Fencing an industrial zone, public areas or private property is unthinkable without installing a fence. An indispensable component is the entrance gate. You can save money by making such an object yourself.

Swing gate designs, types and designs

Swing gates have a simple design and are the easiest to automate. This is especially important for gates installed on production sites with large traffic volumes.

The design of a gate without a mechanism for opening and closing it is inconvenient, since in this case you will have to get out of the car, open and lock the doors one by one, drive into the yard, and then perform all the steps in reverse order. This takes a lot of time, and it is especially unpleasant to do it in bad weather.

Photo gallery: different types of gate designs

Swing gates made of picket fence are easy to make and require few materials Sheet metal swing gates are reliable and durable Lightweight swing gates made of forged lattice are not only protection of the site, but also its decoration A solid wooden leaf makes the gate more reliable

Selecting the direction of opening the doors

Gate leaves can open in two directions: outward or inward.

The first option is preferable when the yard has a small area. The disadvantage of this solution is the need to install the gate opening/closing mechanism in a hidden position. To do this, it is placed in a pit. This solution requires additional costs for sealing and entails the need to lengthen the axes of the valves to install the drive lever. When opening inward, the mechanism is installed directly on the gate post, and the levers are attached to the door leaf.

Choice of fabric design

At this design stage, errors most often occur, the cause of which is the direction and strength of the wind at the location where the gate is installed that is not taken into account. If the area is characterized by strong, stable winds, it is preferable to choose a lattice structure, since it has less windage compared to a solid canvas. Under the influence of wind loads, the mechanisms for moving the sashes are overloaded and fail faster.

General design features

On any gate there are a number of elements that you need to pay attention to:

1. Hinges are parts that secure the doors to supporting poles. Their number and power should ensure smooth movement of the valves for a long time.
2. The central lock is an element necessary for installing the sashes in the closed position.
3. Extreme clamps are parts for temporarily fixing the leaves when the gate is wide open.
4. The lock is a massive latch, a hasp with hinges, or simply hinges for a lock, attached to the doors 1–1.2 m from the bottom edge.

Preparatory work for the installation of gates

The result of all work on assembling and installing the gate depends on the thoroughness of the preparation. Preparatory work includes the following:

• development of a preliminary design of the entrance with details and drawing up a bill of materials;
• revision of the remaining building materials from previous construction and inclusion of suitable parts in the project;
• acquisition of materials in accordance with the material list;
• production of parts, purchase of related materials and missing tools.

Based on the sketch above, all that remains is to count the number of elements for each position in order to obtain a material statement. It is also necessary to consider the methods of execution (welding, riveting), the material for the protective coating, the dimensions of the concrete foundations and other structural elements. These items in the required quantities are also included in the bill of materials.

Selection of materials for swing gates

This is perhaps the most important point. Even a perfectly executed gate may look completely out of place on the property if it does not harmonize with the fence of the property or the color of the roof of the house. A unified design style is important.

The most common are metal products in various combinations.

In this case, the combination of brick, wooden picket fence and brown corrugated board seems doubtful. This solution can only be in harmony with a wooden house on the site.

The photo below shows an example of a more successful combination of gates and fencing in color and style. This option is made from almost the same materials. Elements of the simplest forging from a rod are available for self-production.

The use of a relatively new material in combination with metal - cellular and monolithic polycarbonate - must be considered successful.

The advantages of this material are its high strength, ease of processing and a large selection of tints and degrees of transparency.

It is impossible to list or show all the variety of combinations of different materials for the manufacture of swing gates. A successful solution with minimal costs depends only on the performer.

Materials and tools for making swing gates

Everything necessary for the manufacture of gates has already been calculated at the design stage and drawing up a bill of material. This applies not only to basic, but also to auxiliary materials. You only need to add wooden beams to make the slipway, which is necessary to ensure the flatness of the sash during the assembly process.

When installing a slipway, you need to pay attention to the flatness of its load-bearing elements. Since this is only an auxiliary structure, there is no need to saw off the protruding ends during the assembly process, and the material can later be used for other purposes.

Tools, accessories and materials

Considering the need for these products, we will stipulate the initial conditions. Let's assume that you need to make gate leaves of a combined design using metal profiles in the form of a rectangular pipe 80x40 mm for the main frame, the same material 40x40 mm in size for the jibs and stiffeners, as well as a wooden board - lining for filling the leaf of the leaves.

To work you will need:

1. A hand-held grinder (grinder) for cutting metal profiles and processing the cutting area in order to grind sharp edges and remove burrs.
2. Abrasive discs for grinders.
3. Bench square - for marking the cutting area.
4. Three-meter tape measure - for taking measurements.
5. Clamps for fixing parts before welding.
6. Household welding machine.
7. Electrodes corresponding to the material of the valves.
8. Hammer for removing scale from welds.
9. Wood hacksaw for working with lining.
10. Screwdriver - for attaching wooden parts to the frame of the doors.
11. Self-tapping screws - for the same purposes.
12. Electric drill - for drilling holes for self-tapping screws of the appropriate size.
13. Bench vice - for securing rods in the manufacture of clamps.
14. Construction plumb line - to control verticality when installing sashes on support pillars.
15. Construction level for adjusting the position of the load-bearing structures of the slipway.
16. Metal primer and corresponding paint - for applying a protective coating to metal parts.
17. Compositions for antiseptic treatment of wooden parts and fire-resistant impregnation for wood.

During the work, other tools and equipment may be needed.

Photo gallery: tools and equipment necessary for work

A grinder is needed for cutting metal profiles A screwdriver is used to attach wooden elements to the frame of the doors Using a drill, drill holes for self-tapping screws A welding machine is necessary to perform basic work on assembling the structure A vice is used to secure rods in the manufacture of clamps A clamp is used to secure parts Use a square to mark cutting areas

Installation of swing gates, step-by-step instructions

Gate installation must begin with the installation of support posts.

Installation of support pillars

For support pillars, rectangular pipes measuring 100x100 mm are used, preferably galvanized. If the pipe is electric welded, then the longitudinal seam should be located on the opposite side from the installation site of the canopies.

Pits for poles are best made using a garden auger with a diameter of 250 mm.

It is convenient to drill holes for support posts using a garden auger

The depth of the pit depends on the depth of soil freezing in the area where the work is being carried out. For the Moscow region, this value is 180 cm, therefore, the pit should be 15 cm deeper. If this requirement is not met, in winter, as a result of soil movement, the support pillars may become skewed.

At the bottom of the hole you need to arrange drainage. To do this, sand is poured onto the bottom (layer height 10 cm), then medium-fraction gravel (layer height 5 cm).

Concreting is carried out in the following order:

Simultaneously with concreting the support posts, it is necessary to make a central support with the installation of a metal embedded part on it. It is more convenient to make holes for the locking pins later - when hanging the sashes with markings in place.

Manufacturing of sashes

While the concrete is curing, you can install the slipway and begin manufacturing swing gate leaves. To do this you need:

• measure the distance between the support pillars and, if necessary, make adjustments to the longitudinal dimensions;
• install a slipway;
• prepare the sash parts for assembly;
• lay the structural elements on the slipway, secure them with clamps;
• check the correctness of the diagonal layout and dimensions, correct if necessary;
• weld the structure;

• after completing all welded joints, remove the slag with a hammer, inspect each seam, and re-weld if necessary;
• paint the surface with primer and dry;
• apply a final protective coating (paint);
• Install the inner leaf of the sashes and secure them using the chosen method.

Installation of sashes

The sashes must be installed in the “closed” position on a temporary fastening, while:

1. Provide gaps between the support posts and the doors equal to the size of the gate hinges. It is convenient to use wooden spacers for this. The gap between the sashes should be from 10 to 50 mm.
2. The distance from the bottom edge of the sashes to the ground must be at least 50 mm.
3. The height of the sashes is installed on temporary linings.
4. Check the freedom of movement of the valves when opening them. To do this, you need to install a bar on the lower edge of the gate perpendicular to the wings. The length of the strip should be equal to the width of the sash. Align the bar horizontally with a level. The far end of the plank should not be in contact with the ground. Otherwise, the sash will hit the ground when opening.
5. After taking all the necessary measurements, you can install the awnings. To do this, they are placed in the provided gap and welded to the support pillars and sashes.

   Swing gate canopies are welded to the support pillars

6. If galvanized pipes were used for the pillars, the welds must be thoroughly cleaned and painted over with special paint, which consists of 95% zinc powder. Otherwise, the metal will actively corrode and the poles will quickly fail.
7. Mark and drill holes for the fixing pins and install them in place.
8. A plate of suitable size must be welded to the top of the support post to plug the hole.

   Fixing pins are needed only during long periods of absence of the owners or in strong winds to avoid damage to the mechanism from wind load

Choosing automation for swing gates

The most commonly used devices for opening/closing gates are linear and lever drives with electric traction, as well as hydraulic drives.

Linear drives

The popularity of linear mechanisms is due to their lower cost compared to lever mechanisms and their higher power and stability in operation. Their market share is about 95%.

The design feature of such mechanisms is the use of a worm screw, which allows them to withstand increased loads. An important factor determining the popularity of linear actuators is also the ability to use them to open gates both inward and outward. An additional advantage is the ability to install them on narrow poles.

Lever gate drives

The main feature of such mechanisms is smooth operation when opening and closing, which is due to the design features.

The gear motor drives the levers connected to the shutters through a worm gear. Opening/closing can be done in any direction at an angle of up to 110°.

Automatic gate control

Mechanization of gate operation does not provide any advantages if used without automatic control. It is convenient to open them by simply pressing a button on the control panel.

Designations in the figure:

1. Left leaf drive.
2. Right leaf drive.
3. Control Panel.
4. Signal receiving device.
5. Photocells for safety.
6. Signal lamp.
7. Receiving antenna.
8. Racks for installing photocells.

Here is a minimum set of control devices to ensure the operation of swing gates.

Additional devices on swing gates

Automated swing gates do not require any additional structural elements.

But situations are possible when the entire structure is subject to critical loads. This primarily applies to solid doors in strong winds. Therefore, traditional bolts and pins at the bottom of the sashes are used for insurance. The material for their manufacture is usually the remains of the main structure of the valves, bent steel rods with a diameter of 12–16 mm. A metal strip 4 mm thick is used for locking loops.

All these additional elements are used during the long absence of the owners or in the event of unfavorable weather conditions.

Video: making automatic swing gates with your own hands

Beautiful, properly made automated gates are not only a decoration for a country house, but also a reliable security device. Most developers can do it themselves.

Swing gates - not a single rural yard in Russia, not a single country house, can do without them. It doesn’t matter what their design is: solid metal or wood, openwork forging or simple welding of rods, angles, pipes.

You can make it yourself

Their design is the simplest of all known: sliding, lifting, single or double leaf. They let in and out the owners’ car, a cargo scooter “Ant” or a walk-behind tractor with a trailer. They can be equipped with a yellow signal light or an antenna for remote control of the “close-open” mechanism. With a gate for adults and children in one part of the plow or separately next to it.

For those who have not yet had similar ones, read our recommendations for creating entry barriers, look at photos of gate drawings, collect the necessary tools, purchase materials and start working on your own.

And if you decide to build a garage in the yard, then the experience gained from assembling a plow on the estate will also be suitable for installing the entrance to it.

You can also download a drawing of a garage door on the website. The design of these gates is simple and clear, installation is simple, easy to open/close, and reliable.

Device principle

The design of such fences has remained unchanged for centuries. Only the materials for plowing are changed. To the traditional options (made of simple metal or wood), elegant profiles and polycarbonate are added.

The advantages of plowing are:

• ease of assembly and installation
• minimum cost when assembling with your own hands
• durability
• ease of maintenance
• Suitable for office areas, technical complexes, garage cooperatives
• Variation in sash widths up to fifteen meters

Let's pay attention to installation

The gates are mounted on side posts made of pipes with a diameter of 10 cm, a welded pair of corners or ready-made profiles. They are concreted to a depth of at least a meter so that the frost does not “drive” the gates.

The height is enough to be two meters, the same width of each door. They swing open either immediately or each separately, into the yard or out. This needs to be thought through right away. They are hung on hinges that are well lubricated with a graphite mixture so that they do not creak.

When closed, if there is no opening mechanism, they are fixed in several ways. Either transversely with an inch pipe mounted on a pair of hooks for each plow, or with fasteners at the junction of the mortars, mounted in the concrete. The lower fastening will also be needed in the case of simply fixing each plow.

The cladding, painted corrugated sheeting or polycarbonate, is attached to the frames with bolts or self-tapping screws. The last hardware per square meter of fastening is needed eight to ten pieces.

You leave the last material in its translucency or paint it with a color of your choice. The corrugated sheeting, which continues in the form of a fence from the gate along the entire length of the front part of the estate, looks good.

The disadvantage of the goal format is its large turn. This is a particular drawback for winters, when a lot of snow must be cleared in order to open the gate.

Mechanization

This convenience will have to be purchased as a finished product, but it will take a long time to make it yourself. The mechanism is similar to a door closer in entrances, only much more massive and powerful.

You can install it closer to the ground if winters have little snow, or better in the middle of each side of the gate. For the middle, less bulky door closers are sold.

In both cases, it is necessary to weld the structures to the fasteners of the plows. Our descriptions are minimal; you can see all the procedures in detail on the video of the gate drawings.

Alternative to swing gates

If swing gates do not suit you due to the opening area of ​​the gate, look at possible drawings of sliding gates. Perhaps build them yourself. Only such gates will become twice as heavy. Because instead of the area of ​​two swing doors, here they will be welded together. A cone will also be added at one end of this design.

It is necessary to completely cover the entry space. Therefore, manually moving such gates along one line along the fence is problematic.

Therefore, a mechanism is needed in the form of a gearbox or worm gear on the teeth of the slide. For winter use, it is necessary to consider protection from snow and rain.

Their length for a standard estate gate is four meters. The driving angle adds at least another 1.6 meters. The fastening is radically different from swing ones.

Along the length of the gate, a profile-slide is installed at the bottom to move the structure along it. On both sides of them there are rectangles embedded in concrete with a height slightly higher than the gate with a distance between the verticals of 10-15 cm. The frame moves through them, and when closed they hold it. On one side, you concrete the platform for two meters, and on it you strengthen the continuation of the profile and the entire movement mechanism.

You can also download a drawing of a garage door on the website. Below we will talk about one garage structure.

Overhead garage doors

There are two more types of gates - overhead and garage. The lifts themselves are mounted in a detached garage or built into a building. They are not suitable for open air, since they have a complex design for the street. When rising, it will create windage in the wind, which will lead to deformation of the frame.

A drawing of a lift gate for an integral garage shows that it can be opened in winter even if there is a snowdrift in front of the engine room.

The entrance leaf simply goes up along the lower slide, and the two upper wheels along the same guides lead the structure almost horizontally.

If the gate is made not of too thick metal, but of a profile, then you can raise and lower it manually. Provide a soft seal along the contour of the gate against wind, snow, and rain.

Photos of gate drawings

1. Gate trim:

The cladding can be made of wood, metal, polycarbonate, or a forged structure.

To ensure that the choice of material is correct, the following nuances should be taken into account:

• Gates made of corrugated sheets and other metal structures have a number of advantages, they are lightweight and affordable, the material is available in a wide range of structures and shades, but in terms of aesthetic characteristics they will not suit everyone;
• Forged gates are chic, but they will cost a pretty penny, although they will undoubtedly last you the longest.

In summer cottages more often you can see the swing doors wooden gate . To extend their service life, the wood is pre-treated with special compounds and placed in a metal frame. I propose to consider the option of making swing gates from the lightest material – profiled sheet.

2. Material options for the frame:

• Metal, welded construction- the most reliable and durable option, perfect for heavy cladding materials and non-automatic gates I advise you to choose it.
• Metal frame with bolts- easier to build, unlike the previous one, but be prepared that this design is not as durable.
• Aluminum and other light metals- can be used Only for gates with light cladding! this is the very case when the use of such material can ONLY be caused by the choice of a professional (usually for automatic gates).
• Wooden gate frame- a classic, morally outdated, but a classic. Everything is simple here: if you want it yourself and quickly - wood, no - metal. It won't last long, you'll suffer!

3. Posts for swing gates:

• Wooden pillars - easy to use and inexpensive material. The disadvantage is that they are not durable, and heavy metal gates cannot be hung on them properly :)
• Brick pillars- about 10 years ago they were considered an indicator of status and were used where they were not needed. They look beautiful, but concrete ones are in no way inferior to them, and are even superior in durability. They can hold quite a lot of weight, I advise you to build brick pillars inside around metal ones (cover them with bricks), welding hinges and other structural elements to the metal core pillar.
• Asbestos pillars- an easy-to-use, finished product (sometimes they are mistaken for concrete), better than wooden ones, but in my opinion significantly inferior to metal ones.
• Concrete pillars- reinforced concrete is massive, noble and, unlike brick, can easily be redecorated. If you want the pillars to be not only a structural element, but also part of the fence design, I advise you to choose this option.
• Metal poles- For light structures, they are simply installed in the ground, but even for not the heaviest gates, you should use a concrete foundation at least 20 centimeters away from the post and at least a meter deep (ideally one and a half, the depth of soil freezing in our climate zone), so that when it gets wet there was no soil around the pillars.
• Metal poles on a concrete or brick base- a fairly common hybrid (a strip foundation protruding 30 centimeters or more above the ground and pillars protruding from it), both aesthetically pleasing and economical, and the upper part of the fence and gate can be quite “light”.

Not long ago we built a wooden fence at our dacha. People enter the territory through a gate, but for cars to enter, it was decided to make swing gates. Just like the gate, we will build them from wood in order to maintain the same style as the fence. You will learn how to make swing gates with your own hands in this article.

During the construction of the fence, we installed two square metal posts with an edge width of 8 cm at a distance of 3 m 40 cm from each other. This gap will allow even a large vehicle to enter the site without any problems.

Using a garden drill with an auger diameter of 13 cm, we drilled two holes to a depth of 1.5 meters,