[OP]
Moderator
Hi Everyone,
Looking for some pics and ideas about gates you've built.
http://www.pacificgateworks.com/ sorta wet my appetite to build a new gate for the new fence my neighbor and I are putting up between our houses. I like the idea of using some nice clear Western Red Cedar to make it out of as well.
I plan to get locks/hinges/hardware from Lee Valley as they have some nice stuff.
Let's see some pics!
Cheers!
Member
Finshed this last summer. Has taken quite a beating being on the west side of the house but still looks o.k.. BTW, got all the hardware from Van Dyke's Restorers. They got some pretty cool stuff too and good prices to boot.
[OP]
Moderator
Very sharp, Terry! Cedar? Redwood?
Member
Ha!! I wish! Try......good ol' pressure treated pine!!! Sorry to dissapoint but I had a budget man!!Originally Posted by Chris Padilla
Member
Hey Terry,
What did you use for stain? I've heard many people that had trouble finishing pressure treated materials.
Member
Hi Chris,Hi Everyone,
Looking for some pics and ideas about gates you've built.
http://www.pacificgateworks.com/ sorta wet my appetite to build a new gate for the new fence my neighbor and I are putting up between our houses. I like the idea of using some nice clear Western Red Cedar to make it out of as well.
I plan to get locks/hinges/hardware from Lee Valley as they have some nice stuff.
Let's see some pics!
Cheers!
David Marks did an episode where he builds a garden gate. You can see dimensions and design pics here. http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ww_dec...573821,00.htmlI thought it would be a cool project. Good luck!
[OP]
Moderator
I wonder what a sheet of copper like that goes for nowadays!
Contributor
Here's a pic and some construction details from one I built.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=9669
[OP]
Moderator
Jamie,
Most excellent and great tips! I plan to build the gate like a door just as you outlined. I'm 0/1 on finding some nice clear Western Red Cedar but I've only just started. I plan to use my Domino heavily in this project.
Gate dimensions will be around 4' wide and around 7' tall. Gee sounds like an awfully large door!! Hmmm, I wonder if it'll need a gate wheel for added support. This could be a rather heavy gate! Dry cedar weighs about 21 lbs/ft3. Hmmm....
I picked up the following hardware from Lee Valley:
Hinges, Locking Latch, Gate Closer/Tensioner, and a couple of handles.
Should be fun!
Contributor
IIRC the cedar for that gate came from PALS, in the San Francisco yard. They have a yard in San Jose, closer to you, but I don't know what they stock.
I'm not convinced that a gate wheel is a good strategy. Ground isn't flat, so the wheel would be touching the ground only in a few spots. Furthermore, ground in San Jose shrinks in the summer as it dries out. I think a better strategy is a very sturdy post for the gate to hang on. In that pictured gate, I anchored pressure-treated 4x4 in concrete, and sheathed it with 4/4 cedar. If you have a post on only one side, maybe a 6x6 would be better. Another approach might be steel for the post, either sheathed or not.
I used bronze square-drive screws (from McFeeleys). They weather to the color of an old penny, which goes nicely with the cedar. For higher contrast, you could use stainless.
Last edited by Jamie Buxton; 04-08-2008 at 11:48 AM.
[OP]
Moderator
I might look at these J-bolt pivot hinges as well. They would be a much cleaner nearly invisible looking hinge that I could mortise into the post slightly.
I called PALS here in SJ and they don't carry cedar at all. Economy Lumber in Campbell does carry construction grade but he said he has some clear stuff that I can pick through since I won't need much for the gate.
I'm thinking 2x6 material for the frame and 1x6 material for the filler. Thoughts?
I have a 6x6 post to anchor to but I'll need to lag bolt another 6x6 (or whatever) to that in order to pull the gate out from the fence.
I'll have some pictures up soon if I can ever remember to take some!
They have gate wheels that are spring-tensioned.
[OP]
Moderator
Hmmm, how to go about cutting and attaching the pickets for this arched top gate? I plan to use my Domino for most of this but I'm unsure how to approach the arch and picket connection.
Contributor
Raises my hand and shouts---"let me answer, call on me teacher"
You could route a slot along the top edge, and cut mortises on the bottom rail. Then cut tenons on the pickets.
Do I get a good grade?
Making new friends on SMC each and every day
[OP]
Moderator
So I attached a few files of the fence area that will get a new gate. The new one will go in the spot where the old one is leaning against the house there near the hose reel.
It will bolt directly to the 6x6 post there (PT Douglas Fir) and I have another 6x6 that will bolt to the house. Rough size is 4' wide by about 7' tall.
I picked up a load of cedar this morning. Got some 2x6 by 8' with "lottsa character". My J/P will get a workout this weekend cleaning up this stock. It is rough on one side. This will be the stiles and rails.
Also picked up some 1x6 material for the lower panel. This stuff is clearer but still has some character.
Oh, yeah...the gar..err...shop needs a SERIOUS cleaning before I start on this project.
Last edited by Chris Padilla; 04-09-2008 at 3:32 PM.
[OP]
Moderator
I threw this together in Sketch-Up. Since the fence has a square top my wife decided on square top as well.
And since the fence is topped with a lattice structure, I will incorporate that into the top panel as well.
I will add some sublte curves to the rail tops and bottoms and sllightly lower the rails as I think it softens the gate look a bit.
One thing that bugs me about this design is water entrapment. I'm wondering if I should drill holes all the way through the grooves cut out in the rails to hold the panels and lattice work. Any thoughts there? Should I attempt to seal the grooves or something?
We plan to stain the gate some to get it a bit darker.
Should be interesting working cedar...never did anything with it before.
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