Flickr Pool: Oversized Wooden Gate
By Sean O'Hara
As usual, Toolmonger readers like gareth.ky are ahead of me. We see here the start of his oversized gate construction which, judging from the rest of the pictures, turned out great.
It’s the little things, like a double-door gate that you build yourself, that add function and value to a home. These projects add up over the years, resulting in a sweet home with additions that would’ve cost a bunch if you’d bought them outright at the start.
Toolmonger Photo Pool [Flickr]
November 17th, 2008 at 12:06 pm
That design puts the diagonal member in compression, which will probably bend it over time. It would be better to have the diagonal going the opposite way, putting it into extension.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:01 pm
Wow I made the website!
Everything I know about overbuilding I learned from my Dad. Its 8′ wide so I can back a trailer or boat into the back yard. There was enough space between the property line and the house so why not?
David H, I put the beam in compression because I couldn’t come up with a good way to anchor it in tension. The vertical posts are anchored top and bottom with 5″ lag bolts. So the compression is trying to sheer a fastener rather than having tension trying to pull a fastener out.
November 18th, 2008 at 7:19 am
The diagonal in extension would be dependent upon the connections at the joints- in an all wood gate compression is more reliable- as to the diagonal bending, attach the pickets to it. Having built many gates- I say this one is built like a battleship! Nice job.