DIY manufacturing and installation of sliding gates

Recommendation points

• Preparatory work
• Manufacturing of sliding gates
• Installation of sliding gates
• Sliding gate automation

Sliding gates are a compact and ergonomic solution for a country house. As a rule, they are produced and installed by professionals who have a workshop and equipment at their disposal. In this article we will show you how to make and install sliding gates yourself..

Sliding gates are a sliding structure that moves along the fence, completely blocking or freeing the entrance to the territory. There are two types of such gates:

1. Monoshirma – consists of one sash. The entire structure rests on an additional foundation through a steel embedded part. Does not require constriction along the tops of the pillars and shifts to one side. It is used with a blade height up to 2 meters. Option for private construction, outdoor parking lots, courtyards.
2. Double synchronous design – consists of two identical canvases that move simultaneously in different directions. Supported by two additional foundations. Requires the installation of an upper beam, along which the canvases move on rollers. Withstands heavy weights. It is used at a height of more than 2 meters. Option for tall hangars, strategic and industrial facilities and cargo docks.

The main advantage of sliding gates is that they do not require space inside or outside the area when opening.

Preparatory work

Gate production is not cheap and can be up to 60% of the final cost. Therefore, consider the opportunity to make them yourself..

To make a sliding gate leaf, you will need locksmith tools, clamps, a welding machine and the corresponding skills. It is worth considering that the product must be welded without distortions and strains, so you need to choose a flat area and prepare goats or a prefabricated frame workbench of a suitable size (dimensions of the future canvas plus 1 meter on each side).

First you need to carefully calculate and draw everything. Pay attention to the following points:

• the pillars should be static (not dangling), supporting elements will be attached to them;
• the surface under the moving part of the gate must be horizontal, without a slope;
• “Ground clearance” is not less than 50 mm;
• the length of the entire movable stage will be 50% greater than the width of the opening .

Attention! The upper edge of the canvas should be at least 20 cm below the top of the posts.

The sliding gate is based on a set of accessories. This is a set of parts required for the normal functioning of the finished product. Such kits are produced as standard, all elements are carefully adjusted and presented in three versions:

1. Small kit. Opening width up to 4 m, weight up to 400 kg.
2. Medium set. Opening width up to 6 m, weight up to 600 kg.
3. Great set. Opening width over 6 m, weight over 600 kg.

Attention! Be sure to take this data into account when choosing the filling of the canvas frame.

The kit includes the following parts:

• main rail (6 m)
• support bar with rollers
• end roller
• top and bottom catchers
• trolley roller carriages
• plastic guide plugs

Manufacturing of sliding gates

Consider the assembly of the frame and material consumption using the example of a canvas for an opening 4 meters wide, 2 meters high from the ground (ground clearance 75 mm) and light filling from a profile (as the most common option). A distinctive feature of the retractable design is the presence of a counterweight. It is a part of the canvas that does not cover the opening. As a rule, its length is taken as 50% of the opening width..

For the manufacture of the frame, you will need rectangular pipes of the following dimensions:

• 60×30 – 16 lin. m (3×6) – to create a frame. 1 piece – 6 m, 1 piece – 4 m, 2 pieces – 1.85 m each, 1 piece – 2.7 m;
• 40×20 – 20 lin. m (4×6) – to create the inner part of the frame. 3 pcs of 4 m, 4 pcs of 2 m;
• 6 m guide rail from small or medium set.

A 60×30 pipe is welded onto the bus along its entire length with a wide part, while 30 mm should be retreated from the visible edge (a vertical stand will stand there). Welding seams with a length of 50 mm are placed at 400 mm intervals on both sides. Along the width of the gate (4 m) perpendicular to the tire, 60×30 pipes with a length of 1.85 m are grasped.The free ends of these pipes are cut (if necessary) and connected with a 60×30 pipe with a length of 4 m.

Attention! At this point, you need to check the diagonals, set the size and eliminate distortions before welding.

1 – guide rail 6 m; 2 – pipe 60×30 5.97 m; 3.4 – vertical pipes 60×30 1.85 m; 5 – pipe 60×30 4m; 6 – slope 60×30 2.7 m

After eliminating the distortions, in place we mark a 60×30 pipe with a length of 2.7 m from the free end of the tire to the upper corner of the frame (in the form of a slope). After trimming, we install it on tacks and weld all pipe joints.

We divide the inner part of the frame into equal rectangles (6 in total), lay out the 20×40 pipes, mark in place and cut. These pipes will be welded with a narrow plane to the frame along its axis, therefore, 20 mm spacers should be prepared in advance, so that there will be space for the profiled sheet to the edge of the frame. We grab and weld pipes 20×40.

All welded seams must be cleaned (grinding disc) and polished (disc “petal”) with a grinder.

As with any steel structure, the frame must be painted. First you need to remove metal dust and scale. Then be sure to wipe it with a cloth soaked in solvent. Then prime and paint.

We recommend using car paint or nitro enamel – it dries quickly and has better properties. Fill pipe joints with sealant. Rough stripping and degreasing is best done prior to assembly..

After the paint has dried, fill in the frame. We fasten the cut-to-size profiled sheets to the 20×40 pipe with rivets or self-tapping screws according to the marking. The filling options can be very different – blockhouse, sandwich panels, paneled panels, mesh, polycarbonate, steel rail or lattice. This does not affect the design and assembly principle of the frame..

Attention! In the case of filling the frame with artistic forging, a blockhouse or other massive elements, consider the weight of the product when choosing a standard set for sliding gates.

Installation of sliding gates

To install the gate, you will need a powerful embedded part (ZD), as a rule, from channel No. 20 (width 200 mm), firmly fixed to an additional foundation, which takes all the load from the structure. It will be located on the side of the pillar, towards which the rollback will be performed when opening. The foundation will be made in the form of two piles (1 m each) at the edges, united by a grillage that acts as a cushion for the HV. For ease of installation and reliability, it is better to weld the frame in advance and make it in the form of a whole structure with a channel. Before placing concrete, make sure that the position of the SP is strictly horizontal in all directions..

1 – piles 1 m long; 2 – channel with a width of 200 mm and a length of 2 m (1/2 of the opening width)

We recommend to weld the handles on top of the channel for easy adjustment when installing in a pit and placing concrete.

After the concrete has hardened along the edges of the building block, we weld on the roller carriages from the set strictly along the axis of the gate movement. We bolt the rollers on them.

On the support pillars from the side of the gate, we fix vertically pipes 60×80 (false pillars) along the height of the canvas plus 10 cm.The false pillar near the foundation is called lateral and can be made in the form of a frame, opposite to it – receiving or unloading, since it receives and holds canvas between openings. We grab the support bar with rollers to the side post at the required height. Intake – upper and lower catchers.

Attention! All welding work until the end of the adjustment should be performed by spot welding (“tack”).

We mount it tightly on the seat. The rollers of the lower carriage must fit into the tire, the upper tube of the 60×30 frame must fit between the supporting rollers. If you have free hands, the strip with supporting rollers can be installed in place – during the installation of the blade itself. We attach the end roller according to the instructions. We carry out tests, noting the nuances of the gate. Then we make adjustment and final fixation of all welding units.

We recommend generously lubricating the rollers with grease or graphite grease – this will make the ride soft and smooth. Also, grease can be embedded inside the tire..

Sliding gate automation

Like any other type, sliding gates provide for the use of automatic operation and remote control. However, the installation of such devices requires specific knowledge and practical experience..

It is quite possible to make and install the structure itself, but it is better to turn to specialists to connect the automation. Equipment, if desired, can be installed at any time, but if you know about it right away, then it is better to lay the sleeves for the power cables in advance.

You can also decide in advance with the choice. We recommend the following automation models:

Model	Price, rub.
Came Bx-74 up to 400 kg	16500
Came Bx-78 up to 800 kg	18200
Came BК-1200 up to 1200 kg	26800
Faac 740 up to 500 kg	15500
Faac 741 up to 900 kg	16700
Faac 844 up to 1800 kg	23000
Professional PS-IZ up to 1000 kg	18300

Sliding gate kits:

Firm	Country	Price, rub.	Note
Small	Middle	Big
Rolling Expert	Ukraine, Kiev)	4000	5000	6700	+RUB 600 for 1 running. m of rail *
Rolling-HiTech	Ukraine, Zaporozhye)	4500	5500	7800	+RUB 730 for 1 running. m of rail *
Wesler-Profile	Austria-Ukraine (Dnepropetrovsk)	4800	5900	7400	+RUB 660 for 1 running. m of rail *
Alutech	Belarus (Vitebsk)	6300	7000	8100	+RUB 660 for 1 running. m of rail *
Rolling Center	Italy	15500	27300	36500	+800 RUB for 1 running. m of rail *

* – Each standard kit includes a 6 m rail. The amount of surcharge is indicated for each additional meter of length.

Estimate for the manufacture of sliding gates:

Name	Unit rev.	Qty	Price, rub.	Cost, rub.	Note
Pipe 60х30 (1 running m = 3 kg)	run. m	18	90	1620	New * 6 m each
Pipe 40×20	run. m	24	60	1440	New * 6 m each
Professional list	m2	8	160-270	1280-2160	Depending on thickness and finish
Channel	run. m	2	750	1500	New * by r. m
Rebar 16	run. m	20	thirty	600	New * 6 m each
Concrete	m3	1	1000	1000	Approximate price of sand + cement + crushed stone
Paint, primer	Kg	3	one hundred	300	Conventional for metal
Other (discs, drills, electrodes)	–	1000	About
Total for material	–	8740	Without the cost of automation
Job	–	6000	Without automatic connection **
Total	–	14740	Fabrication and installation of canvas

* – in the manufacture of the frame, it is allowed to use a used material cleaned from rust. Savings can be up to 60% (in the indicated positions).

** – the estimated cost of work on connecting the automation is 3000–5000 rubles.

Sliding gates are not cheap pleasure. However, in the long run, they justify every ruble invested. Successfully combining practicality and compactness, they are the arithmetic mean of swing and lifting-section structures. At the same time, due to the simplicity and manufacturability of the device, correctly installed sliding gates are less prone to distortions and jamming than their counterparts.