making a gate

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by tetleyman, Mar 30, 2010.

  1. tetleyman

    tetleyman New Member

    Could you please tell me if i am right when making a 6ft garden gate you have 2 spars across and one spar running diagonally this is on the back of the gate,should the diagonally running spar go hinge side bottom to top lock side or visa versus with it running lock side to hinge side top i was told it should go from bottom hinge side to lock side top to carry the weight of the gate, is this right,thanks.
     
  2. Craig Wightman

    Craig Wightman New Member

    i personally would make it with 3 rails and 2 diagonal braces c/w 3 hinges ie one from each rail

    for looks both would be diagonally the same direction from the bottom hinge side to the mid back on the lock side
     
  3. Goodwill

    Goodwill Member

    Hi Tetley,

    Your description sounds like you are making a ledged and braced gate (door).

    You should make it with 3 rails and 2 braces.

    3 rails (top, lock and bottom)

    2 diagonal braces (top and bottom) from the lock side (head of the brace) to the hanging side (foot of the brace).
     
  4. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    There are many designs of gates and while the answers given would be correct for a door, which is tall and thin, it is less appropriate for a 6' gate, which is wide and short.
    The directions of the braces given was correct.
     
  5. Goodwill

    Goodwill Member

    Because of his description I took it that Tetley was referring to a boarded side gate with a height of 6'. This was the only dimension that he gave. I could be wrong of course.
     
  6. chippie244

    chippie244 Super Member

    Normally a gate is named after its width but I don't want to get into another argument till the OP comes back and confirms whether it is height or width.
     
  7. The Arsenal Man

    The Arsenal Man New Member

    Tetleyman the diagonal brace runs outwarfs from the lower hinge.
     
  8. tetleyman

    tetleyman New Member

    thanks for all the replies the gate size is 6ft high x 3ft wide i thought i was right about the diagonal brace going bottom hinge side to top lock side,i have noticed a lot of gates made wrong with the brace going the wrong way
     
  9. The Arsenal Man

    The Arsenal Man New Member

    The idea of the brace starting from the bottom hinge is that it supports the other timber but the fact the hinge is basically a fixed point (to the gate and post), the weight of the timbers along the brace cannot distort the gate,due to the fixed hinge point.

    If the brace ran from the top hinge out, then there is nothing to stop the gate from leaning away from the hinge side
    .
     
  10. mailee

    mailee New Member

    Yup diagonal brace from hinge rising to lock side two off with three rails on that size. Dowel the joints and jobs a good un.
     
  11. dunc

    dunc New Member

    Its easier to think of it as a triangle. in which case there is only one way to hang it.
     
  12. ebee

    ebee Member

    "Its easier to think of it as a triangle. in which case there is only one way to hang it."

    Why?

    One way (the traditional way - top open to bottom hinge) puts the diagonal in compression.


    The opposite way puts the diagonal in tension.

    Is wood stronger in compression than in tension ?

    If it were about the sajme that it would not matter which way you did it by my reckoning
    or have I missed something?

    Message was edited by: ebee
     
  13. I suspect timber is stronger in tension than compression - at least when it has a small cross-section where it would simply bow when put in compression.

    However, I suspect the reason why the cross-brace is put in compression rather than tension in gates and doors is simply that there's no force trying to make the end joints open up. If you were to assemble it t'other way - in tension - then the ends of the cross-brace 'ties' would need to be very securely attached to both spars.

    Hey-ho, don't chust you love resurrected threads...
     
  14. was dunc before

    was dunc before New Member

    Righty ho. The orientation for me would be diagonal from bottom hinge, up to outer edge. There are however a few configurations for such doors and gates. But one must consider the whole structure and its purpose, rather than singling out a piece of timber as if it were a sample being put under engineering testing conditions. How much stress is going to be put on the door? The weight of the materials and the force of gravity. As an integral whole they all share the load. There would need to be something which is significantly weaker than the rest of the materials to create a failure. Or poor workmanship in making it.
     

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