Types of sliding gates with their own hands. Do-it-yourself sliding gates: design, drawings, diagrams. Features of fencing devices with a retractable mechanism

Sliding gates have long been used only in industrial buildings, as it was believed that their design is complex. With the advent of new technical solutions and a wide selection of components, they began to gain popularity among developers. Now the installation of sliding gates is so simplified that their installation is available for do-it-yourself.

Sliding gate device

sliding gate

The design of sliding gates consists of a plane, or panel, which has the ability to move in a horizontal plane on rollers. Such gates are also called retractable or sliding.

Such a structure allows rational use of space: there are no overall doors, as in swing gates. The structure moves along the fence, so a minimum area is required for its operation. The device does not require laying rails, which eliminates contact with the ground surface. This is important in winter when it snows.

The standard design of sliding gates provides for mechanical opening and is available for independent execution. Modern designs are equipped with an automated drive, which makes their use more comfortable, but significantly increases the cost.

Ease of operation of such gates, as well as their reliability and durability, determine the wide popularity among developers. The design can be assembled from materials of different cost and texture, which makes it possible to create original gates without loss of quality and functionality.

Element names

If a decision is made to build gates equipped with automation, then you can easily purchase ready-made units at specialized outlets. Management of such systems occurs in manual or remote modes. Install circuit breakers for general protection, mount an alarm that works synchronously with the drive.

Choice of gate details

The right choice of accessories for sliding gates during self-assembly determines the reliability and durability of the structure. The gate consists of the following main elements:

• roller carriages;
• guide;
• holders and traps.

sliding gate

Before choosing sliding gate fittings, determine the space required for the sliding door. The choice of material is influenced by the load, it depends on the dimensions and weight of the product.

Sliding gates are classified depending on the size of the opening and weight:

• small (width up to 4 m and weight up to 0.4 t);
• medium (up to 6 m and 0.6 t);
• large (from 6 m and over 0.6 t).

If the gate belongs to the category with a weight of up to 400 kg, then the use of light materials is allowed: corrugated board or siding. There are no additional hardware requirements. With a massive door structure, reinforced auxiliary elements must be used.

A mandatory requirement for the frame is its rigidity. This is due to the fact that in addition to the usual loads there is an increased windage. In order to reduce the mass, a profile pipe is widely used, and when choosing a web material, they are guided by its ability to withstand its own weight without deformation.

Foundation pouring

The installation of sliding gates requires the construction of a foundation. Its construction begins with markup. To determine the length of the base, measure half the size of the opening from the extreme point. The width of the foundation is taken about half a meter.

If the design of the fence is thorough, then its pillars can be used as supports. Otherwise, mounting of a reciprocal support is necessary. Moreover, a pit for it is made adjacent to the inside of the fence, but without reducing the width of the opening.

If you plan to install automation, then it is necessary to provide for the laying of a power cable. According to the rules of safe electrical work, it is placed in a pipe.

When excavating soil for the foundation, the freezing depth is taken into account: the foundation pit is carried out below this level.

It is recommended to build a base, which is based on an embedded part. Channel No. 16 is used as it, to which pieces of reinforcement with a diameter of 12 mm are welded at a right angle. Then a lattice of reinforcement of the same size is welded to the structure.

After assembling the embedded element, it is immersed in the pit so that the free ends of the reinforcement are directed downwards. In this case, the end of the channel should be in close contact with the fence post. The work is carried out with constant control of the horizontal position of the channel.

The installation of the embedded part takes place taking into account its position in relation to the horizon of the road surface. If they are on the same level, then the distance from the bottom of the canvas to the road surface will be about 100 mm. If necessary, it can be slightly increased using special linings for adjustment.

Reducing the gap will lead to an unacceptable violation of the fastening technology.

With an opening width exceeding 4.5 m, the installation of two supporting pillars is required. This will provide the necessary rigidity of the structure and will make it possible to work in conditions of high windage of the canvas.

The posts have a height equal to the distance from the foundation to the top of the gate plus 50 mm. To increase rigidity, the lower part of the supports and the mortgage are connected by welding.

During the pouring of concrete, the embedded part must not be completely covered. After that, it takes about three weeks for the concrete to harden and gain operational properties.

Step-by-step installation instructions for sliding gates

Roller carriage

First, they indicate the path along which the gate will move. A stretched cord acts as a beacon. It is positioned so that the distance from the roadway is 200 mm, and 30 mm recede from the location of the response post. In this case, the cord plays the role of a guide for the correct location of the carrier profile.

The carriages with rollers prepared for installation are inserted into the bearing profile and shifted towards the central part of the door. Then the sash with carriages is installed in the embedded channel. After that, the supports are installed and adjusted so that they touch the cord. In this case, the parallelism of the relativity of both surfaces must be observed.

Fastening roller trolleys to the channel

When installing sliding gates, a crucial step is the correct fixation of the roller carriages. During this process, the following procedure must be observed.

The platform for adjusting the second carriage is connected by welding to the channel.

After that, having rolled out the gate into the opening, the actions are repeated and the platform of the first roller bearing is mounted.

The roller carriages are dismantled from their supports, which are then also removed from the platforms intended for adjustment.

After that, the mortgage is welded along the perimeter with the adjusting platforms and the roller supports are mounted to them. After that, the supports are connected and attached to the canvas.

To adjust the structure horizontally, the gate is completely closed.

The process consists in screwing or loosening the fastening of the platform with a wrench, which leads to a change and acceptance of the required position by the structure.

Roller carriages and fittings

Free play adjustment

The roller supports are adjusted by loosening the nuts connecting the part to the adjustment platform. After loosening the fastening, it is necessary to move the gate several times in the closing and opening directions. In this way, the supports find a position that corresponds to their unhindered and easy movement. At the end of the adjustment, the previously loosened fasteners are securely tightened.

Mounting the end roller and plugs

The location of the end roller is the front side of the profile. For its fastening, a bolted connection is used.

The set of sliding gates has a plug, which is located on the rear of the profile. Fixing it is carried out by welding. The function of this element is to prevent the penetration of foreign objects and precipitation into the cavity of the bearing part, which makes it possible to achieve trouble-free operation of the mechanism.

To install the upper guide, you must first loosen the fastening of the rollers. After that, the bracket is mounted with the rollers and the top of the blade touching so that the mounting holes are facing the support post. The parts are pressed against each other and secured with a threaded connection.

Sheathing the door leaf with a profiled sheet

Having completed all the activities described above, you can begin to install the corrugated board on the frame, which is a frame. Before this, the marking and cutting of sheets is carried out, depending on the dimensions of the sliding gate.

Gates sheathed with corrugated board

The front edge of the gate is chosen as the starting point for attaching the profiled sheets. Self-tapping screws or rivets are used as fasteners. Moreover, the latter are preferable, since they are less susceptible to corrosion. The sequence of laying corrugated board implies the imposition of subsequent waves into the previous sheet.

Installation of traps

The final step in assembling sliding gates with your own hands is the installation of traps. The lower one is mounted after the gate is fully assembled, that is, when exposed to maximum effort. It takes on some of the loads, which facilitates the work of roller bearings. The place of its installation is determined with the gate completely closed, while the catcher and the end roller must be aligned.

The task of the top catcher is to prevent the web from swaying due to wind. The position of the protective corners serves as a reference for the place of its installation. In this case, the latter are installed so that the brackets of the catcher touch them.

Do-it-yourself gate installation

Self-installation of automation

Do-it-yourself installation of automatic sliding gates requires general knowledge in the field of electrical engineering. If the existing knowledge is not sufficient, the accompanying documentation supplied with the drive will assist in this task.

Even during the design period, gate structures are determined with their type. In the case of installation of automatic gates, when pouring the base of the structure, cables are laid. For this purpose, special holes are made in the channel.

Gate details (automatic)

On the supports, the trajectory of the wiring and placement of automation elements is marked. Further, the wires are mounted in accordance with the designated route.

An important parameter that determines the quality of the assembly of the structure is the gap between the gear and the teeth of the rack: it must correspond to the value specified by the manufacturer in the instructions.

When mounting the toothed rack, please note that it is delivered in a length of one meter. Therefore, when joining its sections, it is necessary that a whole tooth is obtained at the joints, which will prevent jamming when moving the web.

The crucial step is to connect the gate to the automation. It is recommended to immediately monitor the performance of the system during the connection of structural elements. If this is not done, then subsequently there will be difficulties in determining the area where the mistake was made.

Sliding gates are a great option for arranging the entrance group. Their popularity is due to the fact that the design does not require much space to perform its functions. Opening-closing occurs parallel to the fence, and transport freely enters the yard. The purpose of the sliding gate is to move to one side, the direction of which is set by the owner in accordance with their own wishes and needs.

Movable fences are available in three varieties:

1. Suspended automatic. Such gates are usually used in enterprises. They are not afraid of hacking and the impact of external factors. However, hanging gates are too massive, they require a carefully prepared opening and significant financial costs for installation. The presence of a beam in the structure can interfere with tall vehicles.
2. Console mechanical. The design has no height limits, it works silently. An automatic device is responsible for opening and closing the entrance group, but in the absence of electricity, the gate can be forced open. A ready opening for installation is an optional condition. The disadvantages of this design include the need for a direct fence from the inside of the opening side.
3. Mechanical sliding on rail. The advantages of the gate are high strength and resistance, especially to strong winds, and a solid width - up to 6 m. But the design needs a ready opening and periodic cleaning, otherwise its movement will be difficult.

At home, it is advisable to install cantilever sliding gates. The homeowner can do all the installation work with his own hands.

Making our own sliding gates

The design of sliding gates does not apply to complex mechanisms, even an inexperienced master will understand this from working sketches and drawings of the entrance group. Its operation allows you to save time on numerous openings and closings - if installed correctly, the device can withstand about 50 thousand movements. The owner will appreciate the convenience as soon as he learns to control the automation mechanism.

The process of arranging sliding gates with your own hands begins with the choice of a drive, the weight of which must correspond to the capabilities of automation. A 250 W motor can withstand a web weighing up to 200 kg, a 400 W device can handle a structure weighing up to 600 kg. The 600 W drive easily moves input groups weighing up to 1 ton.

Any drive is capable of starting the course of heavier structures. Manufacturers set restrictions to extend the life of the device, subject to careful use of the gate.

The amount of load on the structure depends on various factors:

• Hardware features.
• The force of friction during movement, etc.

Excessive operation of the electric motor leads to overheating of the device and loss of performance. Therefore, it is better not to install automation on sliding gates.

Design

Obtaining a solid retractable design involves going through several manufacturing stages. Like other types of gates, wickets and fences, the sliding group requires the installation of support posts.

To create a bearing part use:

• Concrete
• Brick
• Channel
• wooden beam
• Metal pipe.

Holes for support posts are dug to the depth of soil freezing. For the weather conditions of Russia, this is about 1 m. The prepared posts are installed in the wells, their position is corrected, focusing on the indicators of the building level, and the pits are cemented. The solution should harden within 1 week.

While the concrete is getting stronger, they are engaged in the manufacture of the foundation frame. The so-called bench is obtained from a channel about 20 cm wide and reinforcement 1 m long and with a cross section close to 13 - 14 cm.

A trench for arranging the foundation is dug with the following indicators:

• Depth - up to 1.5 m.
• Width - 40 cm.
• Length - corresponds to 1/2 the length of the opening.

The channel is laid in the ditch with the shelves down and poured with concrete, leveling with the earth's surface. After cementing, the foundation is allowed to set for 4 weeks.

During this time, other work is performed:

1. Processing of metal pipes (60 x 40 mm). Removing rust and scale, degreasing and priming the iron surface.
2. Pipe welding. It is carried out with 2-centimeter tacks, between which free sections up to 30 cm long are left.
3. Guide fixing. The element is welded at the bottom of the frame along with the pipes in a checkerboard pattern. This will protect the kit from torsion. The seams are cleaned and primed.
4. Canvas installation. Suitable materials in our case are corrugated board or metal panels. Attach them with screws or rivets.
5. Equipment space for rollers and drives. An electrical connection is made if automation is planned to be installed.

Do-it-yourself fittings for sliding gates are selected according to the weight of the structure and the width of the opening.

For light gates with a width of no more than 4 m, use a kit that can withstand up to 400 kg of weight. With a larger width, it is necessary to install fittings with a holding capacity of up to 800 kg and sheathe the frame with wood or iron sheets.

The integral design of sliding gates is impossible without such important details as:

• Guide beam that takes the load from the gate.
• Removable end roller - a supporting part for the bottom of the input group.
• A pair of carts, the cantilever part of which holds the structure.
• Upper catcher to reduce wind load.
• The lower catcher, which takes over the load from the support roller when the gate is closed.
• Stand for supports, responsible for the movement of the canvas.
• Bracket - latch with rollers is located at the top of the entrance group.

Tools and materials for building a structure

Of the tools useful in installing sliding gates with your own hands will be:

• Hand drill
• Cutting wheel 125 mm
• Shovels and bayonet shovels
• Universal electrodes
• Welding machine and goggles.

After the preparation of tools, they are engaged in the design of the structure. It is noteworthy that you can attach the gate to an already standing fence or do all the work completely, starting with the installation of a suitable fence.

Project activities are carried out in several stages.

1. Determining the size of the input group.
2. Length calculation with counterweight (surcharge 1.5 m).
3. Product height selection. Here it is important to take into account that the gate is separated from the ground by a distance of 7 - 10 cm. And the fence itself should be higher than the gate by the same amount. Thus, 14 - 20 cm should be subtracted from the total height of the fence.

All data is recorded on paper and a note is made about the direction of the rollback of the sash. It is correctly set, focusing on the opposite side of the gate.

Now consider the materials, components and sheathing of future sliding gates.

Materials:

• sealant
• Cement
• rubble
• Sand
• Dye
• sheathing
• Sheathing fasteners
• Wires for automation
• Cantilever sliding gate kit
• Metal pipes for the manufacture of the frame of the entrance group.

Kits designed for installation of sliding cantilever gates are classified by size. Small size is designed for weight up to 400 kg, medium - from 400 to 600 kg, large - 600 kg or more.

The sheathing of the gate is made of different materials, but it is best to use corrugated board for this purpose. The advantages of a professional sheet are many. These are ecological purity and affordability, light weight and ease of transportation, resistance to corrosion processes and a variety of colors that are not afraid of fading. To fasten the corrugated board, you only need self-tapping screws at the rate of 20 pcs. for each sheet.

If the sliding gates will be equipped with automation, you will additionally need signal wires (2 x 0.75) and a power cord (3 x 1.5).

Installation

At this stage, it is important to correctly install the canvas on the movable beam. The sash moves along the roller mechanism, which ensures smooth running and full functioning of the sliding gate. Accuracy of work increases the chance for long-term operation, the use of high-quality components does not burden the overall weight of the structure. Remote control of the gate is facilitated by an electric drive or a motion sensor.

Do-it-yourself installation of sliding gates is carried out in several stages:

1. Foundation arrangement.
2. Mounting of roller bearings.
3. Fabric assembly and installation on rollers with subsequent adjustment.
4. Installation of guide parts.
5. Installation of the back cover of the beam and the end roller.
6. Quality control of the electric drive and smooth movement of the sash.

If you encounter any difficulties in the process of assembling a sliding gate with your own hands, you should seek help from an experienced specialist. Skillful actions of the master guarantee trouble-free and safe operation of the product. It is undesirable to lubricate the closing mechanism to improve mobility, as dust particles and dirt will collect on it.

In this article, we will consider all the intricacies of installation and construction, as well as all the possible problems that may arise if you decide to install sliding gates with your own hands. Usually the biggest difficulty is the drawing of sliding gates. Next, we will consider the basic principles of installing sliding gates with our own hands, video instructions and photos of various designs.

Width

This is the most important question that you must first answer. Width refers to the free space between the sliding gate posts when they are completely open. To answer this question, several factors need to be considered:

• What cars will be driving? Cars? KAMAZ trucks? Tractor? Gazelles?
• At what angle will they drive in, especially trucks?

In practice, the width of the gate is made such that when driving through, there is a gap of at least 35 cm from all sides between the mirrors of the car and the gate posts.

Practice shows that the optimal width of a sliding gate is approximately 4.5 m, and the ideal width is 5.5 m.

Please note that everything written above refers only to the width of the opening, but not to the width of the canvas. If we consider the canvas, then there is an important nuance that must be taken into account. The width of the canvas must be approximately 25 cm larger than the width of the opening. Otherwise, when the gate is closed, a gap will appear, which can be seen at an angle to the plane.

Height

Some people think that if the height of the canvas adjacent to the fence is 1.8 m, then the height of the canvas must be 1.8 m. In fact, this is not so. Let's let's look at an example:

And now let's see what happens in the end. In these cases, you consider the same height of the corrugated board, but do not take into account the fact that in the version with a fence, the profiled sheet will go straight from the ground and its edge from above is clearly 1.8 m above the ground. But, in the case of gates, the bottom edge should not touch the ground, it must be raised by about 15 cm.

It should be noted that the distance between the ground and the bottom of the gate can be adjusted using the adjustment levers, which are usually included in the set of rollers. Roller supports are put on and fixed on the adjusting platforms with nuts, and with the help of them, the installation height of the supports can be adjusted in the range of 6-10 cm.

Further. Unlike a fence, a profiled door leaf, as a rule, is installed in the profile from which the leaf frame is made, and the profile is most often welded from profiled pipe 40x60 mm. The gate height is already obtained: 100 + 40 + 2000 + 40 \u003d 2180 mm. But that's not all, because a guide beam is welded to the canvas below, which has a height of 60mm. That is, taking into account this beam, the distance from the ground to the top will already be 2180 + 60 = 2240 mm. As you can see, according to this scheme, the top edge of the canvas will be 240 mm higher than the top of the fence.

Do-it-yourself drawing and diagram of sliding gates

The design of this type of gate is so simple that you do not need any drawing. Below we explain the scheme of the gate, then you can easily understand their design. So, the basis for the design of sliding gates are two rollers and a moving guide beam along them.

The guide, moving along the rollers, is the basis of the entire structure. It is welded below to the frame and now it moves along the rollers. Since the rollers should not be located in the opening, so as not to get in the way underfoot, they are fixed to the side, outside the opening, and the gate is extended by a "counterweight". A typical design is when the length of the "counterweight" is equal to half the length of the gate opening. In other words, for an opening of 5 m, the length of the frame is 5 + 5/2 = 7.5 m. Moreover, 2.5 m in the frame will be the “counterweight” that goes beyond the opening and is on the rollers.

All other sliding gate components, the drawing of which should be drawn up by a professional, carry almost no loads and are required to protect the door leaf from swinging.

Let's take a look element by element set of components, which are required for the installation of sliding gates with your own hands:

1. End cap for inner rail. Its purpose is mostly decorative, and also to prevent snow from stuffing inside when the gate rolls back in winter;
2. Support rail with 2 adjustment rollers. It is located on top of the post and simply keeps the canvas in a vertical position from tipping over and swinging;
3. Upper catcher. It is mounted on a "receiving" pole. The task of the catcher is to protect the web from swaying when they are closed;
4. Bottom catcher. Almost the same as in the previous paragraph, but with a support platform where the support roller rolls up if the gate is completely closed. The task is to keep the gate from swinging, as well as unload the guide and drive rollers;
5. Support roller. It is both a plug for the front of the guide and a damper. During the closing of the gate, it enters the “lower catcher”, dampens the impact of the closing ones;
6. The guide itself, due to which the gate moves back and forth on the rollers.
7. Support rollers with adjustment stands are the elements that ensure the rolling of the gate and carry the main load.

Adjustment stands required for:

• the possibility of replacing roller bearings if they fail;
• adjusting the height of the gate in relation to the ground;
• accurate installation of straight roller bearings.

Do-it-yourself installation of sliding gates

Mortgage

For most people, the mortgage element raises many questions, since the dimensions and shape of this part are not clear, and everyone is trying to find its design scheme. You don't need a diagram. The task of this element is only to prepare a certain basis on the foundation for further fastening of the rollers and the drive by welding. With this in mind, the shape is absolutely irrelevant, the dimensions may vary. Mortgage channel No. 10-25 is used. The heavier the gate, the more powerful the channel is needed. The mortgage must stand directly on the line of movement of the door leaf, the platform for the electric motor is shifted from this line into the territory.

Foundation

This is probably the most responsible and important element of the entire structure. To begin with, the foundation is required for a mortgage, where the support rollers will be fixed. Some companies and private builders offer a more economical version of the foundation than reinforced concrete, namely, they offer to twist a couple of screw piles, where the mortgage is then welded up and, by and large, almost everything is ready.

Then, next to it, another one is screwed slightly obliquely into the bunch of piles (since many piles cannot be installed exactly next to each other), under the pole. We will not even consider this method. Probably, it will fit under light and small sliding gates, for example, 2.5 meters long with a light frame, but the longer gates will “walk” on this basis.

We believe that in this case there is no alternative to the reinforced concrete foundation, but it can also be done in different ways. So, for example, it is often proposed to pour only one foundation - directly under the mortgage, or two separate ones, one of them - under the mortgage, the other - under the "receiving" pillar.

This option is much better than the solution of installing screw piles, but the presence of two separate foundations can end in failure, especially if these foundations are not below the ground freezing level. Just as a result of frost heaving, these individual foundations can move independently of each other. In this case, even with small offsets relative to each other, everything can end up with the fact that the gate will not fall into the traps that are on the receiving post, and you will need to reconfigure them all the time.

The solution to this problem is very simple (but more expensive than two separate foundations) - both pillars must unite with one foundation. In this case, even if the base is displaced, both columns will always be parallel to each other, moving in one bundle.

pillars

They must be installed before pouring the foundation. In the variant with sliding gates, they carry almost no load other than wind. That is, the canvas, the gate, as a rule, has a large "sail" and with a strong wind, the entire load is transferred from the canvas to the poles. If we consider the best option, then for these gates it is enough to use a pipe 65x65x2 mm.

As to whether it makes sense to put U-shaped pillars or ordinary - there is no general opinion. Accessories can be installed without problems on single poles. But the U-shaped option is better, this option is preferable when in the future you plan to install not only the drive, but also a set of automation for the gate, which includes photocells. To begin with, it is much more convenient to install photocells on internal poles, and not on poles outside (taking into account anti-vandal considerations). And also, inside the pillars inside it is quite convenient to lay hidden wiring to the signal lamp and photocells.

Frame construction

The frame is preferably made of metal. Structurally, it is made of pipes of square or rectangular section of several sizes. Larger pipes are used as a power frame, internal filling in the form of stiffeners made from smaller pipes.

It is advisable to immediately weld the gear rack to the frame (or threaded cylinders for the gear rack fasteners). Gear rack fasteners (threaded cylinders, 3 pieces per meter of rack) are standardly included with it. Be sure to check this fact at the time of purchase! In order to install automation later without any problems. Otherwise, then it will be very inconvenient to weld it evenly to the bottom of the web.

Its length must be no less than one meter of the length of the opening. This one extra meter (or even more) of the gear rack goes to the "counterweight" in order to constantly be in engagement with the gear wheel of the carcass drive motor. The gear rack is universal and fits 99% of drives(NICE, CAME, Alutech, Dorhan and so on). If threaded cylinders are welded for further fastening of the gear rack, it is advisable to weld them first to the guide.

Also, do not forget that if you want to install a wicket in sliding gates (by cutting the wicket directly into the door leaf), then it must be done in that part of the gate that is closest to the support rollers on which the leaf is held. If you want to make a gate at the far end of the leaf from the gate rollers or the middle one, then you can significantly upset the balance of weight distribution, strength, “increase the lever”, that is, those indicators that affect the rollers.

Yes, sliding gates can be quite expensive, but with their manufacturability and simplicity of design, they will give a big head start to lifting and swing gates. Installed clearly in compliance with technology, they are less likely to jam and deform.

(20 ratings, average: 4,10 out of 5)

Sliding gates are made according to a complex design, so for a long time they were installed only in industrial buildings. Developers began to use them only after the advent of new technologies and a wide range of accessories. Currently, sliding gates can be installed on your suburban area yourself.

Sliding gate design

Sliding gates consist of a door panel that moves on rollers. By design, they are divided into several types: suspended, cantilever and retractable along the rail.

2. The cantilever structure of the panels consists of a beam. In structure, it resembles a U-shape, one end of which hangs in the air, the other is fixed. Inside there are steps for moving the rollers. The weight of the door panel is transferred to the beam through the rollers. The beam can be located at the bottom, top or in the middle.

Production of cantilever sliding gates without automation

The design of cantilever gates is the most expensive of all, but its advantage is that the beam is not located above the passage, the gate takes up little space when opened. The entire set of spare parts for the gate is bought in the company, it consists of:

• End roller catcher and rollers themselves;
• guide beam;
• Stands;
• Roller support.

To determine how much material to buy, a diagram and drawings are drawn up in advance. With their help, the weight of the door panel, its size, type of sheathing, frame material is calculated.

Installation of homemade sliding gates begins with the laying of a foundation with metal poles on which a cantilever beam is attached. To compensate for the load from the panel, the foundation is poured to the length of the technical extension (along the fence in front of the pillars). The required size of the foundation is calculated depending on the length of the cantilever beam and is laid according to the type of tape. A pit is dug under it with a depth below the freezing of the soil. Racks are installed in the pit and reinforced supports are laid. Supports are designed for plates with rollers. Top rollers are attached to the racks, the task of which is to hold the panel and prevent it from swinging.

Foundation

The pit is dug below the freezing depth of the soil by 15 cm. Reinforcement is installed in this part of the foundation, a channel is welded to it, then concreted. The channel is installed on the same level with the ground level. You can use a simpler and faster way by screwing three metal screw piles into the ground, to which the channel is welded. This option is less reliable, but cheaper in cost. If the work is done correctly, then the site will turn out to be flat.

Carrier frame

The frame for the gate is made according to the scheme from metal pipes with a diameter of up to 60 mm. Using a grinder or grinder, the pipes are cleaned of rust. Then degreased and primed. Pipes are welded to each other creating a frame. A crate is made from pipes with a diameter of 20 mm and attached to the frame. Sheathing will be done on the crate. Using self-tapping screws or rivets, the panel is connected to the skin.

The crate inside the frame is installed, as the gate lining will take place. If the sheathing is planned to be double-sided, then the crate is placed in the center of the frame, and if it is one-sided, on the edge.

In order for the structure to be as strong as possible, the welds should be located 25 cm apart. When the work is done, the seams are leveled with a grinder. The panel is then primed and painted. Sheathing the gate panel begins after the paint has dried.

sheathing

Sandwich panels and corrugated board are a budget option for frame sheathing. You can use wood or metal sheets. To prevent the appearance of mold and various insects, the tree is covered with a septic tank. After that, they are fixed at the bottom and at the top with self-tapping screws. So that the profiled sheets and metal are not covered with corrosion, they are degreased and coated with a primer. Attached to the frame with screws or rivets.

How to fix roller bearings?

Quite often, the foundation shrinks, so it is impossible to weld platforms with rollers directly to the embedded channel. If even the slightest shift occurs, the gate will not open, and it is difficult to correct the welded platform. We'll have to cut everything, it's a long time, and there is no guarantee of a positive result. Therefore, the do-it-yourself sliding gate mechanism is done according to the rules. Studs are welded to the channel, and platforms with rollers are attached to bolted connections, which are installed on the studs.

It is important to know! Buying roller platforms, carefully consider the rollers themselves and their carriages. The rollers must be arranged in four pieces in two rows and be with frost-resistant grease. The platform to which they are attached must be made of cast steel coated with a protective lubricant.

Installing guides

Before installation you need to try on the guides. Guides, lower rollers and bearings are placed in the "open" position. The upper guide is installed on the rollers, after which the rollers are leveled. Then the gate frame is mounted on rollers and leveled again. If everything is done smoothly, the platform is welded to the foundation by welding. The top rail is welded to the metal posts. For brick and wooden pillars, mortgages from reinforcement or anchors are used.

Installation of the mechanism of the upper rollers and the lower trap

The guide beam can be replaced with vertical guide rollers. They are bolted to the U-shaped profile. Thanks to them, the gate will not swing, and tall cars will be able to pass easily.

To release the rollers from the load on the foundation, the lower trap is welded. The panel will go into it while creating an additional point of support.

Sliding gate automation

Automation for the manufacture of sliding gates with electric drive is selected depending on the weight and size of the structure. The kit includes: control unit and remote control, signal lamp and electric drive, safety elements, gear rack. In order for the sash to move smoothly, and the automation system to work for a long time, it is better to call a specialist to connect. But if you decide to do it yourself, then you should adhere to the following order:

1. The first step is to choose a place to place the drive.
2. The drive is bolted between the carriages to the channel.
3. Open the gate.
4. A rack with teeth is fixed in the middle of the drive.
5. Then limit switches are installed and only then can the drive be connected.
6. Connect the signal lamp and mount the safety elements.

You can purchase automation with additional functions: opening speed controller, temperature control, additional power and photocells.

Tips for installing homemade sliding gates with your own hands

Everyone can make homemade sliding gates. If you first study the installation information and follow the advice of experts, you can create unusual home-made gates.

1. Blueprints. In order for all installation work on the installation of retractable gates with your own hands to be completed quickly and correctly, special attention is paid to diagrams and drawings. The result: a design that works without problems thanks to the exact observance of all dimensions and parameters.
2. materials. In order for the sliding gate mechanism to work for a long time, without repair work, all the material from which they are made must be of only high quality.
3. Automation. In order for the structure to close and open well, the installation of the electric drive must be carried out by a specialist.

Retractable or sliding gates are a complex mechanism, but, nevertheless, because of their convenience, they have become widely used both in industrial facilities and in private households. There are many manufacturers that make ready-made gates and accessories for them, a qualified workforce will quickly and competently install, but those who want to save money and use creative energy in business will be interested in installing sliding gates with their own hands. Moreover, it is quite possible.

Types of sliding gates

Sliding gates come in different designs, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Let's note them.

Hanging sliding gates

These gates were most often used at the entrances of enterprises and other protected areas. At a considerable height, in order to be able to enter freight transport, a metal beam was mounted, and no longer Not It was with the help of roller carts that the door leaf was hung.

Hanging gates - reliable, but material-intensive

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

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

Sliding rail gates

This is the simplest sliding gate design 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 leaves when opened. Such gates are best used where the territory is periodically and constantly cleaned, which is often unattainable in 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 in order to open them, they need to leave the fence exactly the width of the opening, and this, in conditions of lack of space, can be a determining factor for making a decision in favor of such a design.

Cantilever sliding gates

Cantilever sliding (sliding) gates were invented to ensure that the gate had no size restrictions from above and there was no contact with the ground rail. This is the most complex gate design, but these "victims" 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 can 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 load-bearing structure for the gate, which is far from always beneficial.

That is why, in most cases, cantilever sliding gates with a lower location of the carrier beam are used.

sliding gate prices

Sliding gates

Description of the design and operation of cantilever gates

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

The door leaf is mounted on a frame (1) made of a shaped metal pipe. A carrier beam (2) is welded to the frame, having a special profile, inside of which roller carriages (3) fit tightly. At the same time, the beam can move along with the gate to the left - to the right along the carriages, ensuring the opening and closing of the gate. It is obvious that the beam and roller carriages bear the greatest load, especially at the moment of their closing or full opening of the gate. In order to unload the gate when fully closed, an end unloading roller (4) is used, which enters and abuts against the lower catcher (5). In another part of the gate, to fix the leaf when fully opened, an end roller with a catcher limiter can also be used, but it is not visible in this diagram.

To ensure that the gate does not have lateral rolling, there is a guide with rollers (7) and an upper catcher (6) that fixes the leaf in the closed state. Plugs (8) are used to avoid the ingress of dirt and foreign objects into the interior of the beam. 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 supports for the gate (brick, concrete or metal), then they can be used as support and response pillars, and if not, then they will have to be built separately from a profile metal pipe. The foundation for the console in any case 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 web in motion, a gear rack is fixed to its side surface. The drive is equipped with a control unit, as well as various safety devices.

Benefits of cantilever sliding gates

Cantilever 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 them.
• The gate opening has no lower and upper restrictions on dimensions.
• Abundant do not disrupt the operation of the cantilever gate, as the canvas is hung at a distance of about 10 cm above the ground.
• All rolling elements that ensure the operation of the gate are located inside the beam, so they are not affected by weather factors. Even a child can set the gate in motion, thanks to a well-thought-out design and low friction.
• A strong cantilever foundation and a well-thought-out system for keeping the door leaf in a vertical position allow such doors to withstand heavy wind loads.
• Sliding gates are the easiest to equip with an electric drive and security elements.

Still, sliding gates have disadvantages, but there are few of them:

• Cantilever sliding gates are one of the most complex in design, and therefore 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.

Determination of the possibility of installing sliding gates

Even with a 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 must be free for at least one and a half width of the gate opening. This is due to the fact that on the door leaf, in addition to the part that closes the opening, there is also a technological part, which occupies at least half of the width of the opening in length - this way the loads from the gate to the cantilever block will be better distributed.

• Sliding gates move in a straight line, which means that the necessary section of the free space of the fence must also be straight.
• In the place where the gate will move, there should not be any uneven terrain that will prevent the free movement of the gate.

• There should not be gates on the path of the gate, it is better to make them from the opposite side. Sometimes sliding gates with built-in gates 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 gate - when the canvas drives off a distance sufficient for the passage of people. This is not necessary, since any gate mechanism is designed for a certain number of cycles and their frequent use will greatly reduce the resource.
• If the entrance to the territory of the site occurs from a narrow lane, then to facilitate maneuvering, it is necessary to increase the gate opening, which will affect the dimensions of the canvas.

If there are no such difficult situations on the site, then you can proceed to the device of sliding gates with your own hands.

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

Preparatory work

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

• If the gates will be placed instead of the old ones, having a different design, then the presence and condition of the supporting pillars is assessed. If they are made of brick, reinforced concrete with a section at least 20 per 20 cm, shaped metal pipe with a cross section at least 60 per 40 cm, their strict verticality is maintained, and they are securely fixed in the ground, then they may well serve as a supporting and reciprocal column of sliding gates. If not, then you will have to build your pillars again.
• Near the support post, it should be possible to dig a hole for the foundation, which should be located close to the post, 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 the 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. During their construction, it is necessary to make embedded elements in the form of steel plates 100 * 100 mm and 5 mm thick, three on each column. The top plate must be placed on the inside of the post against the edge closest to the opening. The distance from the top of the post 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 in the middle 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 Europe. All manufacturers of components and accessories have the necessary sets of elements for this size of gate. To greatly facilitate your work, it is better to use a ready-made solution.
• It is necessary to decide on what the door leaf will be and how it will be lined. There are a lot of options, and in each of them the gate will have a different mass. This may affect the selection of the desired force elements. Most often, corrugated board has been used recently, but there are options for cladding with wooden clapboard, forged decorative elements, or simply leaving a lattice structure made of steel pipes.

• Before purchasing the necessary components, you need to draw up your detailed drawing with a specification or use ready-made solutions that are 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 need and which ones.

Marking work

When the gate posts are installed, regardless of whether the fence is erected or not, you can already start marking. For this you need:

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

Sliding gate foundation

In order to perceive the loads from the weight of the gate at rest and during their movement, it is necessary to equip the foundation. To do this, as the upper part, on which the roller units and the electric drive will be mounted, you need a channel No. 20 with a length of 2000 mm. For the foundation, it is necessary to dig a hole, which is adjacent to the support post, has a length of 2100 mm, a width of 500 mm. 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 ties, you can use reinforcement No. 10-12 with a pitch of 300-400 mm.

Finished frames are welded to the lower surface of the channel in the middle of its shelf. The center lines of the extreme frames are located 400 mm from the edges of the channel, and the third - exactly in the middle. After that, it is necessary to add 10 cm of sand or a sand-gravel mixture to the bottom of the pit, compact it and begin to install the finished channel with reinforcing cages. This should take into account:

• The channel is laid close to the bearing post, strictly parallel to the gate movement line, flush with the zero mark. A previously stretched cord will help to do this.
• In order to prevent cement milk 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 wrap.
• The surface of the channel should be at zero, therefore, when installing frames with a channel, it is good to use pieces of reinforcement that can fix the structure in the pit. When concrete is supplied, a solid load will affect the frames, so the fixation must be reliable.
• In order 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 a 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 wiring diagram can be seen in the figure. Cables should be laid either in a corrugated pipe, or better - in a polyethylene pipe with a diameter of 20 mm.

It's time for concrete work. For pouring the foundation of retractable cantilever gates, concrete of a grade of at least M250-M300 must be used. For its preparation, you will need components in the following proportions by volume:

• One bucket of cement M400.
• 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 needed and increases the flowability of the mix, which is beneficial when laying.

The amount needed for the foundation, of course, will be larger, the main thing is to observe the indicated proportions. To prepare the concrete mix, it is best to use a concrete mixer or a powerful construction mixer. With manual mixing, the quality of concrete deteriorates.

Concrete mixer - an indispensable assistant for the construction of the foundation of the gate

First, sand and cement are poured into the concrete mixer. After mixing them, part of the water is added so that the solution is mixed until a homogeneous state. Next, crushed stone or gravel is added and water is gradually added until the concrete becomes homogeneous and mobile. When laying concrete in a pit, you must:

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

Full maturation of 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

In the manufacture of the door leaf, if there are not sufficient skills in welding metals, it is better to contact the place where the specialists in the workshop will make them according to the required dimensions. Sliding gates are a fairly large structure and at home it will be difficult to ensure that all parts are in the same plane, which is extremely necessary. Another advantage of manufacturing gates in workshops is that priming and painting can be done with a compressor, and this gives a better finish. But if you still have a desire to do everything yourself, then this is quite possible.

One of the possible options for the door leaf is shown in the figure. The main frame is made from a profile pipe 60*40 mm, while the stiffeners and internal filling are made from a pipe 20*40 mm. 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 accessories for retractable cantilever gates and profile pipes for making the leaf.

A wide range of fittings for sliding gates is presented in various stores and in the construction markets. It is both a Russian manufacturer and an imported one. When buying accessories, 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 it is sheathed with corrugated board, will be up to 400 kg, which must be reported to the seller.

The standard gate kit includes:

• Guide beam 71*60*3.5 mm, 6 meters long.
• Two roller bearings.
• End roller.
• Lower catcher of the end roller.
• Upper catcher.
• Guide with two rollers.
• Two plugs per beam.

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

Another option for an impromptu mounting table can be bars or building stones laid on the ground and set on the same level.

A profile pipe purchased at a metal warehouse rarely has no centers of corrosion, therefore, before making a gate, all pipes should be thoroughly cleaned of rust stains and dirt. It is most convenient to do this with a grinder with a special grinding disc.

According to the drawing, profile pipes 60 * 40 mm are cut for the main frame of the gate. At the same time, one should 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 with a grinder with a cutting disc, or better, with a cutting machine that allows you to accurately observe all angles.

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

Profile pipes 40 * 20 mm are cut to size for stiffeners, which are then applied to the inner surface of the main frame, pulled together with clamps and pinpointed. This is how the entire internal frame is assembled. After checking the 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 scalded. On the joints of the pipes of the inner 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 the entire structure does not “lead” from excessive overheating in one place.

A guide beam is welded to the lower surface of the gate. To do this, it is fastened with clamps, the correspondence of the axes of the door leaf and the beam is checked, and then it is welded with 30-40 mm seams through 400-500 mm. After that, the grinder cleans all the seams.

For priming and painting, the gate must be set in a position close to vertical. It is best to use an automotive anti-corrosion primer, which must be applied in two coats. It is preferable to do this with a compressor and a 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 ensuring that the primer sheds a gap between the beam and the gate. It would also be appropriate to cover this gap with "sausages" of acrylic sealant. After that, the gate can be completely painted in two layers. In no case should the inner surface of the carrier beam be painted!

After the paint has completely dried, the cladding can be mounted on the gate, the most preferable of which is corrugated board, as it combines light weight, strength, beautiful appearance and reasonable price.

Sliding gate installation

The installation of a cantilever structure on a previously mounted channel can be started no earlier than 7 days after concreting. For the installation of roller carriages, it is recommended to purchase a mounting plate with studs, which will allow:

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

To install the gate you need:

• Push the roller carriages onto the mounting plate, making the height the same and medium on all the studs. Do not overtighten the top nuts.
• On the foundation it is necessary to mark the position of the mounting plates. To do this, 150 mm is measured from that edge of the channel, which is closer to the opening, and a line perpendicular to its length is drawn. This will be tangent to the edge of the first mounting plate.
• To find the position of the second support, measure the total length of the gate and subtract 100 mm from it. The resulting distance must be postponed 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 bearing capacity of the poles is good and anchor bolts will be well attached to them, then the use of additional metal poles is not necessary. If not, then according to previously prepared mortgages, a profile pipe is vertically welded in height equal to the height of the gate plus 200 mm, with a section of 40 * 40 * 2 mm. 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 supporting and supporting posts, a cord is stretched horizontally, parallel to the gate movement line. It will indicate the position of the tangent to the edge of the carrier beam. The cord must be taut throughout the movement of the gate: from the opposite table and up to the position of the edge of the gate when it is fully opened.
• Roller carriages are placed in the carrier beam and shifted 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 bred along the previously marked lines, and the tensioned cord should touch the guide beam along its entire length. This position can be fixed with the help of supports from the planks. After checking the verticality, the roller platforms can be "grabbed" by electric welding in several places.
• The door travel is checked, its verticality and horizontality, which is checked in the closed position. If necessary, adjusting nuts on the studs of the platforms are corrected. The gate should move easily along the rail, parallel (lightly touching) to the tensioned cord. The gaps between the supporting and reciprocal pillars should be the same, and from the zero mark to the bottom edge 80-100 mm. If everything is in order, then the carriage nuts can be tightened, and the platforms themselves can be scalded in a circle.

• A plug is mounted on the rear cantilever part of the carrier beam. An end roller is mounted in front of the beam. Each manufacturer has its own installation method, so you need to use the instructions.
• A guiding device with two rollers is mounted on the support column in its upper part. To do this, a bracket is attached to the pole for attaching the guide, and holes are marked. In brick or concrete, it is necessary to fix it 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, then it is better to temporarily remove the plastic rollers. After mounting on the pole, the rollers are set so that they tightly cover the door leaf, maintain its verticality and at the same time do not interfere with smooth running.

• The gate rolls out to the fully closed position, and the place of attachment of the lower catcher is marked on the counter post. The end roller should fit snugly on the catcher shelf, partially relieving the load from the roller blocks. The trap is mounted with appropriate fasteners and the door movement and the ease of their fixation in the closed position are checked.

• An upper catcher is mounted, which prevents the gate from swinging in the wind. In a fully closed state, the position of the trap 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 saves from damage to the coating. The bracket is mounted so that when closing, it enters the trap.

• If necessary, a rear limiter is mounted, which will not allow the gate to roll far when fully opened.

After a well-conducted installation, the gate should move very easily and be fixed in the extreme positions. The final work will be cleaning of all welds, coating them with an anti-corrosion primer and painting. Further on the door leaf, you can fix the handles for opening and closing, as well as install. Each manufacturer of drives has its own installation features, which are described in detail in the attached documentation. But this work will already be much easier, since the main thing has already been done - do-it-yourself sliding gate installation.

Video - Installation instructions for sliding gates

Video - Installation of a finished set of gates without welding

Video - How to make a sliding gate yourself