Oak gate advice

[Kidneycutter]

Ive made this oak gate..reluctantly, as I'm not sure how the wood will move outside.
I'm not sure how to fix the t &g boards which are rebated into the frame and obviously sit on the bottom rail. Also should I leave a expansion gap between the boards?

 

[Austin Branson]

Hello Kidneycutter, your boards don’t appear to be tenoned into the bottom rail, presumably to eliminate water ingress, so I guess you will be screwing them onto the bottom rail. The boards should have expansion spaces between them- I would probably route a bead onto the edges, combined with a rebate to allow a gap-free appearance. I don’t think you will have racking problems - your multiple verticals in the upper portion should eliminate that, but wedged m&t in the rails to stiles would guarantee it. Nice looking gate. How will you finish it? Or will you leave it to go silver? Best wishes.

 

[Kidneycutter]

Hello Kidneycutter, your boards don’t appear to be tenoned into the bottom rail, presumably to eliminate water ingress, so I guess you will be screwing them onto the bottom rail. The boards should have expansion spaces between them- I would probably route a bead onto the edges, combined with a rebate to allow a gap-free appearance. I don’t think you will have racking problems - your multiple verticals in the upper portion should eliminate that, but wedged m&t in the rails to stiles would guarantee it. Nice looking gate. How will you finish it? Or will you leave it to go silver? Best wishes.

I'm thinking of pre drilling then nailing the boards but should I allow the tops to float in the rebate of get a fixing into the middle rail. So I guess there is no point in gluing any of the t&g?
I'm wondering whether I can take a bit of the tenon for wedges on the rails or just enlarge the mortice to accommodate wedges.
Will probably put some Danish oil on to finish.

 

[Craig22]

You are going to need expansion gaps in the boards. You can figure on a couple of percent maximum between as-delivered seasoned and equilibrium outdoors. But it depends on moisture content now, and where you live (coastal, inland etc). In other words the boards should float.

Even for indoor stuff I've built for our use, I rough machine the timber and leave it in the house for some months to stop moving, then finish and construct.

Putting on outdoor grade finish absolutely will not stop those boards moving by the way.

I remember even Alan Peters saying that at one stage he made "piston-fit" drawers in custom furniture. And then had to visit the customer to do remedial action when the drawer got tight or jammed because the moisture content was different.