Sliding gates are widely used in private households and industrial facilities. They have a complex design, but are easy to use. You can order a ready-made model or make the design yourself.
Swing gates are popular due to their simplicity of design and low price. They are easy to use, but opening them in winter when there is a lot of snow is not easy. Sliding gates do not have these disadvantages. They open easily, hiding behind the fence. You can do them yourself without turning to specialists for help.
You should carefully study the photos of sliding gates to choose the right option for your country house. The design takes up little space on the territory of a private household. It does not interfere with the passage of vehicles, and the likelihood of damage to an approaching vehicle is reduced.
The model is highly reliable and does not require special maintenance. It will serve for a long time and properly if installed correctly.
A type of recoil system
Depending on the purpose of the design, you need to make a choice towards one design or another.
Making sliding gates with your own hands is not so difficult, but you need to know all the types of such a system. And there are not so many of them.
- Suspended sliding gates;
- Sliding on rails;
- Console.
Each of these types has its own strengths and weaknesses, which should be taken into account when constructing such a fence around the perimeter. Now let's look at them in more detail.
How to choose corrugated sheets
According to their intended purpose, they are classified into load-bearing, wall and load-bearing-wall corrugated sheets, which directly determines the loads that it can withstand. The wave height of the supporting sheet can reach up to 13 cm, and such gates will be the strongest and most durable. But they will also cost more than wall corrugated sheeting with a wave height of up to 2 cm.
If you prefer wall or load-bearing wall sheets, choose grades with a thickness of 1.7 cm. In addition to them, metal-polymer corrugated sheets of the MP-A or MP-B categories are suitable. There is also the MP-R brand, but it is used for roofing.
Pay attention to the type of coating: anti-corrosion aluzinc or multi-colored acrylic. With electrolytic galvanizing, the protective layer is too thin and is easily damaged. Of the polymer coatings, these are thin but practical polyester, heat- and damage-resistant plastisol, durable textured pural or the most reliable, but most expensive polyvinylidene fluoride.
Do-it-yourself canopy over the porch: types, how to make
Hanging sliding gates
The principle of operation is as simple as possible: roller trolleys are attached to a metal beam, from which the gate itself is very tightly suspended.
You can meet such a system at the entrance to enterprises and other protected facilities. There are controversial design disadvantages of sliding gates:
- The upper beam limits the opening, which can cause inconvenience when large vehicles enter;
- When constructing a gate, too much metal is consumed.
The cost of this kind of pleasure can cost a pretty penny, while visible shortcomings call into question the feasibility of such an event.
Selection of components
The availability of certain components directly depends on the height and width of the sash, as well as its weight. So, today on the market you can find a number of companies that provide high-quality equipment, namely:
- Combi Arialdo and Flatelli Comunello from Italy.
- Roltek and Doorhan from Russia.
- Alutech from Belarus.
Cantilever gate system
This type of fencing is characterized by the absence of restrictions on dimensions at the top or contact with the ground part of the rails.
Of course, this is an extremely complex sliding gate mechanism, but it is completely justified in operation. The blade is fastened to cantilever rollers by means of a guide beam.
Coloring
Painting the gate
All metal elements of the gate must be painted. Pre-degrease the surface. To do this, clean the surface and sand it with a sanding disc on a grinder. Wipe some areas, such as protected areas, with acetone. Now you can start priming. It is applied evenly. Moreover, the primer must be applied so that there are no drops or streaks. Thanks to such preparatory work, the paint will lie evenly. As a result, the entire gate structure will be completely protected from corrosion.
The paint should be applied in two layers and only after the first has completely dried.
Under what circumstances is it impossible to install sliding gates?
There are also cases when the construction of sliding gates is simply impossible for technical reasons. These include:
- The space allocated for the opening part of the gate should be one and a half times larger than the width of the opening itself;
- The area of free space must be perfectly level, since sliding gates move along an extremely flat strip;
- The terrain must be flat, otherwise moving the gate will be difficult;
- It may be necessary to increase the gate opening if the entry starts from a narrow space;
- Gate drawings should not assume a high threshold, which would be inappropriate in a house where children or elderly people live.
If there are no such problems on the site, then you can safely begin building a fence with a sliding mechanism. Having previously learned about all the intricacies of the installation process itself.
Advantages and disadvantages
The positive features of roller gates include:
- Compactness. They do not take up much space, allowing for free movement of transport.
- The bottom-mounted cantilever system ensures reliability and ease of installation in any weather.
- The opportunity to express yourself as a creative person when finishing is a rich assortment of materials. You can finish the gate with corrugated sheets or forging.
- Wide range of variations.
- Long time of use.
- Application of automated systems.
Sliding gates also have some disadvantages. Let's list them:
- To install this option you will have to spend more money than when installing other gates.
- The cantilever part requires the creation of a foundation for its installation.
- Despite the significant savings in free space in general, additional space is needed for the retractable part.
Tips for laying concrete in a hole
Working with concrete requires compliance with certain rules and recommendations.
In order for everything to be done efficiently, it is worth considering the following nuances:
- The supply of concrete must be smooth so that the leveled structure remains motionless;
- To avoid the formation of air bubbles, after laying the concrete mixture, it must be pierced with reinforcement in several places;
- The channel must remain clean; for this, after each laying and leveling of a layer of cement, it must be wiped with a damp cloth.
Complete hardening of the concrete takes about two days, but for better installation of the gates, they should be installed only a week after the solution has set.
Those who are familiar with the installation of sliding gates should not have any problems. For beginners, such a large-scale undertaking may involve many pitfalls that can be easily resolved by a specialized specialist.
Sequence of installation work
Installation of the canvas is carried out only after the concrete has completely hardened. First of all, the roller mechanism is mounted. It is recommended to place the supports as wide as possible. But between the pillar and the support there should not be less than 25 cm.
To ensure against incorrect installation of the blade, you need to install special adjustment stands. They are attached by welding directly to the channel. Then the canvas is rolled up and its final adjustment occurs strictly horizontally.
During this procedure, the blade and roller supports are removed, and the adjustment pads are welded to the grille. Next, the gates are mounted on them, and the structure is closed. The correctness of its location is checked using a level.
When the mechanism is adjusted, it is the turn of the end roller. It is placed in a supporting profile and secured with special bolts. For maximum structural reliability, it is recommended to use a welding machine.
It is advisable to install a plug on the profile that will protect the mechanism from debris getting into it. Then you can work on the bracket, which is attached to the top of the structure. Moreover, the holes for the bolts should be turned towards the support.
The completion of the stage will be fixing the bracket on the pole and checking its adjustment.
The final touch is the gate trim. The most budget option would be lining or corrugated sheeting. Individual finishing elements are attached to the sheathing using self-tapping screws.
And you need to start from the front of the gate. Then the lower and upper catchers are installed.
The first is when the gate is closed, and the second is attached opposite the corners of the door, preventing them from touching. Now all that remains is the queue for automation. At this point, the installation of sliding gates is considered complete.
Common Mistakes
If you do not have sufficient experience in performing such work, then there is a high risk of making some mistakes:
- Insufficient foundation preparation.
- Incorrect installation and fastening of all components.
- Incorrect weight of the gate for the load-bearing beam.
- If you hear a creaking sound, this is evidence of sand getting into the bearings.
- Do not allow paint to drip.
- Be sure to take into account the depth of soil freezing. Otherwise, the pillars may skew in one direction.
