Wind Breaks for 4 x 8 door openings

[whitney]

I was at my WITS end was going to try carpet but that was too expensive plus it wasn't waterproof.

Was walking through my garage the other day and the LIGHTBULB came on. I have an extra garage mat its 8'x20' heavy duty rubber in green cost me 125.00 4 years ago. I can get 4 doors out of it with 12" of overlap on each door.

However what would be the best way to hang it? I thought grommets and (2) 2x4 with bolts that I could sandwich the mat between? What do you think the spacing should be for the grommets? I was thinking of 2 1/2 foot strips 2 for each opening?

ANY suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

I just went looking I got mine at SAMS Club they now have a CLEAR one, for those of you that don't have one already, I think clear would be better.

 

[JanBKS]

Whitney how heavy are they, or thick, will they be able to walk threw them easy or be to heavy for them to go threw, maybe make them thinner like those ones they use in the freezers,, not sure how wide the strips are maybe 6 or 8 inches wide, that way you could part the center ones until they get used to going threw them and let one on each side down after they go threw with out a problem, just in case they get shy about passing threw it.

Just a suggestion, I was wanting to get some of those clear plastic kind for my barn of big horses, the minis have an ok shelter. Not sure where to get those either, but maybe Farm tech on line.

As far as hanging them, gromets would work, but I am sure as long as you put it between 2 two by fours that would work good, I would use screws though drill the holes first that way you can replace a strip if needed easier. And make sure there are at least two screws on each strip depending on how wide you make them.

hope that helps

Jan

 

[Marty]

[SIZE=36pt]Enter Big Font Woman[/SIZE]

If you are thinking of doing what I think you are thinking of doing, it may not work.

Not sure I understand completely but one year in Florida we cut strips of screening to put on the barn door opening to help keep bugs out. Guess what ? Not one horse would go through it.

Do something cheap like out of paper or something to test drive first

 

[Connie Ballard]

An engineer friend of ours bought clear plastic that WalMart sells on a roll in the fabric department...its really a plastic table cloth he said. They cut it in strips about 6" wide and hung them from the top of their barn door...worked great cause he was only hanging one at a time (close to each other like they were one big piece...but since hanging separate the weight and the wind cant grab it and rip it off. Not sure how he hung them but know last I saw them...still hanging nice and he doesnt take them down.

 

[esty]

The best thing ever are the strips of clear plastic like the stores use for cold storage. They are inexpensive, clear, lets light in but keeps wind out. Try Farmtech online. Second choise is the strips at the front of the carwash, you can get them for free when they are being replaced.

 

[The Simple Life Farm]

Sounds like you are trying to make a "doggy door" for horses. Good idea, let us know how it works.

 

[whitney]

You guys ROCK!

Hi Marty I've test driven about 3 different options and Dusty LOVES busting through the door. He's like

TA DA I've arrived as he comes through the various curtains at a gallop and skids to halt, flips around and runs back through.

So far I've tried a TARP, that wasn't heavy enough even with weights on the bottom our west wind just whipped it like a flag, Home Depos clear carpet protector cut in 6" strips that wasn't heavy enough either whipped like a dying octopus Dusty was NOT thrilled with that option.

Walmarts heavy clear plastic table cloth protector that was the most flag like. I have SERIOUS WEST WIND.

I looked into the stuff made to do this job but it was 200.00 per DOOR!

The garage floor mat is heavier than all the above but still really flexible. I think the wider I make the strips the less likely it will be to take flight.

 

[JanBKS]

Whitney were do you get them floor mats, I am guessing they are thinner than the floor mats we use in the stalls.

The only stores around here are Tractor Supply, 84 Lumber, a few small hardware stores and Walmart, some great choices we have and you still have to travel 12 miles to them.

If you get a chance see how thick those mats are will you Please, I need to do something my poor Quarter Horse Stallion always has snow in his stall from the west wind blowing in.

Keep us updated on your progress

ttyl

Jan

 

[REO]

I have often wondered about making an "L" shaped wall that comes out from the doorway. I mean like those walls you see around public bathrooms. (for a wind block) The wind could not come straight in, then a lighter kind of material could be used to block the cold.

 

[JanBKS]

Yep thought of that too REO, but being by myself and being OLD it's kinda hard to get up on a ladder, and to keep paying for someone to do stuff like that well retirement money only goes so far.

now its to cold here to even think of doing an L alcove, maybe in the spring.

 

[whitney]

I REALLY appreciate you guys input.

I went to the hardware at lunch to scope out a way to hang them and the lady cashier showed me some plastic tarp clips that I think will be the ticket. The mats have ridges running horizontally that the clips could grip and you can tighten them, they have an eye on the other end to use either hooks so they can swing or bolts so you can bolt them to the header of the door.

REO thats my LAST resort my pens are only 32x16 and Dusty likes to use his stall as his landing he can really get moving if I put a wall up it will mess up his runway. But if this doesn't work thats what I will be doing next fall. Won't be too hard just 2 landscape timbers and strap a tarp to them.

JANBKS your a NEIGHBOR fellow Michigander. I got my garage mats about 4 or 5 years ago from Sams Club was going to use it in my dogs run but after getting them home saw those little ridges and thought it would hurt their feet so only used one for the garage. I will check the tag tonite to see if it states how thick and post tommorrow.

Wish me luck the "PROJECT" starts tommorrow.

 

[garyo]

We are in central Florida so it doesn't get much below 20 ever. But when it gets down into the fifties at night we secure small tarps (5X8?) at the top of our two doorways on nails by their grommets. I would like to say the horses are afraid to go through them but no such luck. If I am in there cleaning stalls when they are in the adjoining lot they come right on it to help. The tarps are heavy enough that they cut the wind but can be easily pulled back like a curtain on warm days. I've thought about putting up the old fashioned wooden slat roll up type shades (like are usually hung on sunroom windows) for a better look. They could stay rolled up to the top when it is warm or the horses need to come in and out and go down when they are in the barn.

 

[whitney]

Here's the website for the mat I purchased from Sams its 55 mil?

http://www.bltllc.com/clear_floor_protector.htm

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I have often wondered about making an "L" shaped wall that comes out from the doorway. I mean like those walls you see around public bathrooms. (for a wind block) The wind could not come straight in, then a lighter kind of material could be used to block the cold.

You know I would have never thought of that what a brilliant idea

 

[REO]

Thanks Lisa!

I thought of that years ago because we have an opening in our barn that faces North and BRRRR that wind! I'd sure like to build that wall some day!

 

[outlawridge]

Another thing that works for a windbreak, but does not stop all of it as it doesn't close the opening to the barn. It is also temporary and you can make it as ugly or pretty as you want

. Drive a couple of metal t-posts into the ground about three or four feet out from the doorway and then attach plywood, plastic, clear vinyl, or whatever, to the posts. You make this the same width and height as the doorway. They walk around it and it helps block the worst of the wind. You can also make it a bit higher and wider than the doorway if you have alot of wind to block. If the wind comes on an angle, then build it on that angle.

 

[LittleRibbie]

I had I big horse a long time ago that hated and was allergic to flys. But I was able to put a fairly heavy magnet strip along the bottom of a platic tarp and one along the bottom rail in his stall. The tarp was heavy enough that even with the wind it fell straight down and was able to sort of attach it self back to the other 1/2 of the magnetic strip. My horse was able to open/walk through it with no problem with the tarp falling back and reattaching itself. We had some pretty windy nights and it worked fine. I did try on another horse later on and he wanted nothing to do with going through the big scary plastic...no way no how

 

[whitney]

IT DIDN'T WORK! The clips held GREAT. But the 30+MPH winds just whipped the floor mat like a sail.

But I have ANOTHER idea I was all set to build a wall (was not looking forward to sinking 10' post into frozen ground, so I went internet hunting AGAIN.

www.wrds.uwyo.edu/wrds/rmfres/windprot/sltrport.html

gonna give this a go this weekend.

 

[Reble]

Looks like a great ideal, keep us posted...

 

[Suzie]

I've thought about putting up the old fashioned wooden slat roll up type shades (like are usually hung on sunroom windows) for a better look. They could stay rolled up to the top when it is warm or the horses need to come in and out and go down when they are in the barn.

We do that very thing. We hang the tarps but with two pieces of wood at the top and two at the bottom. Then we screw the wooden slats to the top of the door. I use hay string on each side to hold the tarp as I roll it up. In the spring,when it is warm during the day and cold at night, I can roll the tarp up and then roll it back down like a Roman shade. We save the wooden slats year to year and just replace the tarp when raggedy.