Garden Gate in chestnut

[AndyP]

Another recently completed project

Garden Gate

The old one was quite rotten


The new gate is made from chestnut with a few design details that I hope will prevent, or at least prolong the onset of, the wood from rotting.


Layout


Tenons made on the tablesaw


Mortices on the morticer


Gluing up the frame


The panels are nailed into rebates in rails


Numbers cut on the scroll saw









It is difficult to see in the pictures but all top surfaces of the rails were chamfered to allow water to run off. The top rail is on top of the stiles so that the exposed end grain is to the side and not the top and space left below each panel to prevent water being trapped.

 

[Rod]

Nice work - what finish did you use?

Rod

 

[AndyP]

Hi, Rod, thanks.

The finish is this http://www.cuprinol.co.uk/products/shed_and_fence_protector.jsp which is my preferred finish for just about everything outdoors. Spirit based so it soaks into the wood. Does not leave a skin so reapplying is a doddle just brush of the dirt and slop it on.

 

[Mike G]

Nice, but curious to see the stiles finishing below the rails. I guess you are trying to reduce the exposure of end-grain timber horizontally to the elements.

 

[AndyP]

Mike you are spot on. Since coming up with the design i=I have only seen about 3 others with the top rail like this and I have looked at 100s!.
Here is another picture of the rot on the old gate. I was determined that the new one would not suffer the same fate.

 

[Phil]

Mike you are spot on. Since coming up with the design i=I have only seen about 3 others with the top rail like this and I have looked at 100s!.
Here is another picture of the rot on the old gate. I was determined that the new one would not suffer the same fate.

Looks very good Andy.

I am clueless about constructing gates etc, but the way you built it is logical (for me) and I would have done the same.

Cheers
Phil

 

[AndyP]

Phil, there is logical - to you and me, and then there is traditional and what is easy to make.

 

[Tusses]

I like the wood work .. good job

I don't like the metal work .. spoils the wood work for me

 

[AndyP]

I like the wood work .. good job

I don't like the metal work .. spoils the wood work for me

You are probably right. It was a case of using the existing hardware as the hinge bolts were set into the stone pillar. I nearly lost my wedding tackle trimming the lower hinge to fit my slightly thinner bottom rail.



Sparks from the angle grinder set my overalls alight.

 

[Tusses]

I hope that's your thumb ! :shock:

 

[meccarroll]

Hi Andy,

"look at that original gate, rotten through and through" that was a truly neglected gate for sure.

I'm sure your new gate with contemporary design will be much better cared for and last a long time.

It's a bit more clear to me now why you asked the question about end grain on top of framed gates in my thread.

When you take a look at that original gate you have replaced, it was completely rotten in every location not just the end grain on top of the stile.

You seem to be a bit of a rebel when it comes to woodwork and traditional methods of construction, not to say that there is anything wrong with trying new ideas though. There are a few reasons why we traditionalists use horizontal jointing methods and don't tend to use vertical mortice and tenon joints in gates and doors. The main one is strength. Quite often in the past doors and gates just had the joints painted and wedged, sometimes draw bored as well. Constructing doors using traditional methods was the only time tested way to ensure a door or gate remained rigid and stable.

Of course today we have modern glues which are far superior to anything we had years ago (paint) so jointing methods have, in recent years, been greatly experimented with and now we use biscuits, finger joints, dowels, domino's and of course the vertical mortice and tenon too.

It's hard to really argue that any of these methods will or won't last longer that the other because modern glues are really that good that most joints if constructed correctly will last.

Well done that man for thinking out of the box.

Mark

Mod edit: Link added to your gate thread

 

[AndyP]

Mark, thanks you for you comments. You may also notice I choose not to inset the panels. There are all a couple of mm short of the rails which were angled to shed water. Hopefully there is nowhere for moisture to collect.

I also edited your post to link to your thread.

 

[AJB Temple]

Reading the old book on gates that Andy posted in Mr T's thread, even back in the 1880's they were advocating chamfers and curves to aid water run off and minimising joints that water could seep in to.