Gate design issue

**Legion** · 11th November 2012, 11:53 PM

I'm making new side gates at home. One will be the normal one we use, about 1000mm x 1800mm on sprung hinges and a slam latch. The other will be normally shut, but also openable if we ever need to get something wide through. It'll be 1330mm x 1800mm. Both will end up very heavy, with horizontal slats and a heavy steel frame. 60kg wouldn't surprise me (slats alone are 45kg for the skinnier gate). The normally fixed gate will have a 14mm drop pin but I'm concerned that the pin alone won't stand up to slamming halfway up.

So, any thoughts?

- am I right about the pin not providing enough rigidity alone?
- I could have a folding brace hinge attached at about half the width (or more, or less) of the wider gate attached to the top stay of that gate and the wall. But that's a bit ugly.
- I could fab a horizontal sliding bar on the top stay of the gate. When it's shut, slide the bar across and brace against the upright post. It'd have to be thick though (10mm?)
- same as above, but a pivoting thing.

Any alternatives? Something less ugly than my ideas?

**BobWoodworks** · 12th November 2012, 12:34 AM

Hi,
I think that a 14mm drop pin will be plenty depending on how far it goes in and how close the gate is to the ground. Rarely will you let the gate with the spring go to slamm unless you have small kids. Generally you tend to help the door close so that it doesn't slamm. You can also use adjustable sprung hinges that are not as leathle as a standard sprung hinge.

**Yonnee** · 13th November 2012, 10:01 AM

I made a pair of gates for the rear of my carport area for rear yard access. The frames are made from 25mm SHS and are around 1500mm high, having a 150mm t/pine plinth at the bottom and 1800mm cypress pickets making the gates 1950mm high (and reasonably heavy). They span an opening nearly 3 Metres wide and only one gate has a drop bolt into the concrete holding both gates shut. The other gate has one of those old fashioned cast iron gate latches, that if shut hard enough will latch itself. The gates are nearly 8 years old, and the drop bolt has stood up to the treatment of a 9 and 12 year old as well as the wind blowing the gate shut occasionally.
As Bob has said, generally these gates are closed gently without being slammed, although as I have elected to not have the latch handle on the outside, the kids tend to slam them shut when exiting the yard.

I can post up some pics of the gates if you want.

**Legion** · 13th November 2012, 10:29 AM

Thanks for the reassurance guys. Yonnee, mine have 50mm SHS, so extra heavy in the frame alone. Reason? I want to use fittings that require a larger section. I'm looking at D&D technologies fittings. It'll hurt buying them (I'm doing it bit by bit to lessen the pain) but hopefully we'll be happy with them for years. The hinges are very nice, but at ~$250/hinge for the self-closing ones and requiring two of those for one of the gates, well, it's not cheap. I justify it to myself by saying I'm still saving money (maybe!) building it myself versus getting someone in to do it. Plus I used the project to justify finally getting a horizontal bandsaw the other day.

**Bazzmate** · 13th November 2012, 09:50 PM

Originally Posted by Legion

Plus I used the project to justify finally getting a horizontal bandsaw the other day.

Sorry, can't help you with your gate problem but . . . Ha ha, what a crack up. Funny how you can always justify a tool purchase if you want it badly enough

(Works for me too!)

**danielhobby** · 21st November 2012, 10:07 PM

try Goliath self closeing hinges,not sure what retail is but its nowhere near that price.

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