Using Coyote Roller on a Deck?

[applebear]

Contractor has come up with idea for putting a deck on my front door and then leading my fence from there. His idea was to put gates on the entries so that I could still just open the door to let my dogs out.

My concern was the dogs getting ambitious and jumping the deck side, which I *think* he said would be around 36 inches. When expressing this concern, he said he would just bring the fence around to my front yard, but I'm not sure this will look right.

A friend suggested Coyote Rollers on the deck part, to keep the dogs from trying any daring escapes. I know extremely little about these, but when looking up, they look very ideal for a narrow fence board, but not so sure on a deck with a wider area.

I'm a little lost on what the solution would be here, but was hoping someone had more experience with these rollers and could share their input.

 

[nealtw]

I think it depends on how high the dogs can jump.

 

[applebear]

Yeah after doing some research, it doesn't sound like it would work. I'm at my wits end trying to figure out how to do this without having to extend the fence around the deck itself.

Looks like that is what I am going to have to do though.

 

[bud16415]

No one says your rail height has to be 36” make it as high as you need to keep the dog in. if it was mine and I just built a deck with keeping a dog in, in mind. I made the rails higher on the side to the neighbors just to block the view and the other sides a little higher than normal with a very wide top that hangs back a few more inches to make it harder to climb and also acts as a stand-up bar top. If I was worried about resale value with a high rail I would build the rails the normal height and then add a riser detail that could be removed.

 

[nealtw]

A doggy door in the side of the house???????????????

 

[oldognewtrick]

Guess letting the dogs out the back door isn't an option?

 

[applebear]

I've thought of putting a doggy door in, but I'm not sure where I would put it without it looking like a sore thumb. I'm putting a nice big window on the side of the house, that will be facing the fenced area and just can't picture a doggy door sporting below or even off to the side of it.

And no, I have one door to my house and that is the front door. The deck leading off it and meeting up with the fence is nice, but the dogs are the one major hangup. We've discussed building a deck with more privacy railing, but I'm then picturing this wood box that no longer resembles a deck.

I've shared these pics before, but this is side of house fence will be on and we were wanting to put a small wrap-around deck from front of door to first corner of house [where bush is, which would be removed].


This is front of house, and the only other solution we are coming up with is taking the fence out and around deck, and ending it closer to the driveway. Problems we are seeing with this is it is going to block the beautiful, huge window I'm putting in place of that old thing you see and it would create a blind spot for pulling out of drive.

 

[nealtw]

The deck looks like it will work. If everyone had a doggy door it would look just fine. I'm out of ideas.

 

[slownsteady]

What kind of fence creates a blind spot for the driveway?

 

[slownsteady]

If the deck wraps around the side, you could have a steps leading down to the back. The dogs would probably just take the easy path to the back. Are they known escape artists, or are you just thinking this through as a possibility?

I'm wondering if I missed some detail. The deck will be how high? Will it have a railing? Will the railing be separate from the fence? How much distance from the railing to the fence?

Can you post a 'top view' diagram of the layout?

 

[applebear]

The fence would be a 6ft privacy, he thinks it'll cause a blind spot if we pull it over that way and I suppose I am just concerned it'll look funky or overkill.

I'm just covering my basis. My current dog gets overstimulated when he sees garbage blowing, so I just wanted to really make sure there was NO possibility. I'm also looking into getting another bigger dog, which I have to keep in mind there.

Not sure how high deck will be, but will have a railing. I'm thinking fence will be tight to the deck and most likely lead from the corner. It will have trellis on bottom to keep dogs from going below.

I did just think of maybe another way to go, though I'm not sure how it'll look. But I thought maybe flipping the deck around the other way, have it wrap around towards front windows and gating off the entry way from the yard/fence. THEN, maybe putting a doggy door on the other side [to the left of door] and having it lead out into the fenced area. All that is there is the entry way, where there's a closet space...

Wouldn't be great, but would maybe beat some of the alternatives I think...not sure.

 

[applebear]

Ok something maybe like this? Red is deck. Xs are gates. Black line is fence. And arrow is doggy door, off to the side with it's own steps.

Sorry not very good at drawing things out, so hopefully it comes across what I'm thinking of.

 

[bud16415]

I think every house should have at least two points of entry exit. If for no other reason than safety. I don’t know what your floor plan looks like so can’t make a suggestion on where that door should be located. Just about any window can be converted to a door without too much trouble.

We have always had dogs and 99% of the time we walk them on a lead have never had an enclosed area. I did put in a zip line off the back door and that worked quite well. If I were to do it today I would go with invisible fence. Quite a few of our neighbors have it and it works great.

As to the deck is the front of the house, is that where you want it or is it going there because that’s where the door is located. We have both a front deck / porch and the new deck we built in the back. We almost never used the front deck and we use the rear deck all the time. In our case it was lack of privacy and the road out front that we didn’t like.

 

[applebear]

I agree completely with you and will be putting in stairs to the basement [have cellar entry only right now] and a door that will lead out to the garage on the other side of the home. I all most put a door on the side where the fence was, but I just can't justify having two doors all most directly next to each other.

I have taken out the dogs for the past 10 years in every type of weather you can imagine [on lead]. I would just like to see them finally have some freedom, and be able to go out and really work/play with them hands free. We don't have dog parks here and my dogs aren't trustworthy off lead. I personally don't care for invisible fences, just too many things that can go wrong with them.

I'm not sure where else I would put the deck honesty. I would like it by a door, and that would be the only one that leads directly outside. I have absolutely no property on the back of house [is neighbors driveway], making it pretty limited. I would love to have a wrap around porch instead of a deck, but as it is I'm lucky to be getting what I am.

 

[bud16415]

So back yard is out or rather doesn’t exist. I’m assuming the higher window on the side is the kitchen window most likely over the sink. And the other window is the one if you made it a door you think it might be too close to the door you already have. Is that window in the living room?

Just thinking out loud here. Could you add that other door there and put your deck to the side of the house with a higher privacy wall running across at the front of the entry. That would balance the curb appeal of the house better IMO as you have the garage and connector all on the other side. The bush would have to go. then build as large of a deck as you need or can afford with steps to the yard and as big of an area fenced in as you can do. I would even be tempted to bring the deck forward to include the steps with a gate leading from the front steps straight to the deck thru a gate but that’s a bit more cost for the convenience of going straight to the deck without entering the house.

 

[applebear]

Yeah the high window is the kitchen. Both windows [next to kitchen] and front are the awkward living room. We all ready have a big window for the side and another big window for the front, so putting doors on either is kind of out now.

Do you mean put the deck along the front window and connector, just before the garage? That was what I was kind of thinking above [with the diagram], except not taking the deck out as far...maybe to like, a little under the big window? He wants to take the concrete steps out and the deck would take their place.

Then I was thinking you'd just lead the fence off the deck, and put a partial privacy on corner of deck and then maybe just higher railing along the rest [with gates]. I could 'test' it out and see if I have any issues with dogs first [supervise], and then go to the doggy door if absolutely have to, try to make it a last resort thing.

Just not seeing anywhere else to put a door, except *maybe* that connector between garage and main section...but that would be a real small hallway there or maybe it's the back bedroom. Not real sure now that I think of it. lol

 

[nealtw]

After saying to install a doggy door, I went and looked at a few videos on how to. They make it look easy enough but I didn't find one that showed how tp properly water proof the hole.
Then I remembered that you were talking about windows. Even if you are having a contractor do the work, you best know the newest code. As a lot of re and re contractors treat windows just like doggy doors.

 

[bud16415]

I have never quite figured out the concept of doggie doors especially for large dogs. It seems to me it leaves an easy point of entry into the house and the ones I have seen look like they would be cold spots in the winter. Cost wise I’m guessing they cost as much as a regular door. If your pet is outside and you need to get it inside do you bend down and yell out the doggie door for them to come. If they don’t listen you have to go around some other way and bring them in. I would rather have a man door IMO.

 

[applebear]

Neal, are you saying to install it as if it were a window?

I'm not a big fan of doggy doors myself Bud, but I'm just really unsure of my alternatives too. If I had to call my dogs and they didn't listen, I'd simply step out the door that will be 2-3 feet to the side of the doggy door and go out to the deck and do it that way.

I have seen some pictures of decks with really tall railing, that doesn't look like it would be dreadful...I'm just worried I will have that one hurdle jumping champion. Nothing is set in stone yet, so maybe doing something like that with a partial privacy deck would be an idea. Then I could probably use the coyote rollers on the railing, assuming the dogs would use their feet to hop over and not do a clean, one shot jump.

 

[nealtw]

Neal, are you saying to install it as if it were a window?

The big problem with window is the condensation and we wrap tar paper in the hole and cover the bottom framing with a peel and stick that carries the water out, and then a flashing above to move the water away. The doggy door would have more condensation than a window and as it is lower on the wall more rain would hit it, So yes it should be treated like a big door or window.

I have posted links here before but you can just google rain screening window installation