Keeping Owen Safe: Dutch Door

Owen is getting tall.  And strong. The gates that have worked wonderfully for years can now be yanked out of the frame by him. 

Opening the wood stove is another accomplishment of Owen's this winter.  It's not an accomplishment we're proud of.  He loves to lay in front of the fire.  If he can't see flames, he pulls the doors open.  I'm sure you can see why this is a problem.

We would simply shut his door.  But, we heat primarily with wood.  With the door closed, the heat doesn't get in that room.  And since the thermostat is in the living room with the stove, it can get really cold in all other rooms before the backup furnace kicks on. Owen doesn't stay under blankets.  And he doesn't regulate his body temperature well.  He would freeze with the door completely shut. 

So with a gate not doing the job of keeping Owen in his room at night, and slow burning fires keeping the house warm but not flaming, it was time for a change. We knew that Owen could accidentally burn himself badly, or even start the house on fire if this kept up. That couldn't happen.

 Bryan ordered a solid door from The Ugly Duck, and had them cut it in half.  We brought it home a couple of weeks ago, and Bryan got it installed.  He had to cut the hinge holes and the doorknob.  He did a great job!  I'm so thankful that he thought of this solution.

Now we have a door that Owen can't climb over.  He can open the doorknob, but Bryan turned it so the lock is facing the living room.  Some heat can get in over the top, keeping the room from being as cold. 

Bryan works on cutting the doorknob hole.  The dutch door is beautiful!

Owen is just tall enough to barely see over.  When he grows a little more, it'll be a better height for him.  But, it should last for years! 

We are going to replace the other gates in our house with this same solution.  It works!