Timber Frame Gate

123maxbars · February 29, 2020, 09:20:46 PM

I have to replace several gates at my farm. some walk though and some big enough for the tractors to pass. I would like to use white oak for these. I have found a few designs from some old books that are based off early 1900 field gate designs built in England. The are built using timber frame like construction mostly. My question is if using green white oak and TF construction how would a gate hold up? The ones in the book were built with seasoned white oak. I couldn't find a good pic online other than my book but here is an episode of Roy Underhill where he builds one.

https://www.pbs.org/video/the-woodwrights-shop-oak-field-gate/

Don P · March 01, 2020, 08:48:25 AM

Green white oak moves a lot. For that if I had to work green I'd use black locust.

Brad_bb · March 02, 2020, 08:41:37 AM

Could work Nathan, but it's so moist in your area it seems. I understand you'd like the look of the oak. If it were a gate I used a lot, might want to opt for a typical tube farm gate as they are light weight relatively and easier to adjust if needed they way their brackets move and tighten.

scsmith42 · March 03, 2020, 10:05:35 AM

Roy actually spoke with me about providing the lumber for those gates. I didn't have any in stock, so he sourced them from a good friend of mine who used an old Frick00.

I still have his original plans somewhere.

Brad_bb · March 03, 2020, 11:02:27 PM

A gate like that as long as it's off the ground far enough will dry out, much like barn siding. I suggest using black walnut (no sapwood). It's pretty darn rot resistant, and will tweak some people that you're using using it for a gate ;D.

123maxbars · March 10, 2020, 09:46:25 PM

Quote from: scsmith42 on March 03, 2020, 10:05:35 AM
Roy actually spoke with me about providing the lumber for those gates. I didn't have any in stock, so he sourced them from a good friend of mine who used an old Frick00.

I still have his original plans somewhere.

interesting, if you ever come across those I would love to see them, I have the book they are from but the plans/dimensions are not specified,

scsmith42 · March 11, 2020, 04:19:44 PM

Quote from: 123maxbars on March 10, 2020, 09:46:25 PM
Quote from: scsmith42 on March 03, 2020, 10:05:35 AM
Roy actually spoke with me about providing the lumber for those gates. I didn't have any in stock, so he sourced them from a good friend of mine who used an old Frick00.

I still have his original plans somewhere.
interesting, if you ever come across those I would love to see them, I have the book they are from but the plans/dimensions are not specified,

I think that I have a copy on my old office computer. I'll check later today.

stavebuyer · March 11, 2020, 04:34:59 PM

Quote from: Brad_bb on March 03, 2020, 11:02:27 PM
A gate like that as long as it's off the ground far enough will dry out, much like barn siding. I suggest using black walnut (no sapwood). It's pretty darn rot resistant, and will tweak some people that you're using using it for a gate ;D.

I worked for an old farmer who was our neighbor when I was in high school. All his gates(and he had many) were rough sawn walnut heartwood. They weathered well and lasted longer than the tubing gates that start rusting after a few years. Much lighter weight then you would expect once they seasoned.

RobJee35 · March 12, 2020, 02:31:16 PM

Hi 123maxbars, I actually built a few green white oak timber-frame English fields gates for my farm. They are Sussex fields gates with a tapered top-rail and mortise and tenon joinery. The posts were white oak again - 1ft x 1ft x 9ft. This was based on a design/instructions in a book by Alan and Gill Bridgewater called Building Doors and Gates - available used on amazon. I then drew plans from that design which I unfortunately cant upload as they are PDF scans but let me know if you would like them and I can email them. I have attached a photo of a single version of one of the gates I built. The plans are for double versions of the gate in the photo - but easy to adjust to make wider to give around a 10-11ft wide gate. I ordered all the galvanized hardware from a single company here in the U.S - which I wont name as we cant advertise I think, but can also let you know that offline (I am not associated with the company). I ordered all the white oak rough sawed and green from local sawmill. Gates are supposed to be built with cleft wood for strength but that is beyond my skill-set! Any questions on tools used or construction methods please feel free to reach out. I also capped the top rails for with copper I bent on a break. Best, Rob

doc henderson · March 12, 2020, 02:40:38 PM

I think you can reference sources as long as you are not selling, then you must comply with the forum policy on direct advertising/sales. someone will correct me if I am wrong.

thecfarm · March 12, 2020, 03:39:16 PM

That adds a lot to your driveway.

WDH · March 13, 2020, 08:04:18 AM

Wow! So fine.

doc henderson · March 13, 2020, 09:38:45 AM

should last forever

RobJee35 · March 13, 2020, 10:34:54 AM

Thanks guys! They were fun to build. All hand tools apart from forsteners on the drill press to speed up the mortises and chainsaw/belt sander to round off the tops of the gate posts :D

scsmith42 · March 15, 2020, 05:54:23 PM

Quote from: scsmith42 on March 11, 2020, 04:19:44 PM
Quote from: 123maxbars on March 10, 2020, 09:46:25 PM
Quote from: scsmith42 on March 03, 2020, 10:05:35 AM
Roy actually spoke with me about providing the lumber for those gates. I didn't have any in stock, so he sourced them from a good friend of mine who used an old Frick00.

I still have his original plans somewhere.
interesting, if you ever come across those I would love to see them, I have the book they are from but the plans/dimensions are not specified,
I think that I have a copy on my old office computer. I'll check later today.

I couldn't find the plans, but I did find the sketch and photo that Roy sent me, and also a link to his program where he made the gate from oak that he sourced from my friend Charles Holland.
video.pbs.org/video/1772039873/

scsmith42 · March 15, 2020, 05:55:16 PM

Quote from: RobJee35 on March 12, 2020, 02:31:16 PM
Hi 123maxbars, I actually built a few green white oak timber-frame English fields gates for my farm. They are Sussex fields gates with a tapered top-rail and mortise and tenon joinery. The posts were white oak again - 1ft x 1ft x 9ft. This was based on a design/instructions in a book by Alan and Gill Bridgewater called Building Doors and Gates - available used on amazon. I then drew plans from that design which I unfortunately cant upload as they are PDF scans but let me know if you would like them and I can email them. I have attached a photo of a single version of one of the gates I built. The plans are for double versions of the gate in the photo - but easy to adjust to make wider to give around a 10-11ft wide gate. I ordered all the galvanized hardware from a single company here in the U.S - which I wont name as we cant advertise I think, but can also let you know that offline (I am not associated with the company). I ordered all the white oak rough sawed and green from local sawmill. Gates are supposed to be built with cleft wood for strength but that is beyond my skill-set! Any questions on tools used or construction methods please feel free to reach out. I also capped the top rails for with copper I bent on a break. Best, Rob

Very well done! I like the massive gate posts too!!