Door restraint?

[Nodge]

I've converted my garage to an office and in the summer I often leave the door open to get a little fresh air. The garage door opens outwards and if the wind catches it, it really can fly open. To stop it actually hitting the wall I attached a chain at the top to limit it's movement to about 90 degrees. Last week though the wind caught it again and it flew open so fast that when the chain stopped it I think the whole door must have twisted and the glass broke. As it was pretty tatty anyway I've now fitted a new door and want to prevent the same thing happening again. What I need is some sort of dampening device to stop it opening too quickly and to limit it's movement. I've looked at those automatic door closing mechanisms but I don't think that's what I want.

Anyone got any suggestions?

TIA

John

[Cicero]

================================== A couple of sand bags or a pair of sliding wedges would do until you find the perfect solution.

Cic.

[mike]

"Nodge" wrote in news:0S0qi.3217$ [e-mail]:

It's a bit crude, but I've got the same problem with my outward openeing garage personal door, and I cant find a restraint to suit.

So I've got a little spring loaded prop, one each side, and I put the door where I want it, and drop them both.

Problem is, I don't know where to get them.

Screwfix useter stock, BAFAICS don't now.

But someone mau know, and they solve my problem

mike

[Roger]

The message from "Nodge" contains these words:

Why not? Surely if used in conjunction with a convenient weight as a door stop it would keep the door in whatever position you wanted.

Or just use a long reach bolt and drill holes in the ground wherever you want to park the door.

[Nodge]

I'm using a simple wedge at the moment but the problem is we keep a freezer in the garage just inside the door and my wife and daughter are always popping in there to the freezer and just leave the door ajar and would never be bothered with bolts or wedges. It really does need to be some sort of automatic device that just damps the opening of the door. I think I had in mind something like the gas struts you have on car boots but don't they just act as springs rather than dampers?

John

[Roger]

The message from "Nodge" contains these words:

In such circumstances I think a door closer coupled with a big weight as a door stop should work.

I would have thought the door closer would return the door to the door stop in whatever position you chose to leave the door stop without window shattering force even though you would not get the final gentle closure that should accompany full closure. The only downside is that your family would need to avoid tripping over the doorstop.

As an alternative to a ground based door stop you could make up one acting on the top of the door. I don't know if they are still available but 50 years ago my father had devices fitted to his garage double doors that held them open and provided an easy means of closing. In essence these were pivoted bars attached to the free end of each door and sliding through a unit attached to the door lintel. The unit latched in the open position and was shut by a string running from the latch to an eye on the door. Pulling on the string opened the latch and provided the motive force to close the door. If you fitted one of these and an automatic door closer all you would need extra would be a clamp to attach to the bar to give an intermediate stop. The wind is still going to move the door around a bit but a rubber pad or a spring behind the clamp should provide additional damping akin to the gentle closure you get when the automatic closer fully closes the door.