I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

On Mar 17, 9:40*am, " wrote:
I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. *What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg



IMHO the P/T pine will be too heavy and eventually cause sagging . You
might consider installing a pair of wheels mounted on the latch side
of both.
Joe G

wrote:
....

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. ....

One of the cedars is the usual standin for cypress; not a bad choice
probably for unfinished...of course, in the olden days redwood was a
no-brainer...

--

On 3/17/2010 9:41 AM, dpb wrote:
wrote:
...

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. ....

One of the cedars is the usual standin for cypress; not a bad choice
probably for unfinished...of course, in the olden days redwood was a
no-brainer...

I agree about the cedar. Western red cedar in particular is much lighter
than PT pine and can be purchased in 5/4 widths for a bit of extra
strength. Makes good gates.

I also like the idea of gate wheels for this type of gate. I installed
one last year on 10' metal gate and it makes a big difference with both
sag and ease of use ... but BIG wheels are mandatory for muddy times. a
good set runs about $40 at most tractor supply places.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 10/22/08
KarlC@ (the obvious)

" wrote in message
...
I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

Your question was about materials and not methods, but here's
my 2 cents worth anyway, when I make wood gates, I use a taller
post on the hinge side and build the gate with an angle brace, sag
free at any reasonable weight and lenght.

I have one on my barn that is 48" tall and 12' long, the hinge
side is 8' tall, I used carriage bolts to hold it all together
and after an initial sag of about quarter inch it has not moved
down any more in about 2 years.

basilisk

On 03/17/2010 07:40 AM, wrote:
I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

Given the amount of cross bracing the gates shouldn't sag in and of
themselves even without a wheel. For extra insurance you could run a
thin wire rope from the top hinge-side corner down to the opposite corner.

The wheel would help reduce the stress on the gate posts though.

Chris

Not sure where you are located. On the west coast it would be western
red cedar or redwood.

On Mar 17, 6:40*am, " wrote:
I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. *What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. *But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. *Will P/T pine be too heavy? *What are my
other options? *How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. *The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. *No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Not sure where you are located. On the west coast it would be western
red cedar or redwood.
....
Is redwood still at anything at all like affordable out there? It's
become almost purely unobtanium here (western high plains).

--

On Mar 17, 12:28*pm, "SonomaProducts.com" wrote:
Not sure where you are located. On the west coast it would be western
red cedar or redwood.

Mississippi, and WRC is cost prohibitive here. Tough enough finding
eastern red cedar locally, if you can believe it.

On Mar 17, 11:40*am, "basilisk" wrote:
" wrote in message

...

I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. *What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. *But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. *Will P/T pine be too heavy? *What are my
other options? *How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. *The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. *No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

Your question was about materials and not methods, but here's
my 2 cents worth anyway, when I make wood gates, I use a taller
post on the hinge side and build the gate with an angle brace, sag
free at any reasonable weight and lenght.


Picture?

" wrote in message
...
On Mar 17, 11:40 am, "basilisk" wrote:
" wrote in message

...

I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

Your question was about materials and not methods, but here's
my 2 cents worth anyway, when I make wood gates, I use a taller
post on the hinge side and build the gate with an angle brace, sag
free at any reasonable weight and lenght.


Picture?

I'm not at home and don't have a pic handy but here is a
design that illustrates what I'm talking about.

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/5064.pdf

In my boyhood there were a lot of these around and
were generally made of white oak, they would last a decade
sturdy enough for cattle.

There's no reason you couldn't make it look anyway you wanted.

basilisk

RW is still pretty cheap out here but it can get expensive for the
good stuff. Home Depot sells fence grade 1 x's by the pallet loads
daily. The poor stuff is dripping wet. You can get a little better
grade rough sawn for not too much more.

I also have access to a pecker mill dude who will fell and mill to
order... between meth bings and when isn't working on his Harley...
you know those mountain folk.

On Mar 17, 11:36*am, dpb wrote:
SonomaProducts.com wrote:
Not sure where you are located. On the west coast it would be western
red cedar or redwood.

...
Is redwood still at anything at all like affordable out there? *It's
become almost purely unobtanium here (western high plains).

--

On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:40:59 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers


I built my garden gate out of PT pine. What is so "bad" with it is
that it is usually very wet. You gotta have patience (or a kiln). I
clamped my PT stock for 6 months drying time, but I got to say 9
months is better.

You can use white oak, teak, cedar. Instead of an "X" brace you can
use one brace, corner to corner, to make the gate lighter and it is
just as strong. Your gate posts have got to be solid and stable!

On Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:11:44 -0500, "basilisk"
wrote:


" wrote in message
...
On Mar 17, 11:40 am, "basilisk" wrote:
" wrote in message

...

I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers

Your question was about materials and not methods, but here's
my 2 cents worth anyway, when I make wood gates, I use a taller
post on the hinge side and build the gate with an angle brace, sag
free at any reasonable weight and lenght.


Picture?

I'm not at home and don't have a pic handy but here is a
design that illustrates what I'm talking about.

http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/5064.pdf

....that there is a mutha design! I make all my frames from RW and use
cedar slats (that's no issue here, tho)...gonna try this design on a
6' opening I did 10 years ago...it's saggin' but because the owner
didn't want me to attach to the corner of his garage I had to redhead
into a 4 foot high block wall that was getting pushed out even back
then...he's changed his mind and I get to build another gate!

cg

In my boyhood there were a lot of these around and
were generally made of white oak, they would last a decade
sturdy enough for cattle.

There's no reason you couldn't make it look anyway you wanted.

basilisk

I would probably use treated lumber for the post, but I think poplar
would work for the gates. So long as is not in contact with the ground
it should do fine, and would weather well.
Walt



wrote:
I have put up a 1,100 split rail fence, and am now faced with building
4 gates to go along with it. What I'm looking to build is something
similar to this:

http://tinyurl.com/yfrv6bg

which are cypress. But I don't currently have access to a good local
supplier of cypress and am wondering what else I can build these out
of and keep the weight down. Will P/T pine be too heavy? What are my
other options? How long will untreated pine last outdoors, off the
ground? The gate posts are 6x6's with a concrete collar. The
dimensions are approximately 12' x 3' for the entire gate, ~6'x3' for
each gate 'half'. No, I'm not going to paint or stain them.

Cheers