French Door Syndrome

After the tree fell on my house, I rebuilt the kitchen basically hermetically sealed. Wife demanded french doors into the hallway leading the the rest of the house.

Problem is, the kitchen has an entry door that you have to ease open very slowly, or the french doors pop open. Plus, the cats open them whenever they please. Never did think much of that spring-loaded ball bearing deal.

I'd like to install a simple interior latchset, but the french doors are only 1.25" thick. Seems like no one makes one for doors under 1.375".

Help?

Ya got to think vintage & repro & be willing to pay the price.

example:

https://www.houseofantiquehardware.c...-Door-Lock-Set

X2 ON STG's advice.

I have half a drawer full that will go in 1" doors.

You may not like the mortising much....

Recently had the same issue on a job. Solution I came up with was screws into the edge of the stop matched up with 1/4" rare earth magnets morticed into the door. Drill 1/4" holes in the door glue in magnets paint over them just kept adding them until door held, think I used 4. Then screwed in matching flat head screws 5/8" into the stop. Still working fine.

those magnets are very strong, I have 2- 3/8 x 1/4 x 3" magnets on my tool box that I can't get off

Haven't done it, but how about doubling up the ball catches on the doors.
But first maybe unscrew the balls a bit more, and/or shim out the strike.


Next week I need to add a catch to a vintage swing door. I'm thinking that a magnetic catch of some sort will be best for me...still need to research it.

https://www.amazon.com/House-Antique...eywords=R+01Se

I can deal with mortising after several years of door-popping, but it seems unbelievable that there's nothing contemporary for such a popular type of door. Especially since the ball/spring setup pretty well guarantees racking over time.

Magnets are a neat idea, but I'd really prefer to have an actual latch.

Is there a knob on each door?

...

Maybe a piece of rope or a rubber strap.

Maybe a bigger one

I have one to do right now. I’m going to install an astragal and that latch on one panel and mortise/drill and install a strike plate. Then put a standard knob to match the other doors in the house on the other panel.

That primary/secondary astragal set up only works with wide doors where you can easily walk through only one open door.

Tin's door's look to narrow. He would have to keep unlatching the secondary door to easily go in and out.

those call catches usually don't last on a door used frequently, the ball pops out hitting the ceiling

maybe try 2-3 self closing hinges on each side.

It's 4'; barely squoze it in. But actually, we're fine with just using one door day-to-day. Only open both for carrying bulky items through.

What, do you think Tin has to open both to get his wife in and out of the kitchen?

Emtek makes a bunch for 1 1/4" thick doors.

Thank you!

Whew. Pricey.