# Sliding horse stall door



## Laughran (Feb 13, 2013)

I. Have a friend who wants me to build 3 sliding horse stall doors. Have any of you built horse stall doors? I'm looking for any advise or tips or direction on the best materials and construction.

Thanks


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I've built many over the years.
I use cannonball track for the slide and usually 2 or 3 layers of CDX plywood sandwiched between 1x covering on the outsides. 
Horses are tough on doors and fences. using layers of plywood inside makes it strong, (alternate the grain direction). Using the 1x construction on the outside makes it look good.
And a horse can't kick through it nearly as easily.


----------



## Laughran (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks Dallas, Plywood sounds like a good way to go. Should be strong and easy to build


----------



## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

But my sister could eat through it ,she has dentures with 28 tungsten carbide teeth.I tried to poison her once but as the policeman said after 60 years of eating her own cooking she had built up an imunity. LOL Alistair


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Alistair, it would take her awhile though…..


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I would try really hard to talk them out of sliding doors for safety reasons. I have seen several horses injured when they laid down, rolled, and kicked the door out at the bottom catching their leg between the door and the wall.

Just my opinion after 38 years in equine practice.


----------



## jusfine (May 22, 2010)

The detail Dallas has given you would work the best in my opinion as well.

We have had sliding doors on our stalls for 27 years, never an incident when all the proper hardware is in place.


----------



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

The problem gfadvm mentioned is because many people do not want clean out the bottom track or brackets
needed to properly hold a sliding door in place and tend to eliminate them, making life easier for them, but 
tougher for the horses. Please advise the client of the possible problem.


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

I never used a bottom track, but instead used a piece of well casing, (2" or 3") buried in a concrete footer on each side of the door frame then filled the pipe itself with concrete. 
I've seen the injuries Andy spoke of, they aren't pretty and I would personally use 2 piece swing doors. I just think they look a lot better plus there are so many options for hinges and styles.


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Gus/Dallas, Thanks for chiming in. I knew others out there had seen the sliding door wrecks. I have hinged doors at my place and in all the hospital stalls. The other advantage of hinged doors is the door can be used as a guide wing to get a foal to enter the stall.


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Andy, My heart doctor, (was actually a company commander in my old battalion, then went on and became a Dr.), had me build him a stable for 16 horses with 2 birthing stalls.
He wanted sliders on all the doors until I took him to a neighbors place and showed him what problems could happen.
We went with the dutch door style with the separate top and bottom. (Of course, then he wanted 3 cuploas on the roof to make it look like Louisville Downs!


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

I spent much of my youth chasing foals that couldn't find the door opening on sliders.


----------



## Laughran (Feb 13, 2013)

Thanks for all the information. I will tell my friend what I learned here. Now back to making the doors. Dallas, do you leave the plywood edge as is or do run a band around the edge?


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

David, I have done it both ways, but I think it looks more professional to finish it with a band of solid wood.


----------



## Bluepine38 (Dec 14, 2009)

gfadvm, sometimes I think foals and calves were put here just to make sure us humans that thought we were
in control would get some necessary exercise and taught a little humility.


----------



## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

Gus, you sure got that right!


----------



## gfadvm (Jan 13, 2011)

Gus, Foals are as independent as a hog on ice!


----------

