How to properly weld sliding gates from corrugated pipe. How to make sliding gates with your own hands Sliding gate design diagram

Recently, when every wealthy citizen wants to acquire his own private house or cottage, he is faced with the question of building a fence and, as a result, a gate suitable for it.

Sliding and sliding gates are very popular in this regard due to their obvious practicality; They are also often used in industrial facilities.

With the increase in demand, the number of manufacturers producing both finished gates and their components, offering installation by qualified workers, has also increased.

Types of sliding gates

Gates are divided into several types, and each has its own design, which has its own pros and cons.

Hanging gates

Most often they are used at the entrances of industrial facilities and other areas intended for a not too wide range of people. This type of gate is very reliable, but its production requires a lot of materials and, as a result, finances.

However, for those who value quality above all, they will be to their taste: hanging gates can work even fifty years after installation.

Among the obvious disadvantages, in addition to the price, it is worth noting that the gate opening is quite limited due to the upper beam.

Sliding gates on rails

In theory, the most reliable and at the same time the most primitive gate design. The gate opens like a compartment door, sliding on rollers along a specialized rail that is located on the ground.

Despite all the ease of use, in the climate of our country problems may arise with this type of gate; weather conditions such as snow or falling leaves can block the movement of these gates by closing the rail, making them impossible to open and difficult to return to functionality.

This design will find greatest application in places where the area is subject to timely cleaning, for example, in private courtyards. Also, even when open, such gates do not take up extra space, which obviously gives them an advantage in places with limited space.

Console gates

The design of this type of gate is similar to sliding gates on a rail, but differs in that the gate has no contact with the ground rail. This is the most complex design, however, this gives it its advantages: weather conditions do not affect the operation of the gate, and they also leave a lot of free space, negating the risk of damage to the vehicle entering them.

Thanks to the convenient arrangement of the rolling elements, which directly ensure the operation of the gate, cantilever gates are independent of nature, which allows them to have increased strength.

The gate movement is very simple thanks to the well-designed design and reduced friction. The disadvantages include the complex installation and the need for a larger fence area than the size of the opening.

When can sliding gates be installed?

To install the desired type of sliding gate, sometimes a great desire and budget are not enough; The success of the installation largely depends on the type of site on which the gate is going to be located.

In some situations, installing a gate is either completely impossible or very complicated.

For example, the problem with space is always very acute. With a short fence, you can’t even dream of a gate, since the space into which the gate will roll back must be unobstructed by at least the width of the opening, multiplied by one and a half.

The reason for this is that in addition to the gate itself, its technological part also takes up a lot of space.

In addition, the fence must be straight, since the gate moves in a straight path. Yes, a very obvious fact, but many consumers forget to take it into account. There should also be no uneven terrain where the gate opens.

Note!

How to install sliding gates

Installing and making gates with your own hands without experience in this matter can be very difficult, but possible. After familiarizing yourself with photographs of sliding gates, constructing detailed plans and drawings and diagrams of sliding gates, you can begin installation.

First of all, you should evaluate the future location of the gate. Assess the condition of the support posts and make sure they are strong enough to install the gate.

Make sure it is possible to locate a hole near a foundation pillar with dimensions of 500x2000mm

Decide on the type of door leaf and its facing material; this is important because the mass of the gate depends on this, and the choice of power elements depends on it.

Draw up detailed drawings of the gates, taking into account the characteristics of the area where the installation will be carried out, and purchase components.

Carry out marking work. Select the zero level.

Note!

Proceed with installation of the gate foundation. When using an electric drive in the selected type of gate, at this stage you should pay attention in advance to laying the necessary cables.

Make a sliding gate leaf. It is very important to pay great attention to the sizes. Purchase the necessary fittings for sliding gates (roller supports, rollers, caps for the beam, etc.)

Carry out installation and installation of the structure, having first waited no less than seven days after the completion of concreting.

DIY sliding gate photo

Note!

Sliding gates, which until recently were a luxury item and cost a lot of money, are gradually entering the market for the average consumer. Ease of use and space saving completely justify the investment. There are a huge number of offers of ready-made structures from various domestic and foreign manufacturers. Many companies provide services for the manufacture and installation of such gates.

But if you have even a little experience with a welding machine and minimal skills in construction, then it will not be difficult to make such a structure with your own hands, thereby saving a decent amount of money.

Peculiarities

Sliding gates began to be actively used more than 50 years ago. At first, they could be seen mainly at the entrance to large industrial and warehouse areas. Over time, the design and fittings improved and became more accessible and easier to install. Gradually various options Sliding gates began to be installed in private areas, and today they are not uncommon for summer cottages.

Unlike lifting and swing-type structures, sliding gates have many more advantages:

• Compactness. This is especially true in cases where travel between neighboring areas and space in the yard are limited. Also, sliding gates practically eliminate the possibility of damage to the car by the doors.
• Wear resistance. The main disadvantage of swing gates is the presence of hinges that are susceptible to sagging under the weight of the leaves. Sliding gates do not have such problems due to the uniform distribution of the weight of the structure over the roller supports.
• Burglary resistance. A properly designed and manufactured system can withstand the ramming of heavy vehicles.

• Windage protection. Even heavy gusts of wind do not damage such structures.
• Availability of automatic drives. The motor and components of automatic sliding gates are cheaper than equipment that is installed on swing and lifting structures.
• In winter, there is no need to clear snow before opening the sash.

Despite all the listed advantages, before you start manufacturing and installing gates, you need to take into account many other factors.

First you need to calculate the width of the span for vehicle entry. Typically, for the private sector, an opening of 4 meters is recommended: both cars and trucks can freely enter it. If necessary, the entrance width can be reduced to 3 or increased to 6 meters or more.

Free space Along the fence on the rollback side, the sash must correspond to:

• for suspended and wheeled types of structures - the width of the canvas,
• For cantilever gates– 40-50% more than the width of the sash.

Deep into the site at a distance of 40-50 cm from the fence, the space must be left free. The ground relief should be as smooth as possible, without strong differences, so that no obstacles arise along the movement of the lower beam.

If you study the instructions in detail, prepare high-quality materials and tools, you can make strong and beautiful gates with an individual design in a short time.

Types of structures

The main difference between the types of sliding structures is the way the rollers move when opening and closing the gate. Each variety uses special roller mechanisms, but they are installed differently.

Suspended type of construction

The gate leaf moves on roller trolleys located on a support beam, which is mounted on poles at the top of the passage. This is the most durable and wear-resistant option. The beam can withstand quite a lot of weight, so any materials can be used for cladding the gate, and the width of the leaf is practically unlimited. The disadvantage is that the passage of a tall car may be limited by the supporting beam.

Suspended structures are most often installed in production areas. To increase the space for travel, the beam is mounted on high support pillars. This greatly increases the metal consumption and cost of the entire structure, so this option is extremely rarely considered for the private sector.

The photo shows an example of hanging sliding gates at the entrance to a production facility.

But if the height of the entrance to the territory of a private house is initially limited by decorative or other structural elements, hanging gates will fit perfectly.

Rail type design

This type of sliding gate is the easiest to manufacture and install. The supporting part is the so-called rail, along which the sash moves on a special roller. The rail is installed along the line of movement of the gate at the same level with the road surface, so as not to interfere with the passage of traffic. The maximum span between fence posts can be 6 meters.

Snow may become clogged in the rail and ice may form, preventing the proper operation of the entire structure. In addition, it requires constant cleaning from sand and dirt.

The foundation holding the main rail must be stable, without chips or cracks, otherwise the gate may become deformed and quickly become unusable. The rail type of gate is usually used in dachas and houses that are visited only in the summer.

Cantilever type of construction

This type is the most common version of sliding gates, which is a leaf with a counterweight mounted on cantilever blocks. The absence of contact of the lower load-bearing beam with the road surface is the main advantage of this design. Thanks to this, problems due to bad weather are almost completely eliminated.

The disadvantages include the long process of pouring the foundation for the mortgage and the difficulty of installing the console. The total length of the structure is 50% longer than the gate leaf, which makes it impossible to install it with a large opening and insufficient width of the area.

Such gates can be made with a built-in wicket, but this is not always convenient. Since the canvas is raised from the ground by about 8-10 cm, the threshold of such a gate can be difficult for small children and elderly people to pass through.

More convenient to use and more aesthetically pleasing would be a separate gate, which is installed close to the gate - in a place where the rollback of the leaf is not provided.

All three types of roll-out structures can be made mechanical or automatic. Mechanical gates open and close manually, while automatic gates are controlled by a remote control and driven by a special motor. If desired, automation can be installed a little later, during the operation period, using the services of specialists.

The main labor costs fall on the manufacture and installation of the door leaf. Sheathing can be single-sided or double-sided. The appearance from the entrance is no different.

Principle of operation

Cantilever type gates are best suited for areas with changing weather conditions. Their production, installation and maintenance do not require unnecessary financial costs. To make a structure yourself, you first need to understand on what principle it works.

The design of cantilever retractable gates is quite simple:

• Gate leaf. The main frame with an internal frame welded to it and a counterweight are mounted on a supporting lower beam. The cladding of the fence, which is most often made using corrugated sheets, is fixed to the frame on one or both sides.
• Mortgage. A channel, tightly welded to a reinforcement cage and filled with a foundation at ground level. This is one of the most important parts of the structure on which console blocks and automation are installed. The durability of the entire fence structure depends on the quality of the foundation.
• Console blocks. Special roller support mechanisms, which are welded to the channel and installed in the supporting lower beam. The cantilever part is the main component of the entire structure, which bears all the loads. It determines how smoothly and freely the canvas will move, so you need to approach the setup of the console blocks very carefully.

• Catchers. The lower and upper catchers are mounted on a support pillar located opposite the foundation for the roller supports. When the gate is closed, the end roller, which is located at the end of the supporting beam, slides into the lower catcher. The canvas is raised by 5 mm, thereby relieving the load on the cantilever blocks. The upper catcher is needed in order to tightly fix the gate and prevent windage - swinging of the gate in strong winds.
• Top fixing holder with rollers. It is installed on a support pole above the cantilever blocks and prevents the gate from swinging and skewing during movement.
• Automatic drive. The choice of drive mainly depends on the weight of the structure and weather conditions in the region. Installation is carried out according to the instructions that come with the equipment.

Automation

The sliding design itself is convenient, but if you equip it with an electric drive, there is no need to get out of the car every time to open or close the gate. Experts advise installing special drives, but at your own risk you can make such a mechanism yourself.

To do this, use a suitable motor and gearbox. There are precedents when a screwdriver was used as a motor. Also, if the weight of the door leaf is small, it is possible to install a cheaper drive for garage doors.

Special drives must be selected based primarily on the weight of the structure:

• For gates weighing 250-300 kg, a drive with a power of 200-250 W is suitable.
• For a weight of 500-600 kg - suitable power is 350-400 W.
• For 800-1000 kg - 500-600 W.

When choosing an automatic, you should always take a small reserve of power. And in regions with harsh winters, it needs to be increased by at least 20-30% so that the engine can operate without interruption during sudden temperature changes. The drive can be installed only when all work on the manufacture and installation of the structure has been completed. The gate leaf should move easily, without jumping or swinging. An incorrectly installed blade can damage and ruin the automation.

Automatic drives can be chosen from among many offers from domestic and foreign manufacturers. You need to pay attention to such details as gears in the gearbox.

They can be plastic or metal. Metal gears are more expensive, but much more durable, so it is better to prefer them.

You should also carefully consider the selection of the limit switch. Its magnetic version costs a little more, but unlike the metal version, it does not jam in winter and works smoothly. For ease of use, there are various additional functions: temperature control of the electric drive, adjustment of the speed of movement of the sash, backup power, photocells for entry and exit, gate mode.

Among the manufacturers of drives for withdrawable structures, the following can be noted: Russian Doorhan, Belarusian An-Motors, Italian BFT, Faac and Nice, French Came, Chinese PS-IZ and Miller, as well as other manufacturers. Their line of offers is quite large, all that remains is to select the necessary equipment and you can begin installation.

Let's look at the automation kit using the example of the diagram above:

• drive unit;
• photocells for travel;
• photocells at the entrance;
• warning lamp;
• radio control antenna;
• key-button;
• rail;
• limit switch plates;
• remote control.

To work, you will need an inverter welding machine with electrodes and a drill with metal drills. Initially, on the channel between the carriages, you need to prepare and mark the area for attaching the electric drive. The equipment is attached to the base, which comes complete with the automation, and a gear rack is installed in the center of the motor gear.

After the working position has been recreated, you need to weld the base to the channel. If the electric drive needs to be raised, then a profile pipe of a suitable size can be additionally welded between the base and the channel.

After the drive is screwed to the base, you need to reinstall the rack on the motor gear, mark its correct position on the profile or beam with a marker, and carefully weld it in place. Before completely welding the seam between the rail and the beam, you need to double-check that it is installed correctly.

The gate must be completely open while working with the welding machine. After all the steps are completed, the limit switches are screwed to the rail using bolts and nuts with shoulders. Next, according to the instructions, the photocells, signal lamp, antenna and key button are installed.

The electric drive can be installed not only in the lower, but also in the middle or upper parts of the gate.

This method of connecting the automation is somewhat more complicated, but in cases of heavy snowfalls, it will not be necessary to clear the foundation area of ​​precipitation every day.

In this case, it will be necessary to adjust the drawing to the desired design.

The profile to which the rack will be attached will be located on the middle or upper level of the sliding gate, respectively. To attach the automation, it will be necessary to build on an additional structure made of a metal profile of a rectangular section of 60x40 mm.

Instead of a special electric drive, you can install a homemade drive from scrap materials. Taking into account the network voltage, a three-phase or single phase motor. The three-phase drive is more powerful and virtually eliminates problems when starting movement. Depending on the weight of the door leaf, a motor with a power of 1.5 to 2.5 kW is required. At the same time, a low engine speed puts less load on the drive shaft.

It is better to choose a drive with 12 poles and a speed of 500 rpm or with 6 poles and a speed of 1000 rpm. The drive can be purchased in specialized stores, or you can use spare parts from an old car or washing machine.

The input torque of the gearbox must match the speed of the drive. The frequency of the output torque of the drive wheel should be within 80-100 rpm. It will be more convenient to use a single-stage gearbox. Its connection to the motor shaft is made using a rigid or semi-rigid coupling.

Features of calculations

Before you start designing a drawing, you need to make all the necessary calculations. First of all, the height and width of the gate are calculated. If the height of the fence on the site is known, then the height of the future road surface can be determined as follows: the upper part should be at the same level as the fence, and the lower part should be 8-10 cm higher than the road surface. The width of the gate is equal to the distance between the support beams, the recommended value is 4 meters.

Calculating the counterweight is also quite simple - its length should be equal to 50% of the length of the opening. This value can be reduced to 40% only in cases where there is not enough fence space to fully open the sash and the leaf is lined with lightweight materials.

The length of the counterweight profile connecting the top of the canvas and the edge of the bottom profile should be enough to form a triangle.

The value is calculated according to the dimensions using the following formula:

sqrt( func a^(2) + func b^(2) )

Or in a more familiar form, familiar from school

Where a is the length of the counterweight, b is the height of the canvas, c is the desired length.

Calculation of the weight of the structure is necessary for the correct selection of the guide beam, fittings and automation. Basically, the weight depends on the material with which the sheathing will be made, on the weight of the frame, frame and supporting beam, and on the wind load.

If 1 sq. m of profile sheet weighs 4 kg, then a steel sheet 2 mm thick weighs 17 kg. The weight of forged, wooden and other cladding is calculated individually. On average, a gate with a 4x2 m leaf, covered with a profile, will weigh about 200 kg.

For gates weighing up to 300 kg, a supporting beam with dimensions of 9x5 cm and a metal thickness of 3.5 mm is suitable. The fittings must support the full weight of the structure. It can be purchased as a ready-made kit or all components can be purchased separately. When purchasing, it is advisable to have a drawing with all the calculations with you so that you can consult with a specialist.

Design drawing

A diagram or drawing of a sliding gate is made after all measurements have been taken. The drawing with all the calculations is ordered from specialized companies. You can find ready-made sketches on the Internet, make them yourself, or use the ones below. For structures with a span of 4 meters, you can choose one of the two presented drawings.

In the first case, the load frame is 10% larger than the opening, which increases the consumption of facing material. The cost of the entire structure does not increase much, however, such an increase in expenses is most often not advisable. Therefore, let's look at the second drawing and make all calculations based on it.

The drawing must clearly indicate all dimensions, welding locations and fastenings. The rack can be attached both to the supporting beam and to the lower frame profile.

For a lightweight gate sheathed with a profile 4 meters wide and 2 meters high you will need:

• A load-bearing beam, which is a rail, the upper part of which is solid, and the lower part has a longitudinal cutout. It is better to choose a design made of cold-rolled steel. The beam is installed on cantilever blocks and moves on supporting rollers. The rail size in this case is 60x70 mm, the required length is 6 meters.

• For the load frame you need a rectangular profile of 60x40 mm and a metal thickness of 2 mm in sections:

1. 1 piece 4 meters long;
2. 1 segment – ​​6 meters;
3. 2 segments – approximately 2 meters each;
4. 1 segment – ​​about 2.8 meters.

In total, almost 17 meters of such a profile will be needed.

• For the frame, a rectangular profile of 20x20 mm or 30x20 mm with a metal thickness of 2 mm is suitable. In total, about 24 meters of profile are needed.

• For a mortgage, you will need a channel 20-40 cm wide and a length equal to ½ of the gate opening: in this case, 2 meters. The thickness of the metal must be at least 3 mm. Console blocks and an electric drive mechanism will be installed and welded onto the channel.

• For the foundation frame you need at least 15-20 meters of reinforcement with a cross-section of 12-16 mm.

The thickness and dimensions of each part of the drawing directly depend on the material that will be used to cover the sash.

If the cladding is made with profiled sheets or polycarbonate, the components listed above are sufficient.

If you plan to cover it with steel sheets or forging, then more durable elements will be needed. After preparing the drawing and calculating the exact dimensions of all its components, you can proceed to purchasing materials and manufacturing the gate.

Materials

To make a simple gate measuring 4x2 meters with corrugated sheet lining, you need to purchase the following materials:

• rectangular profile 60x40 mm for the power frame and 20x20 or 30x20 mm for the frame;
• guide beam 60x70 mm;
• corrugated sheeting 8-10 sq. m;

• rivets or self-tapping screws for fastening the casing in an amount of about 200 pieces;
• channel 40x200 cm;
• reinforcing bars 15 meters.

The forged elements themselves constitute the internal frame of the gate and are attached to the load-bearing frame by welding. Such gates do not require additional cladding, except as a design solution.

Accessories can be purchased separately or as a special ready-made kit. The following manufacturers of fittings for sliding gates have proven themselves:

• Italian - Combi Arialdo and Flatelli Comunello;
• Russian - Roltek and Doorhan;
• Belosussky Alutech.

Self-production roller components are impractical, as they require special skills and tools. To install a cantilever-type gate, you will need the following fittings:

1. Roller bearings – 2 pcs. They are also called cantilever blocks or carriages. It is recommended to use designs with bearings.
2. Upper catcher – 1 pc. It is better to use catchers with guide wheels. It is possible to make homemade catchers.
3. Lower catcher – 1 pc.
4. Upper clamp – 1-2 pcs.
5. End roller – 1 pc.
6. Plugs for the supporting beam – 2 pcs.

The wheels in the support and end rollers can be either metal or plastic. At the same time, metal parts are more durable, but make noise when the door leaf moves. Plastic will last a little less, and with proper use it will last just as long, but such gates will move quietly.

To attach the catchers and the upper clamp, metal posts made of a rectangular profile 60x40 mm are needed. They are installed on a foundation reinforced with reinforcement to a depth greater than the freezing of the soil.

If fastening is carried out on brick or reinforced concrete supports, then their size must be at least 20x20 cm.

Metal embedded parts are attached to the pillars with anchor bolts, to which the upper clamp and a counter post made of a profile pipe with a cross-section of 30x20 mm will be welded. Instead of anchors, you can remove reinforcing bars from the pillars and attach mortgages to them.

Attachment of photocells to the entrance is carried out on rectangular or round pipes with a diameter of at least 30 mm. The height of the pipes should not exceed 1 meter. Their installation must also be done on the foundation, but without reinforcement with reinforcement. Exit photocells are installed on support poles.

Manufacturing

To make your own sliding gates The following tools are needed:

• inverter welding machine and electrodes;
• rivet or screwdriver;
• grinder with replaceable discs for cutting and grinding;

• concrete mixer, shovel or rod for pouring concrete;
• marker, tape measure, hammer, pliers, drill, construction or laser level;
• spray gun or air compressor for applying primer and paint. You can use brushes and rollers, but then the layer will be thicker and more uneven;
• eye, respiratory and hand protection.

You will also need an anti-corrosion primer, acetone or other solvent, alkyd or acrylic paint for exterior use.

IN step by step instructions on the manufacture and installation of rolling gates, information is given on how to do all the work yourself:

At the initial stage, you should make a foundation for the mortgage and, if necessary, for support pillars. A hole is marked and dug under the mortgage to the depth of soil freezing. Depending on the region, it can be from 1 to 2 m. The length of the foundation is equal to ½ of the width of the opening, in this case – 2 meters. The width of the pit is 40-50 cm. Depending on the depth of the pit, it is necessary to fill in crushed stone and sand in layers of 10-30 cm and carefully compact each layer.

The reinforcement frame is made by welding rods together, and then a channel is welded to the finished frame. The resulting structure is installed in the hole exactly along the ground line close to the fence post. Horizontalness must be checked with a laser or building level. If you plan to install automatic gates, before pouring the foundation, you must conduct wiring to the channel in a plastic or metal pipe with a diameter of at least 2.5 cm.

Concrete for the foundation is mixed in a concrete mixer in the following ratio:

• 1 part cement M400 or M500;
• 3 parts sand;
• 3 parts crushed stone.

For a pit 1 meter high, 2 meters long and 50 cm wide, you will need about 1 cubic meter. m of concrete. During the pouring process, the solution must be periodically pierced with a shovel or a rod of reinforcement to release excess air.

For the first 3-7 days, the poured foundation must be watered to prevent the formation of cracks and chips.

Under the foundation for the support post you need a hole measuring 50x50 cm. It is better to install the support post on the inside of the site so as not to reduce the gate opening. The preparation of the pit, mortar and reinforcement frame is carried out following the example of a mortgage. The return post and channel can also be installed on screw piles, but such a structure, depending on the soil, may be less durable.

The next stage is the manufacture of the gate leaf. The metal profile for the frame and frame is cut with a grinder according to the dimensions indicated in the drawing. On a special stand, which must be larger than the finished structure, the components of the power frame are laid out and, if necessary, adjusted to size.

The joints must first be secured by spot welding, and then all seams must be welded completely. To eliminate the possibility of water or snow getting into the canvas structure, you need to weld all the holes.

The seams are carefully sanded with a grinder or sandpaper until they have an acceptable appearance. The inside of the frame, which will be in contact with the frame, must be degreased with a solvent and coated with two layers of anti-corrosion primer.

The second primer coat can be applied only after the first one has completely dried. Coating the inside of the frame with a primer at this stage is done because after connecting to the frame, processing the closed surface will no longer be possible.

After the power frame is ready, it is necessary to weld the frame in the same way. Processing the seams and priming the surface is carried out according to the same principle, but the outer side of the frame is primed, which will come into contact with the load-bearing frame. After the coating has dried, the frame is installed inside the frame.

The alignment of the internal frame relative to the frame depends on the method of covering the gate. If the cladding is performed only from the outside, then the frame is welded close to the outside of the frame. With double-sided cladding, the frame is installed exactly in the middle.

Welding the frame to the frame is done very carefully so that the structure does not become distorted due to overheating of the metal.

First, the fastening is done with small welding points at a distance of 50 cm from each other. Then the joints are welded in small sections of 1-2 cm on different sides, and only the remaining sections of 5-10 cm can be welded immediately. Work must be performed on both sides of the canvas. The supporting beam is welded to the frame using the same principle.

At the final stage of fabrication, the welds are polished, the surface is degreased with a solvent, coated with a primer and painted. It is better to perform priming and painting in two or three layers, with the second layer applied only after the first has completely dried. Coatings must be applied evenly to avoid drips and unevenness. For this it is better to use a special compressor.

The corrugated sheet is attached to the frame with self-tapping screws using a screwdriver or with rivets using a special rivet. The first fastenings are made at the corners of the canvas, and then along the entire perimeter at a distance of 15-20 cm from each other. If one profiled sheet is not enough, then each subsequent sheet is installed overlapping the previous one.

Installation

Installation of the door leaf occurs only after the foundation has completely hardened, which is possible 10-28 days after pouring. The drying speed depends on the composition of the solution, temperature and humidity of the environment.

First, using a laser level or a string, the trajectory of the gate leaf is outlined. Roller supports are installed on the channel at the maximum distance from each other.

Sliding gates are placed with a guide rail on the carriages so that the rollers are inside the supporting beam. During installation, you need to constantly maintain the structure vertically; this will require the help of one or two people.

It is important to correctly adjust the position of the cantilever blocks and check the horizontalness of the lower beam with a building level.

The block, which is closer to the opening, is positioned so that when the gate is open, the distance from the span to the roller is 15-20 cm. The second carriage with the gate closed should be at a distance of 5-10 cm from the end of the rail. In this position, the roller mechanisms are lightly welded to the channel, the entire structure is once again checked for ease of movement of the web on the rollers.

If all mechanisms work correctly, the canvas must be removed from the console blocks, the carriages from the lower platforms, and the platforms themselves must be completely welded to the channel.

You should not attach the platforms to the channel using the bolts that come with the kit. If it turns out that even a small error occurred during installation, it will no longer be possible to unscrew such bolts. To reinstall, you will have to cut them off and do all the steps again.

The roller trolleys are again secured to the platforms, the canvas is put on them and, with the gate closed, the final adjustment is made using wrench. The upper fixing roller is attached by welding to a metal post or embedded in a brick pillar, which is located above the foundation.

The return post must be installed on the foundation or secured by welding to mortgages on a brick pillar. The length of the post should be equal to the height of the gate leaf or slightly higher. The lower and upper catchers are welded to the counter post. The lower one is attached by 5 mm. above the entry level of the end roller: this reduces the load on the supporting console blocks when the gate is closed. The upper catcher must be mounted 5 cm below the top of the gate leaf.

The end roller must be installed inside the guide beam and secured with bolts. For greater strength, the roller can be welded into the guide rail. And finally, plugs are attached to the supporting beam on both sides, which are necessary to prevent snow and dirt from getting into the rail, which would interfere with the operation of the structure. Rubber plugs are simply inserted into the rail, and metal ones are attached by welding.

Decor

Decorating sliding gates is possible in a variety of ways. The gate trim itself, which can be made from a variety of materials, can serve as decoration.

Additional cladding with metal strips makes the gate more formal and massive in appearance.

Quite often, forged elements are attached to wooden and metal gates.

Installing a lock on automatic gates is usually not required, since they are driven using a remote control or button. It is simply impossible to open such gates with your hands. But for mechanical structures, locking elements and locks are required. Most often, simple constipations are installed, which can hardly be called decorative.

Beautiful examples

Vertical sheathing on the fence looks laconic and strict.

It is possible to combine corrugated sheeting with sheathing.

Combined cladding with forging elements will always look expensive and presentable.

Gates made of wood or sandwich panels are also often decorated with forged products.

Forged structures without additional cladding are often used.

Forged gates with additional transparent polycarbonate lining look very good.

For cladding, you can use tempered glass, which can be left transparent, darkened by tinting, or tried in combination with metal.

To learn how to properly make sliding gates with your own hands, watch the following video.

Cantilever sliding gates are a rather complex structure. However, they are convenient and practical, and therefore are widely used in private households and industrial facilities. Today, there are many manufacturers who supply ready-made gates and components for them to the market. By enlisting qualified help, you can carry out the installation quite competently and quickly. However, if you want to save money and put creative energy into action, then it is better to start installing sliding gates yourself.

Description of cantilever gates

Cantilever sliding gates have no restrictions on dimensions at the top. In addition, they do not have contact with ground rails. This gate design is one of the most complex, but such “sacrifices” are justified. The door leaf does not contact the surface; it is suspended on roller blocks using a guide beam. Roller blocks and a beam are usually located at the bottom of the gate. Sometimes the guide beam and blocks are located in the center or on top of the canvas. This approach is justified when cantilever units can be suspended on the main wall of an adjacent building.

A similar technology is also used when there are nearby building structures or structures that can withstand the loads from the canvas. Otherwise, a power structure is built, which is not always beneficial. In most cases, for this reason, sliding cantilever gates with a supporting beam located below are used.

Design features of cantilever gates

If you decide to make console ones, you should take a closer look at the concept of this design. The canvas is installed on a frame, which is made of a metal profile pipe. A supporting beam, which has a special profile, is attached to the frame. Roller carriages are introduced inside the latter. The beam moves with the gate left and right along the carriages, the gate closes and opens.

The roller carriages and beam undergo the greatest load, this is especially true when the gate is fully opened or closed. To unload these units, an end unloading roller is used, which enters and rests against the catcher located below. In another part, an end limit roller with a catcher can be used to secure the blade when fully opened.

A cantilever system for sliding gates may have a top catcher and a guide with rollers that prevent lateral rolling. The catcher will fix the canvas in the closed state. To prevent foreign objects and contaminants from getting inside the beam, plugs are used. The structure is installed on power elements, including:

• return post;
• support pillar;
• foundation for roller carriages.

If there are strong supports on the site that are made of metal, concrete or brick, then they can be used as counter or support pillars. If there are none, then they will have to be built from metal. The foundation for the console must be built separately. If you decide to make a cantilever-type sliding gate, then it can be supplemented with an electric drive, which is installed between the roller carriages. In order for the blade to be set in motion, a gear rack must be fixed to its side surface. The control unit is installed on the drive.

Is it possible to install sliding gates?

Even if you have no financial restrictions and you have a great desire, it is not always possible to install cantilever gates on your site with your own hands. If the space is quite limited, then the cantilever structure will have to be replaced with another one. After all, a space of at least 1.5 times the width of the gate opening should be left along the fence. This requirement is due to the fact that the canvas also has a technological part, the length of which will take up half the width of the opening. This will evenly distribute the load on the console block.

Due to the fact that such gates move in a straight line, the area left for them must be straight. In the place where the gate will move, there should be no uneven terrain that could interfere with the movement of the gate. If you decide to create a cantilever gate, it is recommended to review the photo in advance. From them you can understand that there should be no gates in the path of the structure. They are usually installed on the opposite side.

If you order such a gate with a built-in wicket door, it will have high thresholds, which is not very convenient for the elderly and children. Some owners leave a distance as a gate that will be enough for a person to pass through. This is not recommended, because any mechanism is designed for a certain number of cycles, and frequent use of the design can reduce the service life. If the entrance to the territory occurs from a narrow lane, then it is necessary to increase the opening to facilitate maneuvering, which will negatively affect the dimensions of the road. If the listed situations do not exist on the site, then you can start making cantilever gates.

Preparatory work

Installation of cantilever-type gates begins with preparation. To do this, you should evaluate the location of the work. If the structure will be installed to replace the old one, then the condition of the support pillars should be assessed. If they are made of reinforced concrete or brick, then their cross-section should be 20x20 cm or more. When it comes to a metal profile pipe, the cross-section is usually 60x40 cm. These supports must be installed strictly vertically and well fixed in the ground. These elements will serve as counter and support pillars. If there are none, then the pillars will need to be installed.

When installing a cantilever gate with a middle beam, you must dig a hole for the foundation nearby. It is placed close to the support, it should run parallel to the fence, and its dimensions will be 500x2000 mm. If it is planned to build a new fence on the territory, then all work on its construction and the construction of the gate must be combined, which is preferable.

Quite often, brick pillars are erected at the entrance, which is not only beautiful, but also practical. If you also decide to follow this experience, then you will need to form embedded elements; they will look like steel plates 300x100 mm. Their thickness should be 5 mm. The top plate is located on the inside of the post, which is closer to the opening. The step from the top of the post to the plate should be 200 mm. Having departed from the zero mark of 200 mm, install the lower embedded plate; proceed in the same way.

The zero level will be the entrance through the gate. The central plate is located in the middle, between the bottom and top. The gate assemblies will be attached to these elements. When making cantilever sliding gates with your own hands, you must take into account that the passage width is usually 4 m. This standard has been adopted in European countries. Manufacturers of fittings and components offer sets of elements for a given gate size. To make the work easier, it is better to use a ready-made solution.

When choosing a canvas, you must decide what it will be covered with. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. The final decision can influence the choice of power elements. The most commonly used is corrugated sheeting, but you can also find cladding options made from clapboard or forged decorative elements. An alternative solution is a lattice structure formed from steel pipes.

Carrying out marking

When you make a cantilever gate with a middle beam with your own hands, the next step is to start marking. In this case, it does not matter whether a fence is erected on the territory. Marking is carried out after installing the pillars. To do this, you will need to determine the level of the zero mark, which is the level of the entrance to the garage opening. You need to mark the level on one pillar, from which the mark is transferred to another using a laser or water level. At the zero marks, a cord is pulled, which must be brought close to the inner surface of the supports. The rope should be further than the support post.

Foundation structure

The foundation will bear the load from the weight of the gate. The upper part will be channel No. 20, the length of which will be 2000 mm. The roller units and drive will be installed on this unit. A pit is prepared for the foundation, which should be adjacent to the support pillar. Its width will be 500 mm, while the valley will be 2100 mm. The depth should be determined by the level of soil freezing in winter. In most regions this parameter is 1500 mm.

If you install a cantilever gate kit, the technology will remain the same. It provides for reinforcement of the foundation. In order to connect the base to the channel, you need to prepare 3 frames. For this purpose, reinforcement No. 16 should be used. For cross braces, reinforcement No. 10 is used, the pitch should be equal to the limit from 300 to 400 mm.

The frame is attached to the bottom surface of the channel. The center lines of the frames should be 400 mm away from the edges of the channel. After this, sand or a sand-gravel mixture is added, which is compacted. A channel with reinforcing cages is installed on the surface. To fill the foundation, concrete grade M-250 or M-300 should be used. To prepare you should stock up on:

• bucket;
• crushed stone;
• sand.

The amount of liquid will depend on the moisture content of the cement and sand. If you want to reduce the volume of water and increase the mobility of the composition, then you should use a plasticizer. The supply of concrete mixture should be carried out gradually, only then the leveled structure will not move. As soon as the next portion of concrete is laid, it is pierced in several places with reinforcement, which will remove air bubbles.

After laying the top layer, the surface of the channel should be wiped so that it remains clean for subsequent manipulations. The concrete will mature within 28 days, but after a week the solution will gain strength, which will make it possible to install the gate. At this time, you can do other operations.

Fabrication

If you are wondering how to make a cantilever gate, you should become more familiar with the technology of door leaf manufacturing. The main frame will consist of a profile pipe with a cross section of 60x40 mm. The internal filling and stiffeners are made of pipes with a cross-section of 20x40 mm. There will be a load-bearing beam located below, its length will be 6 m. Weld it to the gate.

When buying fittings, you need to take into account the weight of the canvas and the size of the opening. The size of the opening will be 4000 mm, while the weight of the sheet with corrugated sheet covering can reach 400 kg. The standard set of components includes:

• guide beam;
• end roller;
• two roller bearings;
• lower end roller catcher;
• guide device;
• upper catcher;
• two plugs per beam.

Work methodology

For the main frame, it is necessary to cut profile pipes, the cross-section of which will be 60x40 mm. To prevent access to the internal cavity of the pipe during welding, the seams should be made as tight as possible. Marking is carried out with a square and tape measure. You can cut the workpieces using an angle grinder with a cutting disc. It is better to use a cutting machine, which will ensure the accuracy of the angles.

The pipes are laid out on the mounting surface, and then all seams are tacked. After checking the dimensions, all connections are welded with a continuous seam. The remaining open ends are welded with plugs. To do this, you should prepare profile pipes that are applied to the inner surface of the frame and tightened with clamps. After this, they can be secured by welding. Guide beams are attached to the bottom surface of the gate. For priming and painting, the gate is installed in a position that is close to vertical. For work, it is better to use an anti-corrosion automotive primer, which is applied in two layers.

If you want to speed up the priming process, you should use a sprayer and a compressor. A brush is also suitable for this, but the work will take a longer time, and the quality of the coating seems worse. Particular attention must be paid to ensure that the primer is in the gap between the turns and the beam. The gap is also closed with acrylic sealant, laid in sausages. At the next stage, the gates are painted entirely in 2 layers. The surface of the supporting beam is not covered.

Once the paint has dried, the gate can be covered. The most preferred material for this is corrugated sheeting, because it combines beautiful appearance, strength, light weight and reasonable cost.

Gate installation

At the next stage, cantilever gates can be installed on a channel. These manipulations are carried out no earlier than a week after the completion of concreting. To install roller carts, you must purchase a mounting plate with studs. With its help, you can adjust the position of the gate horizontally and height. In addition, the gate can be removed to replace roller blocks or repair individual components.

When it is time to install the cantilever gate, the roller trolleys are seated on the mounting plate. There is no need to tighten the top nuts too much. The position of the plates is marked on the foundation. Measure 150 mm from the edge of the channel and draw a perpendicular line. If the pillars have good load-bearing capacity, anchor bolts will fit well into them. The use of additional metal pillars is not required. If they are not there, then a profile pipe is installed vertically using the prepared embeds. On the support post it can be welded to the edge, on the counter post - from the edge of the post with a deviation ranging from 20 to 50 mm.

When a cantilever gate is installed, the next step is to place the roller carriages into the supporting beam and move it to the central part of the structure. With the help of another person, the canvas will need to be moved vertically over the channel. The roller carriages are moved along different lines, and the stretched rope must touch the guide beam. This position is fixed using stands made of planks.

The operation of the gate needs to be checked, this applies to its horizontality and verticality, which are analyzed in the closed position. If it is necessary to adjust the structure, you should use nuts on studs. The gate must move along a guide. The gaps between the return and support posts should be the same, while from the zero mark to the bottom edge there should be about 100 mm or slightly less. If the cantilever gate moves correctly, the carriage fastening nuts can be tightened, while the platforms are welded around the perimeter.

Conclusion

If you decide to make and install sliding cantilever gates yourself, you must insert the carriages into the supporting beam yourself. In general, carriages are needed to move beams along them, which will ensure the closing and opening of the gate.

Sliding or sliding gates are a complex mechanism, but nevertheless, due to their convenience, they have become quite widely used both at industrial facilities and in private households. There are a lot of manufacturers who make ready-made gates and components for them; qualified labor will quickly and competently carry out the installation, but those who want to save money and apply creative energy in business will be interested in installing sliding gates with their own hands. Moreover, this is quite possible.

Types of sliding gates

Sliding gates come in different designs, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's mark them.

Hanging sliding gates

These gates were most often used at the entrances of enterprises and other protected areas. At a considerable height, so that cargo transport could enter, a metal beam was mounted, and no longer Not The gate leaf was suspended using roller trolleys.

Hanging gates - reliable, but material-intensive

This design is quite reliable, and such gates, created more than 50 years ago, still work, but are now rarely used for two reasons:

• The upper beam still limits the dimensions of the gate opening.
• This design is very material-intensive and what was allowed during the USSR at the then metal prices is simply unacceptable now.

Sliding gates on rails

This is the simplest design of sliding gates and theoretically the most reliable. The door leaf, standing on rollers, rides on a special rail located on the surface. The gate is still supported at one upper point in the place where the gate goes when opened. Such gates are best used where the territory is periodically and constantly cleaned, which is often unattainable under Russian conditions. Normal snowfall will easily block the operation of such gates, and it can be very difficult to get them to work again.

A significant advantage of such gates is that to open they need to go beyond the fence exactly the width of the opening, and this, in conditions of limited space, can be a determining factor for making a decision in favor of such a design.

Cantilever sliding gates

In order for the gates to have no size restrictions at the top and to avoid contact with the ground rail, cantilever sliding (sliding) gates were invented. This is the most complex gate design, but these “sacrifices” are absolutely justified. The leaf of such gates does not have contact with the surface, but is suspended on cantilever roller blocks using a guide beam. Most often, such a beam and roller blocks are located at the bottom of the gate.

There are cases when the guide beam and roller blocks can be located in the middle or even on top of the door leaf. This may be justified when the cantilever units can be hung on the main wall of the building or there are any building structures or structures that can withstand the loads from the door leaf. Otherwise, you will have to specially construct a power structure for the gate, which is not always profitable.

That is why in most cases, cantilever sliding gates with a lower support beam are used.

Prices for sliding gates

Sliding gates

Description of the design and operation of cantilever gates

A schematic diagram of a sliding gate with a lower console position can be seen in the figure.

The door leaf is mounted on a frame (1) made of a profile metal pipe. A supporting beam (2) is welded to the frame, which has a special profile, into which the roller carriages (3) fit tightly. In this case, the beam can move together with the gate left and right along the carriages, ensuring the opening and closing of the gate. Obviously, the beam and roller carriages bear the greatest load, especially when they close or fully open the gate. In order to unload the gate when completely closed, an end unloading roller (4) is used, which enters and rests against the lower catcher (5). In another part of the gate, to fix the door leaf when fully open, they can also use an end roller with a catch stop, but it is not visible in this diagram.

To ensure that the gate does not have lateral swings, there is a guide with rollers (7) and an upper catcher (6), which fixes the door in the closed state. To prevent dirt and foreign objects from getting into the inside of the beam, plugs (8) are used. The entire gate structure is mounted on three main power elements: a support post (9), a counter post (10) and a foundation for roller carriages (11). If the site already has sufficiently strong gate supports (brick, concrete or metal), then they can be used as support and response posts, and if not, then they will have to be built separately from a profile metal pipe. In any case, the foundation for the console will have to be built separately.

In sliding gates, an electric drive is quite easily implemented, which is fixed between the roller carriages. To set the blade in motion, a toothed rack is attached to its side surface. The drive is equipped with a control unit, as well as various safety devices.

Advantages of cantilever sliding gates

Cantilever-type sliding gates have a number of advantages:

• Such gates do not have detachable leaves and therefore do not reduce the usable area of ​​the territory, and if the gate is accidentally opened, there is no danger of damaging the vehicle standing in front of it.
• The gate opening has no lower or upper restrictions on dimensions.
• Abundant ones do not interfere with the operation of the cantilever gates, since the leaf is hung at a distance of about 10 cm above the ground surface.
• All rolling elements that ensure the operation of the gate are located inside the beam, and therefore are not affected by weather factors. Even a child can set the gate in motion, thanks to its thoughtful design and low friction.
• The powerful foundation of the console and a well-thought-out system for holding the door leaf in a vertical position allow such doors to withstand high wind loads.
• Sliding gates are easiest to equip with an electric drive and safety elements.

Sliding gates still have disadvantages, but they are few:

• Cantilever sliding gates are one of the most complex in design, which is why their installation is not easy.
• To install them, it is necessary to have a free section of the fence one and a half times larger than the size of the opening, which is not always achievable.

Determining the feasibility of installing sliding gates

Even with the great desire and remarkable financial capabilities of the site owner to install sliding gates, situations may arise when installation is either impossible or very difficult. What are these situations?

• The space where the gate will roll back along the fence should be free by at least one and a half width of the gate opening. This is explained by the fact that on the door leaf, in addition to the part covering the opening, there is also a technological part, which in length occupies at least half of the width of the opening - this way the loads from the gate will be better distributed on the cantilever block.

• Sliding gates move in a straight line, which means that the required area of ​​free fence space must also be straight.
• In the place where the gate will move there should be no uneven terrain that would interfere with the free movement of the gate.

• There should be no gates in the path of the gate; it is better to make them on the opposite side. Sometimes sliding gates with built-in wickets are ordered, but they will inevitably have high thresholds, which is extremely inconvenient for children and the elderly.
• It happens that the owners intend to use the gate as a wicket - when the canvas moves away to a distance sufficient for people to pass through. This is not necessary, since any gate mechanism is designed for a certain number of cycles and frequent use of them will greatly reduce the service life.
• If you enter the site from a narrow lane, then to make maneuvering easier, you need to increase the gate opening, which will affect the dimensions of the doorway.

If there are no such difficult situations on the site, then you can start installing sliding gates with your own hands.

In order for sliding gates to be installed correctly and have a long service life in the future, the technological process must be divided into several stages.

Preparatory work

The first and one of the main parts of the preparatory operations is assessing the location of the gate installation. What should you pay attention to?

• If the gate is installed to replace the old one, which has a different design, then the presence and condition of the support pillars will be assessed. If they are made of brick, reinforced concrete section at least 20 per 20 cm, profile metal pipe cross-section at least 60 per 40 cm, their strict verticality is maintained, and they are securely fixed in the ground, then they can well serve as a support and response post for sliding gates. If not, you will have to rebuild your pillars.
• Near the support pillar it should be possible to dig a hole for the foundation, which should be located close to the pillar, run parallel to the fence and have dimensions of 500 mm by 2000 mm.
• If there is a new fence on the site, then all work on its construction and preparation for the installation of sliding gates can be combined, which is most preferable.
• Very often, brick pillars are erected at the entrance to the territory, which is both practical and beautiful. When constructing them, you need to make embedded elements in the form of steel plates 100*100 mm and 5 mm thick, three on each pillar. The top plate must be placed on the inside of the post close to the edge that is closer to the opening. The distance from the top of the column to the plate is 200 mm. The lower embedded plate is located similarly to the upper one, but at a distance of 200 mm from the zero mark. “Zero” is considered to be the level of entry through the gate. The middle plate is placed midway between the top and bottom. Gate elements will subsequently be attached to them.

• When building a new fence, you can take into account that most often the width of the passage for sliding gates is 4 meters. This standard has long been adopted in European countries. All manufacturers of components and fittings have the necessary sets of elements specifically for this size of gate. To make your work much easier, it is better to use a ready-made solution.
• It is necessary to decide what the door leaf will be and what it will be lined with. There are a lot of options, and in each of them the gate will have a different weight. This may influence the selection of the required strength elements. Most often, corrugated sheeting has been used lately, but there are options for cladding with wooden lining, forged decorative elements, or simply leaving a lattice structure made of steel pipes.

• Before purchasing the necessary components, you need to draw up your own detailed drawing with specifications or use ready-made solutions that are available in the albums of gate manufacturers and on the forums of country house owners on the Internet. In any case, you need to be very clear about the design of how many materials you will need and which ones.

Marking work

When the gate posts are installed, regardless of whether the fence is erected or not, you can begin marking. To do this you need:

• Determine the level of the zero mark, which is taken to be the surface level at the entrance to the garage opening. Moreover, it is not at all necessary that the entrance surface will already be ready when work begins. This can be done later. This level must be marked on one pillar and then transferred to another using a water or laser level.
• At the level of the zero marks, the cord is pulled close to the inner surface of the pillars, and the cord must pass beyond the support table (the one where the gate will move when opened) to a distance of at least two meters. The horizontality of the tensioned cord is checked.

Sliding gate foundation installation

In order to absorb the loads from the weight of the gate at rest and when moving, you need to build a foundation. To do this, a channel No. 20 with a length of 2000 mm is needed as the upper part on which the roller units and electric drive will be mounted. For the foundation it is necessary to dig a hole, which is adjacent to the support pillar, has a length of 2100 mm, a width of 500 mm. The depth is determined by the level of soil freezing in winter. In most regions, a depth of 1500 mm will be sufficient.

To reinforce the foundation and create a connection between the channel and the foundation, three square-section frames with a side of 150 mm from reinforcement No. 16 and a length of 1400 mm are welded. For cross braces, you can use reinforcement No. 10-12 with a pitch of 300-400 mm.

The finished frames are welded to the lower surface of the channel in the middle of its flange. The center lines of the outer frames are located 400 mm from the edges of the channel, and the third – exactly in the middle. After this, you need to add 10 cm of sand or sand-gravel mixture to the bottom of the hole, compact it and begin installing the finished channel with reinforcement cages. In this case, you should take into account:

• The channel is laid close to the supporting post, strictly parallel to the line of movement of the gate, flush with the zero mark. A previously stretched cord will help to do this.
• To prevent laitance from leaking into the ground from the concrete mixture, which reduces the strength of concrete, it is better to line the bottom and walls of the pit with plastic film.
• The surface of the channel should be at the zero level, therefore, when installing frames with a channel, it is good to use pieces of reinforcement that can be used to fix the structure in the pit. When supplying concrete, a significant load will be applied to the frames, so the fixation must be reliable.
• To make it easier to level the upper part of the concrete with the channel, it is very convenient to install edged boards on top with the surface at zero level.

• If you plan to use an electric drive with an automation unit and a security system, then you should immediately take care of laying the necessary cables. The laying diagram can be seen in the figure. Cables should be laid either in a corrugated pipe, or better yet, in a polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 20 mm.

It's time for concrete work. To fill the foundation of sliding cantilever gates, you must use concrete of a grade of at least M250-M300. To prepare it you will need components in the following proportions by volume:

• One bucket of M400 cement.
• Two buckets of washed sand.
• Four buckets of crushed stone or gravel.
• The amount of water depends on the moisture content of sand and cement and ranges from 0.7 to 1 bucket. The use of plasticizers reduces the amount of water required and increases the mobility of the mixture, which is useful during installation.

The amount needed for the foundation will, of course, be greater, the main thing is to maintain the specified proportions. To prepare the concrete mixture, it is best to use a concrete mixer or a powerful construction mixer. When mixing manually, the quality of concrete deteriorates.

A concrete mixer is an indispensable assistant for constructing a gate foundation

First, sand and cement are poured into the concrete mixer. After mixing them, add some water to mix the solution until smooth. Next, crushed stone or gravel is added and water is gradually added until the concrete becomes homogeneous and mobile. When laying concrete in a hole you must:

• Feed the concrete mixture gradually so as not to move the leveled structure.
• After laying the next portion of concrete, you need to pierce it in several places with a reinforcement bar to remove possible air bubbles.
• After laying and leveling the top layer, wipe the surface of the channel with a wet rag so that it remains clean for subsequent operations.

Complete maturation of the concrete occurs within 28 days, but after a week it will already gain the strength that will allow installation of the gate. And at this time you can do other technological operations.

Manufacturing of sliding gates

When making gate leaves, if you do not have sufficient skills in welding metals, it is better to go where specialists in a workshop will make them to the required dimensions. Sliding gates are a fairly large structure and at home it will be difficult to ensure that all parts are located in the same plane, which is extremely necessary. Another advantage of making gates in workshops is that priming and painting can be done with a compressor, and this gives a better quality finish. But if you still want to do everything yourself, then this is quite possible.

One of the possible door leaf options is shown in the figure. The main frame is made from a 60*40 mm profile pipe, and the stiffeners and internal filling are made from a 20*40 mm pipe. The supporting beam, which is located at the bottom of the drawing, has a length of 6 meters and it must be welded to the gate, so it is time to purchase a set of components for sliding cantilever gates and profile pipes for making the door leaf.

A wide range of accessories for sliding gates is presented in various stores and construction markets. It is available both from a Russian manufacturer and imported. When purchasing fittings, you need to take into account the weight of the future door leaf and the size of the opening. In our case, the size of the opening is 4000 mm, and the weight of the canvas, if covered with corrugated sheeting, will be up to 400 kg, which must be reported to the seller.

The standard gate kit includes:

• The guide beam is 71*60*3.5 mm, 6 meters long.
• Two roller bearings.
• End roller.
• Lower end roller catcher.
• Upper catcher.
• Guide device with two rollers.
• Two plugs for the beam.

To weld the gate, you will need to make an assembly table consisting of three stands of the same height. The supports can be stakes driven into the ground at the same level and boards laid on top. The main thing is that all three stands lie in the same horizontal plane.

Another option for an improvised assembly table can be timber or building stones laid on the ground and placed at one level.

A profile pipe purchased at a metal warehouse rarely does not have pockets of corrosion, so before making the gate, all pipes should be thoroughly cleaned of rust stains and contaminants. The most convenient way to do this is with a grinder and a special grinding disc.

According to the drawing, 60*40 mm profile pipes are cut for the main gate frame. In this case, you must try to make sure that during welding there are no holes left for access to the internal cavity of the pipe. Marking should be done with a tape measure and a square, and cutting should be done with a grinder with a cutting disc, or better yet, with a cutting machine that allows you to accurately observe all the angles.

Pipes are laid out on the mounting surface, guided by the drawing, compliance with dimensions and perpendicularity is checked, and then all seams are tacked sequentially. After checking the dimensions and plane, all pipe connections are welded with a continuous seam. All remaining open ends of the pipes are welded with plugs. After this, all welding seams are carefully cleaned with a grinder and a grinding disc.

Profile pipes 40*20 mm for stiffening ribs are cut to size, which are then applied to the inner surface of the main frame, tightened with clamps and pinched pointwise. This is how the entire internal frame is assembled. After checking compliance with the dimensions in the drawing, checking the diagonals of the rectangular part of the gate, the plane of the structure, all seams are welded. At the connections of the pipes of the internal frame, continuous seams are applied to each other, and to connect the side surfaces of the main frame with the inner one, seams of 10-15 mm are made with an interval of 400-500 mm. Welding must be done in a checkerboard pattern so that excessive overheating in one place does not cause the entire structure to “deteriorate.”

A guide beam is welded to the bottom surface of the gate. To do this, it is fastened with clamps, the correspondence of the axes of the gate leaf and the beam is checked, and then welded with seams of 30-40 mm every 400-500 mm. After this, all seams are cleaned with a grinder.

For priming and painting, the gate must be installed in a position close to vertical. It is best to use an automotive anti-corrosion primer, which must be applied in two layers. It is preferable to do this with a compressor and sprayer, but you can also use a brush, but it will take longer and the quality of the coating will be worse. Particular attention should be paid to pouring primer into the gap between the beam and the gate. It would also be appropriate to cover this gap with “sausages” of acrylic sealant. After this, the entire gate can be painted in two layers. Under no circumstances should the inner surface of the load-bearing beam be painted!

After the paint has completely dried, you can install cladding on the gate, the most preferred of which is corrugated sheeting, as it combines light weight, strength, beautiful appearance and a reasonable price.

Installation of sliding gates

The installation of a cantilever structure on a previously installed channel can begin no earlier than 7 days after concreting. To mount roller carts, it is recommended to purchase a mounting plate with studs, which will allow you to:

• Adjust the gate position in height and horizontality.
• It is easy to remove the gate for repairs or replacement of roller blocks.

To install the gate you need:

• Place the roller carriages onto the mounting plate, making the height the same and average on all studs. Do not tighten the upper nuts too much.
• The position of the mounting plates must be marked on the foundation. To do this, measure 150 mm from the edge of the channel that is closer to the opening and draw a line perpendicular to its length. This will be tangent to the edge of the first mounting plate.
• To find the position of the second support, you need to measure the total length of the gate and subtract 100 mm from it. The resulting distance must be set aside from the beginning of the return post parallel to the goal line to the channel. At this point a perpendicular is drawn, which will be tangent to the second mounting plate.
• If the load-bearing capacity of the pillars is good and the anchor bolts will be fastened in them well, then the use of additional metal pillars is not necessary. If not, then a profile pipe with a height equal to the height of the gate plus 200 mm, with a cross-section of 40 * 40 * 2 mm, is welded vertically using the previously prepared mortgages. On the support post it can be welded close to the edge, and on the return post it can be welded at a distance of 20-50 mm from the edge of the post.

• At a height of 150-200 mm at a distance of 20-30 mm from the branch and supporting pillars, a cord is stretched horizontally, parallel to the line of movement of the gate. It will indicate the position of the tangent to the edge of the supporting beam. The cord must be stretched throughout the entire movement of the gate: from the edge of the table to the position of the edge of the gate when it is fully open.
• Roller carriages are placed in the supporting beam and moved approximately to the middle of the gate. Then, with the participation of assistants, the door leaf is placed vertically above the channel. The roller carriages are moved along previously marked lines, and the stretched cord should touch the guide beam along its entire length. This position can be fixed using stands made of planks. After checking the verticality, the roller platforms can be “grabbed” by electric welding in several places.
• The movement of the gate is checked, its verticality and horizontality, which is checked in the closed position. If necessary, correction is made using adjusting nuts on the studs of the platforms. The gate should move easily along the guide, parallel (lightly touching) the tensioned cord. The gaps between the support and response posts should be the same, and from the zero mark to the bottom edge 80-100 mm. If everything is normal, then the carriage fastening nuts can be tightened and the platforms themselves can be welded in a circle.

• A plug is mounted on the rear console part of the load-bearing beam. An end roller is mounted in the front part of the beam. Each manufacturer has its own installation method, so you must use the instructions.
• A guide device with two rollers is mounted on the support column in its upper part. To do this, a bracket for attaching the guide is attached to the pole, and holes are marked. In brick or concrete it is necessary to fasten with anchors with studs with a diameter of 10 mm, and in metal - with appropriate self-tapping screws. If welding will be used for fastening, it is better to temporarily remove the plastic rollers. After mounting on the post, the rollers are positioned so that they tightly cover the door leaf, maintain its verticality and do not interfere with the smooth movement.

• The gate is rolled out to the fully closed position, and the location for attaching the lower catcher is marked on the return post. The end roller should fit tightly onto the catcher shelf, partially relieving the load on the roller blocks. The catcher is mounted using appropriate fasteners and the movement of the gate and the ease of its fixation in the closed position are checked.

• An upper catcher is installed, which prevents the gate from swinging in the wind. In a completely closed state, the position of the catcher is outlined and its fastening is made. Very often, the upper catcher in the kit also has a protective bracket that is put on the door leaf, which protects against damage to the coating. The bracket is mounted so that when closing it is the one that enters the catcher.

• If necessary, a rear limiter is installed to prevent the gate from rolling back far when fully opened.

After proper installation, the gate should move very easily and be fixed in its extreme positions. The final work will be cleaning all welds, covering them with anti-corrosion primer and painting. Next, handles for opening and closing can be attached to the gate leaf, and also installed. Each drive manufacturer has its own installation features, which are described in detail in the accompanying documentation. But this work will be much easier, since the main thing has already been done - installing sliding gates with your own hands.

Video - Installation instructions for sliding gates

Video - Installation of a ready-made gate kit without welding

Video - How to make sliding gates yourself

Sliding gates on the site take up minimal space, are reliable and durable. They do not require too much care either for the structure itself or for the surrounding area. In addition, their mechanism is so simple that, if desired, it is quite easy to make sliding gates with your own hands.

All you need to make sliding gates is a set of tools, materials, a little free time and good instructions. You can make sliding gates with your own hands in just a few days. With the right choice of materials and strict adherence to the instructions, they will not differ in strength and reliability from purchased ones, but their cost will be much cheaper. In addition, since you are going to make the gate yourself, you can think through and implement any design, giving your gate individuality.

How to make a sliding gate leaf with your own hands

Making a sliding gate leaf with your own hands is not at all difficult; it has a very simple design. Everything you need to get started - measure the size of the passage opening and the part of the fence where the sash will move. As an example, let’s look at how cantilever-type sliding gates are made, the most convenient and common design.

Sash dimensions

For an example of manufacturing a sliding gate leaf, consider a standard opening:

• opening width - 4m;
• The height of the fence adjacent to the opening is 2 meters.

Important! The height of the canvas will be slightly less than the height of the fence, since it is necessary to provide a gap above the road. In our example, we will make the gap equal to 7.5 cm.

The design of sliding gates necessarily includes a counterweight equal to 1/2 of the opening width. In our case, the length of the counterweight is 2 meters. This part of the structure does not block the opening, but extends the canvas by the calculated amount. In order to clearly imagine the future gate and correct the given dimensions to your own, it is better to first prepare drawings of the sliding gate.

Important! The length of the adjacent fence in our case must be at least 6 meters so that the sliding gate leaf can fully open the opening.

Necessary materials

If the door leaf is filled with corrugated sheets or similar lightweight material, then the following materials from the list will be required to make the door leaf.

• Rectangular pipes 60x30:
• 1 PC. 6-meter;
• 1 PC. 4-meter;
• 1 PC. length 2.7 m;
• 2 pcs. 1.85 m each.
• Rectangular pipes 40x20:
• 3 pcs. 4-meter;
• 4 things. 2-meter.
• 6 m guide rail from a small or medium set.
• Profiled sheets for filling the frame.
• Self-tapping screws.

Frame making

The gate frame is made of 60x30 pipes. We weld a 6-meter pipe with the wide side along the entire length of the guide bar, leaving a 3 cm indentation on one edge. Then, on the side where the pipe reaches the edge of the bus, we grab a pipe 1.85 meters long, measure 4 meters from it along the tire and grab it a second pipe of the same size. You get 2 vertical posts. We connect them together with a 4-meter pipe.

Important! At this stage, it is necessary to clearly measure each side so that there are no distortions. You should get an even rectangle.

The free edge of the tire and the upper corner of the frame are connected to each other by a 2.7 meter pipe. This is a counterweight in the form of a triangle, which will not be visible from the front side of the fence.

The internal part of the frame consists of 20x40 pipes, forming 6 equal rectangles. To leave space for the corrugated sheet, a pipe of a smaller cross-section than for the frame is used. Pipes with the wide side are laid on 20 mm thick gaskets and welded.

After welding the gate, all seams must be cleaned and sanded.

Painting

Painting will protect the gate from rust and give it a well-groomed appearance, so you need to choose a paint that is durable and has good protective properties. Nitro enamel or car paint is best suited for this purpose. These materials are easy to apply and dry quickly, so you can paint the sliding gate leaf yourself, avoiding additional costs.

Painting stages:

• metal dust and scale are removed from the frame;
• the surface is wiped with a solvent;
• primer;
• painting.

Filling the frame

Corrugated sheets (or any other material), previously adjusted to size, are attached to the internal pipes with self-tapping screws. It is advisable to make preliminary markings where the screws will be screwed in or use drawings of sliding gates so as not to spoil the appearance of the sash.

The counterweight triangle is not filled in, as it does not serve a decorative or protective function.

Installation of sliding gates

In order for the gate to last a long time, it is necessary to properly prepare the foundation for sliding gates.

To do this you need:

In order for the solution to dry properly, it must be left for a week, only after which can we consider that the foundation for the sliding gate is ready.

On the other side of the opening, next to the fence, you need to install a pole to which the upper rollers and catchers will be attached.

After the concrete has dried, you need to install the gate itself. For this:

• We weld a stand with roller supports and a platform for the drive to the power frame;
• install the gate guide beam on the rollers, check whether the gate is installed level using a level;
• We weld the frame of the upper rollers to the post towards which the gate will open, and once again check the level of the installation of the door leaf;
• on the opposite side we install the catchers on the post so that the corners of the gate fit into them;
• we clamp the roller installed inside the guide beam;
• we connect automation.

DIY sliding gate drive

For convenience, electric drives are often attached to the gates, setting the gate in motion using a button. If you have already made sliding gates with your own hands, then all that remains is to install a drive and automation on them, which is not at all difficult to do if you have certain skills. Moreover, the simplest motors are installed on the cantilever-type sliding gates that we use in the example.

The choice of motor depends only on the type of available voltage in the area:

• three-phase - more powerful;
• single-phase - less powerful, can lead to problems with starting torque.

To open the gate you will need a motor with the following characteristics:

• power - 1.5-2.5 kW, depending on the weight of the structure;
• rotation speed - the lower the better to reduce the load on the drive shaft.

A good choice would be a 6-pole 1000 rpm drive or a 12-pole 500 rpm drive. Any type of motor is sold in the store, but to reduce the cost of the mechanism, you can also use improvised means, for example, use a motor from an old washing machine. Naturally, to work with electricity you need to have a certain skill, so if you don’t have it, it’s better to seek help from a specialist. To connect such a motor to the system, you will need to determine the ends of two pairs of windings. To do this, you need to measure the resistance with a multimeter, which is much higher at the starting winding.

The next step is to select a gearbox; a single-stage one is best. The rotation speed of the drive wheel (output torque) should be 80-100 rpm, the rotation speed of the input torque must coincide with the engine speed.

A rigid or semi-rigid coupling is used to connect the motor and gearbox shafts.

The role of a gearbox can be played by a belt drive. To correctly assemble the circuit elements, you can use an automotive timing belt tensioner roller. Particular attention must be paid to the correct alignment of the shaft.

Methods of controlling sliding gates

The main convenience of sliding gates is their almost complete autonomy, especially if you use remote control of the sliding gates.

We will look at 3 common types of automation for sliding gates.

Remote control key fob

A cheap and convenient device, very popular among sliding gate owners. In addition to the electric drive that sets the gate in motion, we need a control unit.

The remote control system consists of a control unit and a remote control. There is only one button on the control unit, which gives a signal to open or close the gate, depending on its initial state. The key fobs may have one or two buttons that must be programmed after installing the system. You can do it yourself with clear instructions.

Let's look at the instructions for one of the types of remote control on the remote control:

• connect the receiver to a 12V power supply, observing the polarity;
• press the remote control buttons for a couple of seconds and wait for the indicator to flash;
• On the receiver we also hold down the button until the signal starts flashing;
• when both signals begin to blink quickly, press and hold the gate control button until the indicators light up continuously;
• release the button and quickly press it again 2 times.

Please note that the gate can be controlled simultaneously from both the remote control and the stationary control unit, but not manually. The control unit securely fixes the gate, which provides additional protection against burglary; in this case, a regular gate lock is not needed.

The receiver board has DIP switches that control its response to the signal:

• The 1st position briefly closes the contact while the signal is being applied;
• The 2nd position closes the contact until a new signal is given.

The duration of the pulses that are supplied to move the gate is not long, but can be adjusted. To start the engine using a device that supplies low voltage pulses (12V), you will need to add electrical diagram additional relays.

GSM controller

Another way to control the gate is a GSM controller. Recently, it has been gaining momentum in popularity, since you can control the gate directly from your mobile phone, i.e. You don't even need a separate remote control.

The only problem with using this method is a poor cellular signal. Residents of settlements remote from the towers encounter it. Therefore, before installing such a system, you need to make sure that the mobile signal in your home is constant and its quality is not affected by weather conditions.

As a gate automation, you can use a simple alarm controller "XITAL". It has 3 groups of relays, the contacts of which are connected as follows:

• contact of the 2nd group parallel to the opening button;
• contact of the 3rd group parallel to the closing button.

The circuit using such a controller includes limit switches.

The controller is controlled by template messages sent from the mobile phone. It receives a signal thanks to the SIM card installed in it, to which messages are sent. Having received the signal, the controller sets the gate in motion, moving until it is completely open or closed.

The contact of the 1st relay group can be set to the gate opening mode using a magnetic key. The system is programmed by setting the value “1” in the 39th cell of the telephone directory of the controller SIM card. In this case, the gate is opened from the outside using a magnetic key, and closed from the inside using a button on the control unit. The control of the 1st relay in the system is installed and removed only manually, i.e. voltage will be supplied until the control is switched off. To avoid malfunctions, an independent power source must be connected to the controller.

RFID identification and Arduino

The Arduino board is a bare-bones, expensive device compared to key fobs and GSM systems, but it has many interesting functions. Buying such a board and configuring and installing it yourself is still at least 3 times cheaper than ready-made gate automation.

We will need:

• Arduino Leonardo board;
• active RFID tag of SHF or RTLS standard with a signal frequency of 2.4 GHz;
• reading device.

The RS-485 bus is used to connect devices. After connecting the board, you will need to place it in a sealed shell.

Using the board, you can set the gate to automatically open when a car approaches. To do this, a radio tag is installed in the car, upon receiving the signal from which the device opens the gate and keeps it open until the signal is removed. In addition, the board can perform many other electronics-related functions: turn on the lights, turn off the alarm, etc.

Types of sliding gates

Sliding gates have proven themselves to be a reliable, strong structure that has been used for many years to protect the territories of organizations and private properties. Depending on the gate capacity, the size of the opening and some other factors, one of three types of sliding gates is used.

Hanging

Suspended sliding gates are a structure that includes:

• vertical posts along the edges of the opening;
• horizontal beam with a roller mechanism installed on it;
• door leaf moving on rollers on a beam.
• Advantages of hanging gates:
• wind resistance;
• burglary resistance;
• any size of canvas.

For private use, you can make small, lightweight gates, but this type of sliding gate design can withstand a massive, heavy door leaf with the highest degree of strength. Such gates are usually equipped with driveways of organizations requiring a high degree of security.

Flaws:

• limiting the height of passing vehicles by the upper beam;
• metal consumption.

It is precisely because of the height limitation of transport that they try to make such gates as high as possible, which further increases the material costs of manufacturing the structure.

Rail

Rail sliding gates are driven by the bottom rail. The rail is installed flush with the road and does not interfere with vehicle traffic.

Advantages of the model:

• simple design;
• wind resistance;
• resistance to burglary and ramming due to the possibility of using a reinforced heavy frame and cladding;
• Possibility to close the opening up to 6 m.

Flaws:

To mitigate the disadvantage of rail gates, it is desirable that the adjacent road surface is strong enough and does not collapse or crumble. It is also not recommended to install gates of this type in regions with frequent snowfalls or in places where snow drifts constantly form.

Console gates

The design of a cantilever gate consists of a door leaf with a counterweight that moves along a guide beam, most often fixed at the bottom of the structure.

Advantages:

• the closed beam is protected from bad weather;
• do not contact the ground;
• do not limit the opening in height;
• there is no gap between the gate and the adjacent fence.

Flaws:

Gates of this type best combine ease of use, strength and low production costs.

Advantages of sliding gates

The main advantage of sliding gates is their compactness and unpretentiousness:

In addition to saving space, sliding gates have a number of other advantages.

Reliability. Due to their design, they are less susceptible to damage from strong gusts of wind, impacts or attempted break-ins. The mechanism by which the door leaf moves is simple and designed for long-term regular use.

Availability of electric drive. For sliding gates, electric and automatic models are simpler and cheaper compared to equipment for swing gates.

The dimensions of the gates are practically unlimited and are made individually according to the dimensions of the passage opening.

Sliding gates photo

Due to their simplicity of design, ease of use, stylish design and minimal space taken up, sliding gates are increasingly replacing simple swinging structures.

There are many materials available to fill the frame of sliding gates, thanks to which the gate acquires its own style and individuality.

Sandwich panels

Sandwich panels are one of the most affordable and popular materials. With their help, it is easy to give the gate any style. The panels are made with any texture and pattern, so it is not difficult to choose exactly the option that will ideally suit the style of the house, be it wood, paneling or corrugation.

Tree

Wood is an environmentally friendly and durable material, and if it is treated with a high-quality modern coating, then wooden gates will retain their appearance for a long time.

The budget for wooden gates has a wide range, so, for example, you can upholster the frame with pine boards or fill it with carved parts made of oak or cherry. The latter will not only last much longer, but will also give status to the site, becoming a real decoration of the yard.

Strained glass

A new interesting design solution was sliding gates made of tempered glass. Fragile in appearance, they are able to withstand strong gusts of wind and impacts. The glass may be tinted, but if only decorative elements and plants are located on the street side of the site, often the owners do not hide the beauty of their site from prying eyes. An excellent solution would be a combination of metal and glass.

Products made from decorative forging are always appreciated; they look expensive and representative. Doors made of this material, although heavy, are easily moved to the side when automatic sliding gate control is used. Forged gates do not deform, do not rust, are very durable, reliably protect the site from break-ins, and do not bend themselves from impacts or rams.

Profiled sheet

Profiled sheet is a lightweight facing material. It’s easy to work with even for a construction novice who decides to make sliding gates with his own hands. Gates made of corrugated sheets are reliably protected from the adverse effects of the external environment. They are not subject to corrosion due to the fact that this material is made of high-quality galvanized steel sheets, additionally coated with a polymer coating. In addition, the profiled sheet can be chosen in absolutely any color.