In dire need of a new, side-entrance gate to my house

[Benchwayze]

I want to make the gate myself.
I mulled over framed, ledged and braced with match-board, (Although it tends to shrink and open up a lot. )
Ledged and braced. Same problem.

I have come up with the idea of using decking board on ledges and braces, but coach bolted to the ledges.
I want a Yale lock on it so I can open it from either side. (Or one of those communal type locks, that can't be removed without a special screwdriver bit.)

Has anyone used decking for a gate? If so, was it a good idea.

TIA

John

 

[Distinterior]

I made my gate from decking boards about 5 years ago. It's certainly sturdy enough.

I used coach bolts to fix it all together, but it still expands and contracts depending on the seasons. It works fine at the moment but tightens up a bit when there is more moisture in the air.

Tim.

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Tim.

I think I'll allow a little space between the verticals for movement. I can always fix strip on the other side for privacy.
Thanks again

John

 

[Myfordman]

Cut T&G on your boards and assemble with a small allowance for expansion and a large one for potential shrinkage in summer.

 

[deema]

When I made my gates, I looked at the options, all seemed to be expensive.....that is until I came across new green oak sleepers for £20 each. There still readily available, and if you have a band saw or access to one can produce a lot if very cheap high quality timber (I got the yard to cut mine up to useable size). Since the gate is outside, and you pick and choose your sleepers, you can get a moisture content of circa 20~25% fairly easily. They will move, split a little, but it adds to the charm I think. I have added a picture of the gates just hung, still a bit if finishing to do. There are three sleepers in each gate...but they are quite large and are 3" think.

 

[Benchwayze]

I thought about that Myford, but I am loathe to do too much machining on treated timber. I don't have a dedicated extraction system; just a Midi. Although maybe it could cope. I'll think about this again even though it's just a gate for the side entrance, set well back from the building line, and not open to close scrutiny.

I thought about sleepers too as it happens, but that's a lot of resawing; and my bandsaw is twenty plus years old. It might well cope, but I don't want to have to buy a new motor!
That's a nice pair of gates Deema. Would that I had that much space to the left of my property. I might then be able to get a ladder up to the eaves! Did you have the straps and bands specially made, BTW?


Thanks gents.


John

 

[No skills]

I used decking to make our little front gate, the boards do expand and contract a lot (as does our decking.. shocker! ), made for a fairly heavy gate as well (28mm thick boards I think).

FWIW

 

[Tierney]

I used PAR 4x1" (about 18mm finished) and 4x1.5" (about 32mm finished) thick for a side gate and it hasn't moved that much over the past year. It is painted; but, apart from the show faces there may be a few unseen patches that are not fully coated. I think I left about 5mm between each board and put the screws about 20mm in from each side. I used the yellow (zinc passivated?) outdoor wood screws.

If I had decking spare I probably would have used that.

DT

 

[Tierney]

BTW: Nice gates deema - I've been thinking of using some oak sleepers to make the base for my bench - if you can choose the sleeper, have the tools and it isn't for fine woodworking - it seems like a cheap way to get oak.

 

[DonJohnson]

I made mine from 4 in x 2 in pressure-treated fencing posts, with the inner verticals produced by slicing some of the the posts in half.

Just a simple frame with semi cross-halving joints and a diagonal brace, put together with decking screws.

The 'missing'cross-halving on the horizontal parts of the frame meant that the half-cut verticals fronts were level with the two solid vertical frame members.

(Difficult to explain without a diagram )

The curve at the top was to match the front gates made earlier

I made another for a neighbour with no gaps between the verticals and they seem to be OK after a couple of years.

 

[Benchwayze]

I made mine from 4 in x 2 in pressure-treated fencing posts, with the inner verticals produced by slicing some of the the posts in half.

Just a simple frame with semi cross-halving joints and a diagonal brace, put together with decking screws.

The 'missing'cross-halving on the horizontal parts of the frame meant that the half-cut verticals fronts were level with the two solid vertical frame members.

(Difficult to explain without a diagram )

The curve at the top was to match the front gates made earlier

I made another for a neighbour with no gaps between the verticals and they seem to be OK after a couple of years.

Nice gate Don, and unusual for the curve to be 'upside-down'. Looks effective. Where I live, it's more prudent to put points on the ends of the verticals. I thought about putting carpet fixing strip on the back of the gate, but I suppose it's against the law! 8)

cheers

John

 

[DTR]

Nice gate Don, and unusual for the curve to be 'upside-down'. Looks effective. ]

We did something similar with our gates to transition between the two fencing levels (not sure how well it worked):

The lock we used may be the sort of thing you're looking for? It's a Cays lock, recommended to us by someone on here. It uses a standard Euro(?) key and can be locked/unlocked from either side. It's ideal for what we wanted, although a little expensive.

 

[DTR]

Forgot to mention, the gates are made from regular PAR softwood with TGV match boarding. No expansion/contraction problems with the match boarding, but the gates to rub slightly where they meet at the top.

 

[Benchwayze]

Nice gates Dave. I think the concave line works well with the different levels. I like the ironmongery too. I have a side gate om the other side of the house, which is T&G inside a cedarwood frame, Not framed-ledged and braced but two panels with a centre rail showing on the front. The T&G opened right up after two years. So when I get around to renewing, I think I'll use floor board, and work a bead on one edge. I am assuming that floorboards should be better quality timber! :mrgreen: Whether or not that resists drying out remains to be seen.

 

[nanscombe]

I don't know if it would be suitable, it may be too basic, but I've just seen an offer that Wickes on at the moment.

LEDGED AND BRACED GATE KIT 1981X988MM

Offer price £35

Height: 6 ft 6 in
Width: 3 ft 3 in
Certifications Met: FSC Certified
...
Pre-machined bow top can be modified to a square top as required
Height-adjustable to 6ft (1.82m)
Straight forward to assemble and install
Includes all kit fixings and instructions
Gate post, hinges and latch are not included
FSC certified timber from well managed forests

 

[DonJohnson]

I don't know if it would be suitable, it may be too basic, but I've just seen an offer that Wickes on at the moment.

'Cor - they've copied the close-boarded one I made for a neighbour - which I made with the curve opposite to mine! #-o

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks Nigel. That's a tempting alternative, especially from the point of view of time-saving. :-k

I suppose I could always apply a pad to thicken the door in the right place, so I can fit the Yale.

 

[MMUK]

It's from Wickes. Expect it to arch across the width within a fortnight too!

 

[nanscombe]

Surely a three dimensional gate would be worth a lot more? :mrgreen:


I would have thought that a competent woodworker might well be able to spot any flaws in the design, which would cause such a failure, and correct them.

It is, after all, just a pile of pre-cut timber and some hardware, unless the failure is simply down to the quality of said timber.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

I've made 2 gates in my time, one was from door lining (ledged & braced) which opened up like a ........

The 2nd having learned from the first I used pressure treated feather edge laid vertically over a frame. Because the boards overlapped they never showed any actual gaps but the whole thing always moved with the seasons and I had to make sure the latch had enough play to accommodate that. It never needed locking so that wasn't as issue. But feather edge certainly works as a cladding and if the frame is sturdy, you can replace the FE if needed over time. Mine was on a cottage we owned many years ago and last time I drove past it was still going 15 years on.