Sort of ME related as it protects my workshops.

Access to the rear of my property is between two garages (one mine,
one a neighbours), so I have a passage approximatelty 30" wide.  I
currently have a wooden gate with a dead bolt fitted that is padlocked
at night.  Teh gate is about 3' tall with another 30" (or so) of
picket fence uprights to make it a bit more tricky (and to stop my
dogs jumping over and escaping).  I am fortunate and we don't appear
to have a major theft problem (so far) but the gate is tired so I am
looking at replacing it.  I have purchased an electronic entry system
an I plan to use a "maglock" to hold the gate shut. That side of it is
fine, proven and I'm happy with it.  My problem is what to make the
gate of. I need a brand new gate and economy (alright cheapness!) is a
key factor.  The gate should be around 6' tall and solid from top to
bottom.  I should like to make it out of steel, but I am concerend
about the cost.  If I use steel, should I use mild steel plate, what
thickness, will it need bracing.  Are there any other cheaper
materials out there - could I hack up a garage door - how about steel
roofing panels.  Or should I make a wooden gate up out of T&G panels?

Any thought from others who have done this out there?

Cheers

Peter

On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 08:09:59 -0700 (PDT), puffernutter
 wrote:

>Sort of ME related as it protects my workshops.
>
>Access to the rear of my property is between two garages (one mine,
>one a neighbours), so I have a passage approximatelty 30" wide.  I
>currently have a wooden gate with a dead bolt fitted that is padlocked
>at night.  Teh gate is about 3' tall with another 30" (or so) of
>picket fence uprights to make it a bit more tricky (and to stop my
>dogs jumping over and escaping).  I am fortunate and we don't appear
>to have a major theft problem (so far) but the gate is tired so I am
>looking at replacing it.  I have purchased an electronic entry system
>an I plan to use a "maglock" to hold the gate shut. That side of it is
>fine, proven and I'm happy with it.  My problem is what to make the
>gate of. I need a brand new gate and economy (alright cheapness!) is a
>key factor.  The gate should be around 6' tall and solid from top to
>bottom.  I should like to make it out of steel, but I am concerend
>about the cost.  If I use steel, should I use mild steel plate, what
>thickness, will it need bracing.  Are there any other cheaper
>materials out there - could I hack up a garage door - how about steel
>roofing panels.  Or should I make a wooden gate up out of T&G panels?
>
>Any thought from others who have done this out there?
>
>Cheers
>
>Peter

We have made frames out of 1" box, and clad with Zintec 16g. Powder coat the
frame before applying Zintec panels and then paint the lot.

We have a truck body up the field with hay in that had two doors made like that,
they've been there for nearly 16 years in all weathers without the benefit of
painting and only just starting to get rust on the Zintec.


Peter
--
Peter A Forbes
Prepair Ltd, Rushden, UK
peterforbes@prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.co.uk
http://www.prepair.eu

Peter A Forbes wrote:
> On Fri, 9 Oct 2009 08:09:59 -0700 (PDT), puffernutter
>  wrote:
> 
>> Sort of ME related as it protects my workshops.
>>
>> Access to the rear of my property is between two garages (one mine,
>> one a neighbours), so I have a passage approximatelty 30" wide.  I
>> currently have a wooden gate with a dead bolt fitted that is padlocked
>> at night.  Teh gate is about 3' tall with another 30" (or so) of
>> picket fence uprights to make it a bit more tricky (and to stop my
>> dogs jumping over and escaping).  I am fortunate and we don't appear
>> to have a major theft problem (so far) but the gate is tired so I am
>> looking at replacing it.  I have purchased an electronic entry system
>> an I plan to use a "maglock" to hold the gate shut. That side of it is
>> fine, proven and I'm happy with it.  My problem is what to make the
>> gate of. I need a brand new gate and economy (alright cheapness!) is a
>> key factor.  The gate should be around 6' tall and solid from top to
>> bottom.  I should like to make it out of steel, but I am concerend
>> about the cost.  If I use steel, should I use mild steel plate, what
>> thickness, will it need bracing.  Are there any other cheaper
>> materials out there - could I hack up a garage door - how about steel
>> roofing panels.  Or should I make a wooden gate up out of T&G panels?
>>
>> Any thought from others who have done this out there?

> We have made frames out of 1" box, and clad with Zintec 16g. Powder coat the
> frame before applying Zintec panels and then paint the lot.
> 
>
I've done this before - weld up a frame in whatevever size box section or
angle you can find at the scrappy - ideally 40mm box or 40mmx40mm angle

Make the frame as a figure 8, then clad with 13mm marine ply, garage
door panels or t&g. cover the edges with angle iron.

If cost is the main factor then a drive around your local industrial
estates might get you enough pallets to make a gate entirely - the main
factor is two lengths of stuff 6" long to make the outer edges - the
rest can be braced from whatever you can find.

cover with 1/4" ply on the outside and paint it with bitumen paint and
no-one will be able to tell if it's metal or wood.

If it's bodged with uneven sized bits of wood, the inside won't be flat
enough to take another sheet of ply.

-- 
bigegg