!!!!!! I call it the She-Shack.

Anyhoo. You all know what it is I want, right?? Wrought iron thing of a bobs. Two, just two. To hold a short board. A simple piece of wood that turned, would have been OK, too...it was my original suggestion. For whatever reason, that was a "no".

What do I call and where do I find these???

[Breezy]

Well, I found gate latches/thumb latches, either of those would be perfectly acceptable and far preferable to...what happened!
Convincing him to change it, without hurting his feelings is another issue!

[wy_white_wolf]

A picture would help.

If you have what I'm imagining as a double door that swings out from the center then you need a locking board that reaches from jam to jam. Using a shorter board is less secure and can end up damaging the doors or not hold them tightly closed.

WWW

[Breezy]

Yes, you are imagining correctly. Double doors that swing out from center. Built w/X on the outside, the flat boards facing on the inside. I think it's about 6 ft? The building was used as a "garage"...but the door opening was a bit tight to pull a car into...so, not a hugely wide opening.

I really NEED the board all the way across, then?
But, some of the gate latches are soooo purty!! One of them wouldn't hold the doors together, well enough?

If so, then I'm back to my original question...which is there just has to be something that could hold a board securely, yet be functional (that I can open without need of tools) that would also satisfy my eyes. (x4, then)

This building is now a prettified garden shed, complete with seating area (w/both side doors open it catches a very nice breeze) that I can cool off/rest in while (not) gardening. I have very sensitive eyes (artist)

[redneck57]

i would have iron board holders made so the board would function as needed but would lift out. also with a pivoting lock installed the board can be looser to allow it to come out easily. then when you want to get in you pivot the lock up and lift the board.

now is the board inside or outside? if outside you can even add afew more iron holders so it can slide over instead of lift up.

also is this to keep intruders out? or just the critters and keep the doors closed.

again a picture would really help

[farminghandyman]

http://www.amazon.com/National-Hardw...xp_grid_pt_0_1

http://www.amazon.com/Mincraft-839-1...xp_grid_pt_0_2

[sisterpine]

Oh NO your husband binforized your she shack! My husband did that to a bed set I made. If nothing else find some good looking drape holders that you pull the drapes open and tuck behind. They would hold a board.