Gate construction lore ?

[waterworks]

Is this the correct way to get the diagonal braces at less than 45 ⁰ when the gate is too wide to go from corner to corner ?

the gate I'm building is 2m x 1.3m

 

[Dee J]

Don't know about lore, but personally I'd slant the braces more and centre them to the gate. And notch the ends of the braces into the rails too. Less worried about a particular angle.

 

[Cabinetman]

Difficult to see but it certainly looks as though the top one is notched in, I don’t think the angle matters too much, I quite like the way that one looks, and the braces should do the job of stopping the gate sagging which is the important thing.
Had the brace gone to the edges of the gate it wouldn’t have been possible to notch them in of course.
Ian

 

[Ollie78]

One long brace that goes top to bottom half lapped into the centre rail is another way to do it.

 

[Phill05]

Extract taken from English Heritage contractors list available from County Council approved Contractors Department.

When making a Framed Ledged and braced door or just a Ledged and braced door important points should be noted the weight of the boards will make the door sag and the Braces must be positioned correctly to counteract this happening. the Brace must start diagonally from the lower Ledge nearest the hinge and is cut into that ledge and the opposite end of middle rail to stop it moving, then do the same from the middle rail to top rail. ( see image 1:Typical door height 2100mm widths to suit openings.)


When using T&G, test fit all the boards before fixing. Don't fit the boards too tightly together use a spacing of a 1.5mm to 2mm gap since you want to allow for some movement due to humidity changes. Before fixing the boards paint T&G joints then use nails or screws through rails and the braces into the middle of each board . This should allow the wood to "move" and the tongue of each board will simply move in or out of its groove without opening up a visible gap. For high quality work, you might also consider lose tongs into groves cut into each board also counter boring each screw hole and finishing with a matching wood plug or fillers to stop ingress of water.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I always worry about the water being channelled down the diagonal brace and being trapped at, or near, the joint, I can't see any way around this though?

 

[Adam W.]

Is this the correct way to get the diagonal braces at less than 45 ⁰ when the gate is too wide to go from corner to corner ?

the gate I'm building is 2m x 1.3m
View attachment 176796

Normally the braces should go from the stile to the rail, if the rails are too long, they go from the stile to part way along the rail to prevent levering of the rails, like so.....

This is a large, heavy set of gates which were in good condition until they decided to paint them with plastic paint a decade ago.

 

[John Brown]

This is mine...

 

[Adam W.]

Nice, interesting ceramics, did you make them?

 

[Jameshow]

Steeper angle better I presume? Less chance of m+T opening up??

 

[John Brown]

No I just happened to be at Messums art gallery, and saw these wonderful doors. I've also never seen such an impressive timber roof structure