How To Build A Swing Gate With Your Own Hands - Step By Step Instructions With Photos, Videos And Drawings

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

How to make a swing gate with your own hands: a unique technology

Fencing an industrial area, public areas or private property is unthinkable without installing a fence. An indispensable part of it is the entrance gate. You can save money by making such an object yourself.

Content

• 1 Designs of swing gates, types and designs

  • 1.1 Photo gallery: different types of gate designs
  • 1.2 Choosing the direction of opening the leaves
  • 1.3 Choice of web design
  • 1.4 General design features
• 2 Preparatory work for the gate
• 3 Selection of materials for swing gates

• 4 Materials and tools for the manufacture of swing gates

  • 4.1 Tools, fixtures and materials
  • 4.2 Photo gallery: tools and devices required for work

• 5 Installation of swing gates, step by step instructions

  • 5.1 Installation of support pillars
  • 5.2 Sash manufacturing
  • 5.3 Installing the sashes

• 6 Choice of automation for swing gates

  • 6.1 Linear drives
  • 6.2 Lever door operators
• 7 Gate control automation

• 8 Additional devices on swing gates

  8.1 Video: making automatic swing gates with your own hands

Swing gate designs, types and designs

Swing gates have a simple design and are the easiest to automate. This is especially important for gates installed at production sites with a large traffic flow.

The design of the gate without a mechanism for opening and closing them is inconvenient, since in this case you will have to get out of the car, open and fix the doors one by one, enter the yard, and then perform all the actions in the reverse order. It takes a lot of time, and it is especially unpleasant to do it in bad weather.

Photo gallery: different types of gate designs

Picket fence swing gates are easy to manufacture and require few materials

Sheet metal swing gates are reliable and durable

Light swing gates made of forged lattice are not only protection of the site, but also its decoration

Solid wood leaf makes the gate more reliable

Choosing the direction of opening the sashes

Gate leaves can be opened in two directions: outward or inward.

The first option is preferable when the yard has a small area. The disadvantage of this solution is the need to install the gate opening / closing mechanism in a hidden position. To do this, it is placed in a pit. This solution requires additional costs for sealing and entails the need to lengthen the axes of the sash to install the drive arm. When opening inward, the mechanism is installed directly on the gate post, and the levers are attached to the leaf.

The mechanism for opening and closing the gate is located on the inside

The choice of the design of the canvas

At this stage of the design, errors most often occur, the cause of which is unaccounted for the direction and strength of the wind at the installation site of the gate. If the area is characterized by strong steady winds, it is preferable to choose a lattice structure, since it has less windage compared to a solid canvas. Under the influence of wind loads, the mechanisms for moving the sash are overloaded and fail faster.

General design features

On any gate there are a number of elements that you need to pay attention to:

1. Hinges are parts that fasten the sash to the bearing pillars. Their number and power should ensure smooth movement of the shutters for a long time.
2. The central latch is an element required to install the sashes in the closed position.
3. The extreme latches are parts for temporarily fixing the sashes when the gate is wide open.
4. A constipation is a massive latch, a bolt with hinges or simply hinges for a lock, fixed on the shutters 1–1.2 m from the bottom edge.

Any gate has a number of elements: hinges, latches, locks

Preparatory work for the gate

The result of the entire assembly and installation of the gate depends on the thoroughness of the preparation. Preparatory work includes the following:

• development of a draft design of the entrance with detailing and drawing up a bill of materials;
• revision of leftover building materials from previous construction and the inclusion of suitable parts in the project;
• purchase of materials in accordance with the material list;
• production of parts, purchase of related materials and missing tools.

Before starting work, it is important to complete a draft design of a swing gate

According to the sketch, it remains to calculate the number of elements for each position in order to get a material sheet. It is also necessary to think over the methods of execution (welding, riveting), the material for the protective coating, the dimensions of the concrete bases and other structural elements. These items are also entered in the required quantities in the bill of materials.

Selection of materials for swing gates

This is perhaps the most important point. Even a magnificently executed gate may not look at all on the site if they do not harmonize with the fence of the site or the color of the roof of the house. A uniform design style is important.

The most common metal products in various combinations.

Easy to manufacture are gates made of a profile pipe 60x40 mm and corrugated board

In this case, the combination of brick, wooden picket fence and brown corrugated board seems questionable. This solution can only be in harmony with a wooden house on the site.

The photo below shows an example of a more successful combination of a gate with a fence in color and style. This option is made from almost the same materials. Elements of the simplest forging from a bar are available for self-production.

Metal gates made of corrugated board can be decorated with forging elements

The use of a relatively new material, honeycomb and monolithic polycarbonate, must be recognized as successful in combination with metal.

In the design of swing gates, you can use polycarbonate inserts and decorate them with artistic forging

The advantages of this material are its high strength, ease of processing and a large selection of tints and degrees of transparency.

It is impossible to list or show all the variety of combinations of different materials for the manufacture of swing gates. A successful solution at a minimum cost depends only on the contractor.

Materials and tools for the manufacture of swing gates

Everything necessary for the manufacture of gates has already been calculated at the design stage and drawing up a material sheet. This applies not only to the main, but also to the auxiliary materials. It is only necessary to add wooden beams for the manufacture of the slipway, which is necessary to ensure the flatness of the sash during the assembly process.

A slipway for assembling the sashes is needed to ensure the flatness of the product

When installing the slipway, attention should be paid to the flatness of its bearing elements. Since this is only an auxiliary structure, there is no need to saw off the protruding ends during the assembly process, and the material can subsequently be used for other purposes.

Tools, fixtures and materials

Considering the need for these products, we will stipulate the initial conditions. Suppose that you need to make gate leaves of a combined design using metal profiles in the form of a rectangular pipe 80x40 mm for the main frame, the same material 40x40 mm in size for jibs and stiffening ribs, as well as a wooden board - lining to fill the leaf of the leaves.

For work you will need:

1. Hand-held grinder (grinder) for cutting metal profiles and processing the cut-off point for grinding sharp edges and removing burrs.
2. Abrasive discs for a grinder.
3. Locksmith's square - for marking the place of cutting.
4. Three-meter tape measure - for taking measurements.
5. Clamps for fixing parts before welding.
6. Household welding machine.
7. Electrodes matching the leaf material.
8. Hammer for descaling welded seams.
9. Hacksaw saw for wood to work with lining.
10. Screwdriver - for fastening wooden parts to the sash frame.
11. Self-tapping screws - for the same purposes.
12. Electric drill - for drilling holes for self-tapping screws of the appropriate size.
13. Bench vices - for fixing rods in the manufacture of clamps.
14. Construction plumb line - to control the verticality when installing the shutters on the support posts.
15. Building level for adjusting the position of the bearing structures of the slipway.
16. Metal primer and appropriate paint - for applying a protective coating to metal parts.
17. Compositions for antiseptic processing of wooden parts and fireproofing impregnation for wood.

In the course of the work, other tools and devices may be needed.

Photo gallery: tools and devices necessary for work

The grinder is needed for cutting a metal profile

The screwdriver is used to fasten wooden elements to the frame of the sash

Using a drill, drill holes for self-tapping screws

A welding machine is required to perform basic work on the assembly of the structure

Vise fixes the rods in the manufacture of clamps

The clamp is used to fix parts

Using a square, mark the cutting points

Installation of swing gates, step by step instructions

Gate installation should be started with the installation of support pillars.

Installation of support pillars

For supporting pillars, rectangular pipes with a size of 100x100 mm are used, preferably galvanized. If the pipe is electrically welded, then the longitudinal seam must be located on the opposite side from the installation site of the awnings.

Pole pits are best made using a 250 mm garden drill.

It is convenient to drill holes for support posts with a garden drill

The depth of the pit depends on the depth of freezing of the soil in the area of work. For the Moscow region, this value is 180 cm, therefore, the pit should be 15 cm deeper. If this requirement is not met, in winter, as a result of soil movement, the support pillars may be skewed.

At the bottom of the pit, you need to arrange drainage. For this, sand is poured onto the bottom (layer height 10 cm), then gravel of the middle fraction (layer height 5 cm).

Concreting is done in the following order:

1. Install the pole in the pit, check the observance of the required height and verticality.

2. Install spacers directly in the pit to fix the post.

   

   The support post is installed in the pit and fixed with spacers

3. Fill the pits to the ground level with concrete M300 mortar.

   

   Concrete is poured into pits to ground level

4. The optimal concrete hardening time is 28 days, but after 7 days the concrete will gain strength, allowing you to continue working. In the hot season, concrete maintenance is necessary - it must be covered with a film and periodically moistened with water.

Simultaneously with the concreting of the support posts, it is necessary to make a central support with the installation of a metal embedded part on it. The holes for the locking pins are more convenient to make later - when hanging the sashes with markings in place.

Sash manufacturing

While the concrete is standing, you can install the slipway and start making the swing gate leaves. This requires:

• measure the distance between the support posts and, if necessary, make adjustments to the longitudinal dimensions;
• install the slipway;
• prepare the sash parts for assembly;
• lay the structural elements on the slipway, secure them with clamps;
• check the correctness of the diagonal layout and dimensions, if necessary correct;
• weld the structure;

The sashes are assembled by welding

• after completing all welded joints, remove the slag with a hammer, inspect each seam, if necessary, re-boil;
• paint the surface with soil, dry;
• apply a finishing protective coating (paint);
• install the inner leaf of the sashes, fix in the chosen way.

Installation of sashes

The sash must be set to the "closed" position on a temporary mount, while:

1. Provide the gaps between the support posts and the leaves equal to the size of the hinge. It is convenient to use wooden spacers for this. The gap between the flaps should be 10 to 50 mm.
2. The distance from the bottom edge of the flaps to the ground must be at least 50 mm.
3. In height, the sashes are installed on temporary supports.
4. Check the freedom of movement of the leaves when opening them. To do this, you need to install a bar on the lower edge of the gate perpendicular to the leaves. The length of the plank should be equal to the width of the sash. Align the bar horizontally in level. The far end of the plank should not be in contact with the ground. Otherwise, the sash will hit the ground when opening.

5. After taking all the necessary measurements, you can install awnings. To do this, they are placed in the provided gap and welded to the support posts and flaps.

   

   Hinged gate canopies are welded to the support posts

6. If galvanized pipes were used for the poles, the welded seams must be carefully cleaned and painted over with a special paint, which is 95% zinc powder. Otherwise, the metal will actively corrode, and the pillars will quickly fail.
7. Mark and drill holes for the fixing pins and put them in place.

8. A plate of suitable size must be welded to the top of the support post to plug the hole.

   

   Fixing pins are needed only for a long absence of owners or in strong winds to avoid damage to the mechanism from wind load

Choice of automation for swing gates

Most often, linear and lever drives on electric traction, as well as hydraulic drives are used as a device for opening / closing gates.

Linear drives

The popularity of linear mechanisms is due to their lower cost compared to lever mechanisms and their higher power and stability in operation. Their market share is about 95%.

A linear drive is needed to automatically open and close swing gates

The design feature of such mechanisms is the use of a worm screw, which allows you to transfer increased loads. An important factor that determines the popularity of linear drives is also the ability to use them to open doors both inward and outward. An additional advantage is the ability to mount them on narrow posts.

Lever gate operators

The main feature of such mechanisms is smooth operation when opening and closing, which is due to the design features.

When choosing a lever drive, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions and weight of the gate leaves

The gear motor drives the levers associated with the shutters through a worm gear. Opening / closing is performed in any direction at an angle up to 110 °.

Gate control automation

Mechanization of gate operation does not provide any advantages if used without automatic control. It is convenient to open them by simply pressing a button on the control panel.

Gate automation is a set of elements for opening and closing leaves by pressing a button

Designations in the figure:

1. Left wing drive.
2. Right wing drive.
3. Control Panel.
4. Signal receiving device.
5. Photocells for safety.
6. Signal lamp.
7. Receiving antenna.
8. Racks for installing photocells.

Here is a minimal set of control devices to ensure the operation of swing gates.

Additional devices on swing gates

Automated swing gates do not require any additional structural elements.

But situations are possible when the entire structure is subjected to critical loads. First of all, this applies to solid valves in strong winds. Therefore, traditional bolts and pins in the lower part of the doors are used for insurance. The material for their manufacture is usually the remains of the main structure of the shutters, bent steel rods with a diameter of 12-16 mm. For the locking hinges, a 4 mm thick metal strip is used.

All these additional elements are used during a long absence of the owners or in the event of adverse weather conditions.

Video: making automatic swing gates with your own hands

Beautiful, properly made automated gates are not only a decoration of a country house, but also a reliable security device. Most developers can make them with their own hands.