How To Make An Automatic Gate With Your Own Hands - Step By Step Instructions With Photos, Videos And Drawings

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 12:53

DIY gate automation

Automatic drive is an invention that allows you to open the gate by pressing a button on the garage wall or remotely from the remote control. True, in order to equip the entrance structure with automation, one must have a clear idea of the gate structure. Another prerequisite for the smooth functioning of the drive is the correct installation and adjustment of the equipment.

Content

• 1 Design and principle of operation of gates with automation

  • 1.1 Sectional doors
  • 1.2 Up-and-over doors
  • 1.3 Rolling shutters (roller shutters)
  • 1.4 Sliding gates
  • 1.5 Swing gates
• 2 Preparation for construction: drawings and diagrams
• 3 Material selection
• 4 Material calculation and tool preparation

• 5 Step-by-step instructions for making automatic gates

  • 5.1 Choice of automation for swing gates
  • 5.2 Installing the drive

  • 5.3 Setting automation

    1 Video: installation of automation on swing gates

• 6 Tips for operating gate operators

  6.1 Video: do-it-yourself swing gates

The device and the principle of operation of the gate with automation

The design and function of automatic gates is determined by their type. And the doors on the territory of the house are:

• lifting (sectional, lifting and rotating and roll);
• retractable;
• swinging.

Sectional doors

Automatic sectional doors look like a structure with a leaf that goes up when opened, that is, it is removed along special guides to the ceiling of the room

Sectional doors are absolutely safe to operate, because when opening the door leaves the door up

The main advantages of sectional doors include:

• compactness, because in the open state the doors do not reduce the area of the garage or other building;
• operational safety, since the lifting blade cannot damage the hood of the car, which sometimes happens when using a swing structure;
• burglary protection at the proper level;
• reliable thermal insulation.

But automatic overhead sectional doors have a rather significant drawback - the ability to install only in rooms with a small area.

Up-and-over doors

Automatic overhead doors differ from sectional sash designs. It is a solid canvas that covers the entire opening space. Such a sash moves up along the guides and changes its position from vertical to horizontal. A door with a solid leaf is characterized by the same advantages as a sectional design, but is considered the best option, since it does not release heat at all and more effectively protects the room from intruders.

Overhead doors allow less heat to pass through and are more vandal resistant than sectional doors

Rolling shutters (roller shutters)

In automatic rolling gates, the main element is a soft leaf made of aluminum plates, a drum on which the material is screwed, and boxes to protect the entire structure. Among the advantages of such gates, it should be noted:

• wide range of sizes (admissible web width - 12 meters, and height - 10 meters);
• compactness (compressed);
• the possibility of installation in any premises, not excluding garages and shopping malls.

True, rolling gates cannot be called reliable, since their strength is highly questionable.

Rolling shutters can cover large openings, but they are not strong enough

Sliding gates

Console-type automatic sliding gates consist of a leaf that provides access to the room, going to the right or left side of the opening to the building wall or fence. This structure is equipped with roller bearings, partially hidden in the foundation and responsible for moving the sash. The rollers are protected by a beam that protects them from moisture.

When the sliding gates are closed, the canvas is above the opening - at a distance of a centimeter from the ground. Special guides attached to the fence supports or to the wall of the room are responsible for opening the gate.

The sliding gate leaf moves along a special rail fixed to the foundation

The owners of buildings with sliding gates usually point to the following undeniable advantages of the design:

• installation in an opening up to 12 meters wide;
• the ability to easily open the gate, both automatically and manually;
• impeccable thermal insulation;
• perfect strength.

Swing gates

Hinged gates with an automatic drive are a design with two reliable leaves, which are hinged and attached to both sides of the opening. To open such a gate by pressing a button, two electric drives are required. The swinging structure can provide access to the premises, removing the sashes both inside and outside the building.

Swing gate leaves can be opened both inward and outward

The main advantages of automatic swing gates include:

• ease of construction;
• ease of installation work;
• the ability to use in any conditions.

The only thing that does not speak in favor of swing gates is the relatively inconvenient operation.

Preparation for construction: drawings and diagrams

When planning to build a gate, be sure to perform a drawing that reflects the size and location of the main parts of the structure. If you plan to build swing gates - the most popular option - then before drawing up the schemes, they think over what the length of the flaps will be. In this case, the width of the carriageway and the type of car (in the case of constructing a garage door) are taken into account.

The length of the swing gate leaves should be selected taking into account the width of the entrance area

Usually for swing gates, leaves with a length of 1.5–2 meters are made. And the standard height of the canvas, regardless of the type of construction, is considered to be about two meters.

The frame and leaves of swing gates are usually made of metal profiles or square pipes.

Material selection

When thinking about a project for creating an automatic gate, you should pay attention to the choice of material for the canvas. The doors of the structure, which open automatically, should be light, which means that it is more reasonable to build them from corrugated board, polycarbonate or sandwich panels.

Sandwich panels provide good thermal insulation of the interior and are lightweight

Often, in the construction of automatic gates, a professional sheet is used, which has earned popularity due to its large number of advantages:

• light weight;
• a large and interesting choice of colors (for example, a coating with an imitation of natural stone or wood);
• acceptable cost;
• long service life;
• simple installation.

In addition, when preparing for the construction of an automatic gate, it is necessary to seriously approach the choice of an electric drive mechanism. We will have to decide which automation is more suitable for the sashes or the canvas - lever or linear.

Linear actuators are more compact and are mounted on metal poles

If you evaluate the drives by their appearance, then the linear mechanism, which is distinguished by its compactness, seems to be the best. True, it is not customary to install it on wide pillars and to automatically open the doors, which are removed inside the room.

Lever actuators are used on gates with wide stone pillars and inward opening doors

To determine the choice of an electric drive, you need to measure the distance between the inside of the post and the loop. When this value is no more than 1.5 cm, a linear actuator is used. If the indicator is different, then the gate is equipped with a lever-type mechanism, the cost of which is slightly higher.

Material calculation and tool preparation

Swing gates, which are installed much more often than sliding or lifting structures, are assembled from the following components:

• bolt;
• supporting pillars on which the sash will be held;
• frame made of metal elements;
• sash;
• garage hinges;
• door handles;
• two electric drives.

In addition, you will need various materials and fasteners:

• reinforcement rods with a diameter of 1.4 cm;
• two iron pipes with different sections (60x40 mm and 40x20 mm);
• sheets of material for sash sheathing;
• 2 pipes with a cross section of 10x10 cm;
• cement and sand mortar;
• solvent, primer and alkyd enamel;
• electrode;
• three-wire cable;
• self-tapping screws for fastening metal parts;
• mounting plates (for drives);
• brackets and dowels;
• PVC pipes with insulating material inside.

For the manufacture of the frame and casements of swing gates, metal pipes of various sections are needed

To mount the gate and install the automation, you need certain tools:

• angle grinder;
• shovel;
• welding machine;
• drill;
• screwdriver;
• measuring tape, building level and ruler;
• brush for metal processing;
• paintbrush;
• indicator screwdriver;
• insulating tape;
• hammer and pliers;
• residual current device.

Step-by-step instructions for making automatic gates

Gate manufacturing involves a number of actions:

1. Anchoring in the ground at a depth of one meter of two metal pipes with a section of 10x10 cm, for which it is required to create a glass-type concrete foundation.

   

   Gate posts are concreted in a pit one meter deep

2. The construction of the gate frame - it is welded from pipes with a cross section of 40x20 mm. The transverse partition gives the structure the necessary rigidity.

   

   It is recommended to grind welding seams with a grinder

3. Cleaning the metal frame from corrosion and alternate treatment with a solvent, primer and alkyd enamel.
4. Fastening to the hinge structure (by welding).
5. Installation of embedded parts required for laying wires, one meter from the ground level.

6. Sheathing of the metal frame with the selected material.

   

   Sheathing made of metal profiled sheet is attached to the frame using roofing screws

7. Hanging the produced leaves on the hinges.
8. Checking the evenness of the structure by means of a building level.

Choice of automation for swing gates

For swing gates, both linear and lever automatics are suitable. The first option is two electric drives with a worm gear or hydraulic mechanism inside. In some cases, the installation of linear automation is impossible, and therefore a lever drive is installed on the gates - a massive and durable structure that requires a deep planting of the leaves. Lever-type automatics are the perfect solution for swing gates made up of leaves up to 5 meters wide.

The drives designed for sliding gates are the same: they consist of a mechanism with a pinion gear and a toothed rack fixed to the door leaf. The motor of such automation sets the rail in motion and thereby changes the position of the gate. It is started by pressing the necessary buttons on the control panel, which is located on the side of the door structure.

Installing the drive

Swing gates will open automatically if you do the following:

1. Weld special mounting plates to the support posts.

2. Opening the gate leaves 90 degrees and measuring 91 cm between the centers of the plates, attach the bracket to the leaves (by welding).

   

   A gap of 910 mm is left between the rear and front bracket

3. Unlock the drives using a special plastic key and put them in manual operation.
4. Lubricate the bushings and install the brackets for fastening the automation mechanisms.
5. Check if the gate opens smoothly.
6. Attach the drive control unit to the indoor wall using conventional wall plugs.

Wiring diagram for connecting automation

Setting up automation

In order for the automation to work, you need to connect it according to the diagram attached to the drives. Typically, setting up a gate leaf opening mechanism is as follows:

1. A special plastic cover is put on the engine, screwing the protective cover with a regular screwdriver.
2. A board is mounted in a red connector, while switch "1" is set to "off", and switch "2" to "on".
3. The wires are connected to the red connectors, fixing the wire jumpers between the desired pins.
4. A key fob code reader is connected to the automation.
5. Check the operation of the drives.

Video: installing automation on swing gates

Operating tips for gate operators

There will be no problems with the operation of automatic gates if you use them, guided by some rules:

• make sure that nothing interferes with the functioning of the leaves, that is, to clear the gate movement zone;
• if necessary, repair the structure, that is, replace worn parts, lubricate moving parts and adjust the mechanism;
• in case of any failures in the operation of the drive, contact the specialists, because any equipment can suddenly fail.

Video: do-it-yourself swing gates

By installing an automatic gate in a garage or other room, you can operate it without any hassle. For example, to put a car in a garage, you just need to press the desired button while driving and wait for the doors to open automatically. It is very convenient and practical.