I Could Use Some Help With Door Designs in the Run

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I'm framing in a human door with 2x4.
I also need a chicken door.
I have 3 strap hinges for the human door, a handle, a latch. I even have eye screws and cable to use if necessary.
For the chicken door I have 2 regular hinges for the top and a latch for the bottom.

I could use some ideas on the best ways to go about designing them for strength and economy.
Here is where I have begun framing in for the human door. The opening will be 29" wide and 57" in height (above the kickboard)

Here is how I am planning on placing the uprights.

Here is how I'm thinking of fixing the bottom of the uprights.

Somewhere along the bottom, I need a chicken door.
I have not come up with anything yet.

 

[Shadrach]

A tip for your human door. Have the door close onto rather than into the frame at the top and bottom at least. This means you don't need a tolerance for the door to open and close in all weathers. Wood moves around a lot and often the gap to ensure the door fits in the frame is enough for weasels and rats to fit through the gap. Get the tolerance too tight and the door will stick when the wood contracts and expands.
Think house doors with door jambs.

 

[mowin]

I'm framing in a human door with 2x4.
I also need a chicken door.
I have 3 strap hinges for the human door, a handle, a latch. I even have eye screws and cable to use if necessary.
For the chicken door I have 2 regular hinges for the top and a latch for the bottom.

I could use some ideas on the best ways to go about designing them for strength and economy.
Here is where I have begun framing in for the human door. The opening will be 29" wide and 57" in height (above the kickboard)

View attachment 3501567

Here is how I am planning on placing the uprights.

View attachment 3501568

Here is how I'm thinking of fixing the bottom of the uprights.

View attachment 3501569

Somewhere along the bottom, I need a chicken door.
I have not come up with anything yet.

View attachment 3501571

Your on the right path. You don't need those bottom brackets. Just use screws to toenail the board to bottom joist. As far as the door, I'd build it out of 1x6 lumber with some "x" bracing for support.

I would also have put the flooring on before the wall framing.

On a side note, maybe we'll be neighbors some day. Wife and I are planning on moving to east Tennessee in a couple years after she retires.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Your on the right path. You don't need those bottom brackets. Just use screws to toenail the board to bottom joist. As far as the door, I'd build it out of 1x6 lumber with some "x" bracing for support.

I would also have put the flooring on before the wall framing.

On a side note, maybe we'll be neighbors some day. Wife and I are planning on moving to east Tennessee in a couple years after she retires.

Thank you!

It won't have a floor, as it's a run. I will be building a coop on the back.

I wondered about toenailing, but thought maybe using the brackets would be sturdier? It's complicating the fit, though.

I'd like to use the 2x4s I already bought for the doors, if possible. This has cost me much more than I'd originally imagined.

What part of TN are you thinking of? Lots of folks from NY have fled here. One of my best friends came from Potsdam and my son married a girl from Poughkeepsie and her family moved down, too.

 

[mowin]

Thank you!

It won't have a floor, as it's a run. I will be building a coop on the back.

I wondered about toenailing, but thought maybe using the brackets would be sturdier? It's complicating the fit, though.

I'd like to use the 2x4s I already bought for the doors, if possible. This has cost me eat more than I'd originally imagined.

What part of TN are you thinking of? Lots of folks from NY have fled here. One of my best friends came from Potsdam and my son married a girl from Poughkeepsie and her family moved down, too.

Johnson City and points NE. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

So if this is a run, will the chickens be locked up at night in the coop? If so, I'd frame the door with 2x4's with cross bracing and cover with HC.

 

[mowin]

That's just an example image that I found.

That would work well for the door framing. Cover with HC using fender washer's and screws or sandwich the HC between the doorframe and some additional 1xs.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

I made the chicken door first to see how it went.
I went for 45s and, sadly, saw a little splitting because I didn't predrill.
It is not attached as yet because I've not put up the wire.

I put a filler board at the bottom that will hold the rest of the latch, but there is a 3/16" gap I will need to deal with.

Then I did the big door.
Very heavy. Hopefully, it will lose half its weight after it dries out.
I made the door 29"x 60" so it will sit on top of the frame.
The hinges I bought will not work. I've got to figure something out.

The bottom layer is mitered to 45 again, but that weakness makes me nervous.

So the top layer is all cut out so I can put my equipment away before the rain, but I won't put it together until I get the wire.

I am hoping that the long diagonal will be the magic bullet that slays gravity, or at least wounds it severely.

I will also put a support board below it to keep the weight off the upright. I'm thinking of adding a double joist.

Because I just figured it out as I went, I know I did not build as efficiently as I'd hoped. I had really tried to find someone who had already done it and go from their plans, but I couldn't find one.

 

[mowin]

Think you're going a great job. I'd almost think about building out the top of the pop door so it's level. Kinda like a mini dormer.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

A tip for your human door. Have the door close onto rather than into the frame at the top and bottom at least. This means you don't need a tolerance for the door to open and close in all weathers. Wood moves around a lot and often the gap to ensure the door fits in the frame is enough for weasels and rats to fit through the gap. Get the tolerance too tight and the door will stick when the wood contracts and expands.
Think house doors with door jambs.

Oooh, I like that. It might make it easier for me to not have to be so exact, as well. It is really the close tolerances that have had me nervous - how to make it as tight as possible without getting stuck.

 

[LifeSimpleAndSweet]

Johnson City and points NE. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

So if this is a run, will the chickens be locked up at night in the coop? If so, I'd frame the door with 2x4's with cross bracing and cover with HC.

Very close to where I am.
Please feel free to message me about anything.
What are you wanting to get away from and what are you hoping to find?

Okay - I'm ASSUMING there is a private messaging thing on this site.

Yes, they will be locked up.
Would this be a good option?

I think my strap hinges are not going to work...
I feel like this should not be this complicated. LOL

You should see where I have been!
https://homesteadlaboratory.blogspot.com/2014/06/gate-brace-math.html
https://diy.stackexchange.com/quest...nfiguration-of-a-cross-brace-on-a-wooden-gate