Brace angle problem for rectangular garden gate

[Mortician]

I'm planning to make a garden gate that will incorporate a frame of about 42" (w) x 28" (h). The diagonal brace will therefore create an ineffective angle of only about 32 degrees with the horizontal. Is the best solution to make two braces, one running from the top corner (latch side) to about halfway along the lower rail, and the other running parallel from halfway along the top rail to the bottom (hinge) corner, creating an angle of about 50 degrees? I think that an x-brace, corners to corners, will not provide adequate support. I'm using 3" x 2" so the completed gate will be relatively heavy.

One solution might be to use just one brace, running from the top rail, but about 2/3rds along from the top hinge, to the bottom hinge corner to create 45 degrees, the minimum effective angle. That would look a bit odd though.

M

 

[Doug71]

You could put in 2 braces going from the outsides of the bottom rail meeting in the middle of the top rail, kind of an upside down V shape. That should look pleasing to the eye and hold the gate square.

I think with modern adhesives sagging is not as big a problem as it used to be when joints were just painted together.

Depending on the style of gate a bit of PU adhesive at strategic points behind the braces would help.

Doug

 

[Mortician]

Thanks Doug. Great idea. Aesthetically pleasing, and it should be fit for purpose. Until I read your post I was thinking of putting my soon-to-be-born shooting board to the test, and fitting two parallel braces at 45 degrees, but that will have to wait for another task.

 

[Eric The Viking]

And obviously you don't need a single brace to go all the way across.

If you think of the frame without the cladding, it needs to make a gallows arm, so that the joints stay in compression, and the slats effectively hang off that. The bottom rail really just keeps everything together. the second brace stiffens, but doesn't support.

If you did Doug's idea the other way up, it wouldn't work half as well, because the brace nearest the hinges wouldn't be forced together. The other thing is that, as he describes it, the braces will shed water away from the joinery. Making a "V" would trap water where you least want it.

I have one to do soon, but mine is tall and thin, so I'm off that particular hook

E.

PS: All the ones I remember from my youth (when they were commonly well made) had drawbored tenons too. Just sayin...