Rollers for sliding gates and other elements of their design

How difficult is it to make sliding gates? What advantages do they provide against the background of traditional swing gates? How do different sets of accessories differ from each other, and what elements should they include? In my article I will try to answer these and some other questions.

Retractable gates: installation on reinforced concrete foundation.

Recoil against swing

The main advantage of the sliding gates is that when they open, they do not take up space in the courtyard and do not block the road. This feature is very useful in a small courtyard that overlooks a narrow street.

In addition: the management of sliding gates is easy to automate. Automation can, in particular, have a remote control (including GSM and Wi-Fi).

Of course, the solution has its downsides:

• The length of the direct part of the fence adjacent to the gate gate should be at least equal to the length of the sash. Otherwise, the gate will simply have nowhere to roll back;

In the open position, the sash covers 4-6 meters of the wall.

• The massive sash will be quite hard to roll away manually if you want to save on the electric drive or if the electricity is cut off at home. Open swing gates of any weight, even a child;
• The design as a whole will turn out much more expensive. Welded swing gates made of proftruby 40x40, sheathed by steel sheet, in the manufacture of "turnkey" will cost you 15 - 25 thousand rubles. Retractable electric drive cost from 100 thousand or more.

Note: even self-made sliding doors (provided that all work from filling the foundation to welding and installation of rollers will be done independently) will require a cost of materials and fittings of at least 45-50 thousand.

Dimensions

In my opinion, the optimal size of the sash - a height of 2 meters with a width of 4 - 6 meters. Two-meter height will eliminate the manifestation of inappropriate curiosity from passersby; the width of the sash of 4 meters will make it quite safe to drive into your yard with a truck of sand or building materials. Increasing the width of the sash to six meters is useful in cases where the width of the street makes it necessary to drive into the courtyard at an angle.

Having decided on the dimensions, it is easy to build your own door drawings.

Costs

What is the price of materials and fittings for gates I have indicated?

The alignment is like this:

• Accessories set - about 15,000 rubles;
• Metal for the frame - 5000;
• Foundation (reinforcement, concrete, sand) - 5000;
• Automated electric drive - 15-30 thousand, depending on the manufacturer and functionality;
• Electrodes, drive power wires, paint and other small things - from two to three thousand.

A couple of items on the list should be disassembled in more detail.

Fittings

What does a typical set of accessories include?

Here is a list of Came series M set of Italian production:

The scheme of sliding gates on the rollers with the indication of mounting points of the fittings

Set cost определяется:

• By the manufacturer. For obvious reasons, domestic products are much cheaper than imported products;
• Rated load (that is, simply speaking, the weight of the sash). The larger it is, the more stringent requirements are imposed on the strength and durability of fittings, which directly affects its cost.

I will give a few examples of retail prices.

Внешний вид комплекта фурнитуры Roltek для нагрузки 500 кг.

Automation

In addition to the manufacturer, automation kits vary:

• Maximum sash weight. The larger it is, the more power is required from the electric drive;
• Opening and closing speed. It usually ranges from 0.15 to 0.35 m / s;
• A complete set. Remote (s), photocells, warning lights can be included in the basic package or purchased separately.

Here is a small excerpt from the price list of the Russian representative office of the Italian company Nice.

RB400KCE

• The maximum mass of the sash - 400 kg;
• Speed ​​- 0.35 m / s;
• Complete set: the drive with the built-in control unit, the panel, photo cells, an alarm lamp with the antenna, the castle switch;
• Cost: 28440 rubles.

Electric Nice RB400KCE fully loaded.

Curiously: the cost of the same set without a signal lamp and photocells - 18,600 rubles.

Run 1800

• The maximum mass of the sash - 1800 kg;
• The speed is 0.16 m / s;
• Complete set: the drive with the built-in control unit;
• Cost: 41472 rubles.

Installation

Now - a few recommendations for the manufacture and installation of gates.

What to make the frame sash?

It is best to use a professional pipe: it will provide greater rigidity compared to a corner with the same or less weight. The minimum dimensions are 60x60 for the frame and 40x20 for the braces that provide structural rigidity.

Drawing of the frame of the profile pipe.

How to sheathe the gate?

The large weight of the sash greatly increases the cost of fittings and automation. Accordingly, lightweight materials are preferred. I would recommend using a wall sheet 0.55 mm thick with a wave height of not more than 20 mm.

A couple of nuances:

1. It is better to use rivets for fastening the casing rather than screws. They are not loosened by gusts of wind and do not give rusty drips, characteristic of self-tapping screws with a broken zinc coating;
2. Attach to each wave of the sheet. Otherwise, wind gusts will be accompanied by metal rattling.

Fastening of a professional leaf on a framework.

What should be the distance between the rollers on which the gate rests? An exhaustive instruction is contained in this table:

The distance between carts depending on the size and weight of the sash.

What should be the size of the foundation?

As a rule, its length is taken equal to half the width of the leaf. For a 4-meter gate, a foundation 2 meters long is required. The depth of the foundation 200 mm exceeds the depth of soil freezing.

What and how to make the foundation?

The framework is boiled from a channel of 120–200 mm wide and corrugated reinforcement with a diameter of 12–14 mm. Vertical bars are supplied with cross links. Filling is carried out by concrete with strength M250.

Attention: the plane of the channel is aligned strictly on the level. The slightest deviation from the horizon will cause the gate to close or open with excessive force.

Framework with the reinforcement of the foundation. Side is welded to the site for the installation of the drive.

How to install the rollers retractable for the gate with their own hands, making it possible to adjust their height?

Use the mounting of carts on the mounting adjustment plates. The plate is scalded on a channel bar, and the base of the trolley is fixed on the studs with nuts. This method of mounting will provide a simple adjustment for errors in installation and subsidence of the soil.

Adjusting plate under the cart.

Easier, even easier

Is it possible to simplify the construction of sliding gates and reduce the cost of their construction to a minimum?

Of course. I will post here a few photos of the gate that functions properly in the house next to me.

General view of the gate. The frame is welded from a corner of 50x50 mm and sheathed with a galvanized steel sheet.

Gates do not rely on trolleys, but hang on a channel bar laid above the fence, reinforced in the middle by a welded truss.

This photo clearly shows the supporting and fixing rollers. The support roller is provided with a rubber coating, which significantly reduces the noise level when opening and closing the gate.

The lower support roller holds the sash in a vertical position. To deviate in the opposite direction it prevents its own weight.

The drive is a 1.5 kW single-phase motor and a belt drive on a pulley winding a steel cable.

A simple cable tensioning mechanism.

Remote control drive. One button closes the door, another - opens.

The limit switch opens the power circuit when the sash is fully closed.

Conclusion

I hope that this material will help the respected reader to create an inexpensive and functional design. As usual, you can familiarize yourself with additional thematic information by viewing the video in this article. I will appreciate your comments and additions. Successes!