Gate Construction

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

Hi guys. I have build a set of double gates for my house. We are getting a dog so I need to keep it from escaping and running around the housing estate where we live.

I'm wondering how to brace the gate. Should I run diagonal braces in it and what direction do I run them to prevent the gate from sagging. It's the first time I have ever made gates so I'm just not sure how to brace them.

I want to make the outside of the gates 65mm x 75mm and infill the space with panels like I have in the picture. I'm assuming I need to brace in between the front and rear panels.

 

[h.gil]

the top of the brace towards the outside end so it transfers the weight towards the hinged end.

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

So the brace this way??

 

[h.gil]

Yeah, I would do the bottom end of the brace butt to the rail and a hinge right behind.

Edit: You can also use a sheet of plywood on the back of it (as a panel) to keep it more stable.

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

Ok so if I use two stainless steel ball bearing hinges on each gate. the top hinge down 6" from the top of the gate and the bottom one just behind the brace? Will the one brace do as each gate will be 8' long?

I'm considering using the paneling on both sides of the gates..

 

[h.gil]

8' long each door? that's a lot of weight, maybe scoop it towards the center to form a concave arch. You can also double up the hinges at the top (2 h. @top, 1h. @bottom)

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

How does a concave arch make it stronger?

 

[h.gil]

It makes it lighter, plus it eliminates the added weight to the outer-upper corner, which would otherwise twist against the jamb. So the arch would make it lighter and more stable/solid.

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

Do you mean an arched brace like this?

 

[Paul G]

What are you planning to use for posts to hold these gates? Putting boards on both sides will make them very heavy especially when wet. The gate may not sag but the posts may flex under load. A tension cable from the top of the post to the bottom of the next fence post may help, assuming the gate and fence are all in a straight line. But that won't help when the gate is open, best to have posts that simply won't flex under the load no matter the position of the gates they are holding.

 

[galwaydude18@gmail.com]

OK if just put the panelling on side that will reduce the weight . The gates will be 8' long each but i need to fill in each side of them with a 3' wide section the same design as the gates. I was considering having the legs on those two sections going two foot into the ground by concreting them in place.

 

[Paul G]

OK if just put the panelling on side that will reduce the weight . The gates will be 8' long each but i need to fill in each side of them with a 3' wide section the same design as the gates. I was considering having the legs on those two sections going two foot into the ground by concreting them in place.

What's the posts material?

 

[rst]

You are going to have a tremendous amount of torgue transferred to that post and the leverage will be worse when the gate is open... when closed the gates can support each other.  Generally gates this large will have an attached wheel assembly to reduce the load on the hinges.

 

[Paul G]

You are going to have a tremendous amount of torgue transferred to that post and the leverage will be worse when the gate is open... when closed the gates can support each other.  Generally gates this large will have an attached wheel assembly to reduce the load on the hinges.

Yes indeed, since there was no mention of wheels I'm assuming those main posts need to be giant. I have a wooden single gate that is about 9' wide, its post is a 4x6 pressure treated and that flexes a bunch when the gate is free from its support post on the latch end. I'm going to be replacing it with a 6" box steel post so it won't budge.

 

[tiralie]

I'm wondering how to brace the gate. Should I run diagonal braces in it and what direction do I run them to prevent the gate from sagging. It's the first time I have ever made gates so I'm just not sure how to brace them.

There is a great book called Building-Doors-Gates by Alan and Gill Bridgewater. You might be able to get a copy at your local library.
They have some designs for carriage gates which I think would be appropriate for you requirements. They also suggest that if you are hanging a field gate that you should use 12 x 12 posts, with the post sunk at least 4 feet for 4 1/2 foot tall gate.

I have always admired Guy Ashley's gates. In this thread Guy posted a picture of an English country gate with a curved stile, main and secondary brace. Beautiful and functional.

Tim

 

[Wonderwino]

Having built and installed heavy gates (1,400#) in our Bison corral, the bracing mentioned above is all good advice.  The mounting posts should go deep into the ground, preferably "undisturbed" earth and firmly cemented with generous quantities of concrete.  The depth should be at least 1x the height above grade; closer to 1.5x is ideal.  The weight of the concrete and undisturbed earth will contribute to the stability of the posts in adverse weather conditions.  One must keep in mind that if you live in an area where ground gets saturated, this will allow the posts to be tilted out of plumb in soft ground. 

With a gate that large, a double corner brace would be advisable.  This involves running a cable with turnbuckle from the top of the gate-hinge post to the bottom of the adjacent post in the fence, then repeating this apparatus on the adjoining post to the next.  We also add a rigid pipe to pull against between the tops of the posts.  The turnbuckle allows for tightening as the gate settles to re-level it.  Wheels on the outboard gate end would be helpful if site site has level ground for them to travel on.

 

[Kevin D.]

West Sytems epoxy has a sunburst design that may be of interest to you in their 'How To' section of their website.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/fence-and-gate-construction-2/

 

[gkaiseril]

You will also need to make sure your dog cannot slide under the gate.

 

[Timtool]

I have made some huge gates in the past, but never single pieces this wide on hinges. My biggest one in a single piece was 6m long in cedar, but it was a sliding gate on wheels.

The biggest worry is usually the post bending, the weight a gate can put on a post is huge, i have seen almost 20cm thick african solid hardwood posts bend under tension.
You can transfer this weight by adding solid panels next to the gate like you did, and with posts at the ends.

In my book functional braces must never touch the bottom rail on the hinge side, and the stile on the lock side. Otherwise the weight of the gate works against your assemblies and tries to push them apart. If you removed the bottom rail and lock stile then your gate should still stand strong, those parts are only there fill the space, they do nothing to sustain the gate structurally.

 

[butzla]

Have you considered an invisible fence?  I'm amazed at how well mine works.