Bowed Garden Gate

[brianhabby]

A friend has been complaining for quite some time about a garden gate she had made a couple of years ago. Apparently some guy who was doing some painting & decorating for her said he could make a new gate for her.

After a short while it started sticking so she called him back and his reply was - "Well, you can't blame me, I'm no joiner".

If he didn't know what he was doing he shouldn't have offered to do it in the first place.

Her son has tried planing it several times apparently but it still sticks again after a while.

So today I went to have a look as she said it was sticking yet again.

The gate has been made from softwood boards with absolutely no allowance for expansion and I was amazed at how much they had bowed. When the gate has been closed of course the wood still wants to expand and has to go somewhere.

This is what it looks like:

And from the other side:

I've freed it again for her, hopefully it will stay free for a while but I really think the gate wants re-making

regards

Brian

 

[OPJ]

Wow! :shock: I wonder what would happen if your carefully removed the boards (?) and trimmed the two outer ones to allow for some expansion...? You'd probably have to lay the frame flat for a few days (under cover) as well. It might work. :?

 

[Ironballs]

Needs re-making, probably from scratch, the frame/bracing parts are not right so cannot counteract the movement

 

[Racers]

Hi.

How about running a circular saw up between the boards, you would have to wait until its dry and flat or hammer in some wedges in as you go to stop it pinching up.


Pete

 

[dennis]

Brian,

There looks to be plenty of leeway up to the ledge on the hinge side, I would take the gate off and plane plenty off this side, if you havn't allready.

I presume the boards are t&g, running a V groove up the joints on the face would improve the appearance.

I would'nt do any thing else unless specifically asked.

Dennis.

 

[OPJ]

Damian's right as well; that brace should be going up towards the other corner, away from the hinged stile.

What dimensions are the gate overall, Brian?

 

[dennis]

Admittedly the brace would be better the other way, but still does the job this way, just not quite as well. If it is a high gate there may be a brace going the other way to a central ledge.

You fairly often see ledged and braced doors with the bracings meeting on the the same end of central ledge .

Dennis.

 

[brianhabby]

You know, I never even noticed the brace, too gobsmacked by the bow I guess. The brace should go the other way, as I understand it, part of its job is to offer support from the hinged side and stop any sagging.

The gate is about three feet wide and about 6 foot tall. I've told the lady that it should really be re-made from scratch but I've freed it up for her now and she's happy with it at the moment so I won't be doing any more to it.

I've got a couple of gates to make for someone else - I'll have to make sure I allow for expansion after this

regards

Brian

 

[OllyK]

That hinge looks like the work of a class A bodger as well, why not set it all up so they run on to the rails rather than having to block them up?

This was my effort at a garden gate and it's holding up well

 

[joiner_sim]

Brian,

I would have said apart from the defects already mentioned, I think the braces and ledges could have been thicker also, unless it's just the picture.

 

[hog&bodge]

That hinge looks like the work of a class A bodger as well, why not set it all up so they run on to the rails rather than having to block them up?

Hey don't blame us bodger's for his lame attempt at a gate...lol
I would just bin it and make a new one...
By the time you ave finished messing with it you could have used the time
to make a "proper job"

 

[frugal]

Looks like the garden gate at our place when we moved in. Except that it had been made out of pine tongue and groove, so it litterally ripped the screws out of the braces as it bowed. I ended up taking it to pieces, planing off the tongue and the groove from each piece and putting it back together again. Taking the tongue and groove off left a 6mm gap between each board and it seems to be holding up nicely under the english weather.

 

[Night Train]

I'd say that if you are on this forum then you might as well make a new gate and post pictures. It would be easier and more fun.

 

[MikeG.]

Structurally, timber works just as well in tension as it does in compression, so it matters not a jot which way the brace runs. The only difference, and it may be important, is that when it runs in the traditional way the forces are holding the joints between the ledges and the braces together.....when the brace is the "wrong" way, the joints are being pulled apart.

Mike

 

[kityuser]

My nice new gates, and my neighbours to. Braced (no pictures from the back with me at the mo.) diagonally up from the hinged side.

I even hung my neighbours for him, got out of me lending him any tools

what a nice bloke I am ........ 8)

Steve

 

[brianhabby]

I'd say that if you are on this forum then you might as well make a new gate and post pictures. It would be easier and more fun.

As I said above I've got a pair of gates to make for someone else so you can be sure there will be pictures. I've got the wood, just need to make a start.

This particular gate is not getting re-made as the lady is quite happy that I freed it up for her and she is using it okay at the moment. That might change in the future of course.

regards

Brian

 

[thomvic]

Brian

Don't waste your valuable time - throw it away and start again. A gate of that size should have stiles, ledges and braces.
Ollyk has shown you the only way to make a good job. I would suggest though that the braces join to both the ledges and the stiles - not just one or the other.

Steve (kityuser) has also done a super job - I'll bet the backs of his gates are right.

Richard

 

[dennis]

I agree that this gate is a bodgit and scarper job, but as Brian says,he has eased it, which is all that was asked of him. The owner may not be in a position to invest in a new one, and this one although roughly made could possibly last for years.

There are hundreds of thousands of ledge and brace doors, and they do not need stiles.

The bracings on Ollies door may be housed in which makes a strong job.

Dennis.

 

[kityuser]

heres the back of my gates:

The angle of the hinge strips is due to the play in the pins/sockets :?
Morticed stiles/rails, and snug braces.
They've been hung now for getting on for a year and no drop what so ever :wink:

Steve