Cantilever sliding gates are a rather complex structure. However, they are convenient and practical, therefore they are widely used in private households and in industrial facilities. To date, there are many manufacturers who supply the market with ready-made gates and accessories for them. Enlisting qualified help, you can quite competently and quickly carry out the installation. However, if you want to save money and put creative energy into action, then it is better to deal with the installation of sliding gates yourself.
Description of cantilever gates
Cantilever sliding gates have no size restrictions from above. In addition, they do not have contact with ground rails. This gate design is one of the most difficult, but such “sacrifices” are justified. The door leaf does not come into contact with the surface, it is suspended on roller blocks using a guide beam. Roller blocks and beam are usually located inthe bottom of the gate. Sometimes the guide beam and blocks are located in the center or on top of the canvas. This approach is justified when cantilever nodes can be suspended from the main wall of an adjacent building.
Similar technology is also used in the case when there are building structures or structures nearby that can withstand the load from the canvas. Otherwise, a power structure is being built, which is not always beneficial. In most cases, for this reason, retractable cantilever doors are used with a load-bearing beam located below.
Design features of cantilever gates
If you decide to make a cantilever gate with your own hands, you should familiarize yourself with the concept of this design. The cloth is established on a frame which is made of a metal profile pipe. A load-bearing beam is fixed to the frame, which has a special profile. Roller carriages are inserted inside the latter. The beam moves with the gate left and right along the carriages, the gate closes and opens.
The roller carriages and the beam undergo the greatest load, this is especially true for the moment of full opening or closing of the gate. To unload these units, an end unloading roller is used, which enters and rests against the catcher located below. In another part, an end stop roller with a catcher can be used to secure the blade when fully opened.
Cantilever system for sliding gates can have a top catcher andguide with rollers that exclude lateral rolling. At the same time, the catcher will fix the canvas in the closed state. In order to prevent foreign objects and dirt from getting inside the beam, plugs are used. The design is installed on power elements, among them:
- return post;
- support pillar;
- base for roller carriages.
If there are strong supports on the site that are made of metal, concrete or brick, then they can be used as a response or support pillars. If there are none, then they will have to be built from a metal profile pipe. The foundation for the console must be built separately. If you decide to make sliding gates of the cantilever type, then they can be supplemented with an electric drive, which is installed between the roller carriages. In order for the blade to be set in motion, a gear rack must be fixed to its side surface. The control unit is installed on the drive.
Can sliding gates be installed
Even if you have no financial constraints and you have a great desire, it is not always possible to install cantilever gates on the site with your own hands. If space is rather limited, then the console structure will have to be replaced with another one. After all, a space of at least 1.5 times the width of the doorway should be left along the fence. This requirement is due to the fact that there is also a technological part on the canvas, the length of which will take half the width of the opening. This will evenlydistribute the load on the console block.
Due to the fact that such gates move in a straight line, the area left for them must be straight. In the place where the gate will move, there should be no uneven terrain that could interfere with the movement of the gate. If you decide to create a cantilever gate, it is recommended to consider the photo in advance. From them you can understand that there should be no gates in the way of the movement of the structure. They are usually installed on the opposite side.
If you order such a gate with a built-in gate, then it will have high thresholds, which is not very convenient for the elderly and children. Some owners, as a gate, leave a distance that will be enough for a person to pass. This is not recommended, because any mechanism is designed for a certain number of cycles, and frequent use of the design can reduce the resource. If the entrance to the territory occurs from a narrow lane, then it is necessary to increase the opening to facilitate maneuvering, which will negatively affect the dimensions of the canvas. If there are no listed situations on the site, then you can start manufacturing cantilever gates.
Preparatory work
Cantilever gates begin to suit with preparation. To do this, evaluate the place of work. If the structure will be installed to replace the old one, then the condition of the supporting pillars should be assessed. If they are made of reinforced concrete or brick, then their cross section should be 20x20 cm or more. When it comesabout a metal profile pipe, the cross section is usually 60x40 cm. These supports must be installed strictly vertically and well fixed in the ground. These elements will act as a response and support pillars. If there are none, then the poles will need to be installed.
When installing a cantilever gate with a middle beam, you must dig a hole for the foundation near the supporting post. It is placed close to the support, it should run parallel to the fence, and its dimensions will be 500x2000 mm. If it is planned to build a new fence on the territory, then all the work on its construction and the construction of the gate must be combined, which is preferable.
Quite often, brick pillars are erected at the entrance, which is not only beautiful, but also practical. If you also decide to follow this experience, then it will be necessary to form embedded elements, they will look like steel plates 300x100 mm. Their thickness should be 5 mm. The top plate is located on the inside of the post, which is closer to the opening. The step from the top of the post to the plate should be 200 mm. Having deviated from the zero mark of 200 mm, install the lower embedded plate, while doing so, it is necessary to act in the same way.
The zero level will be the entrance through the gate. The central plate is located in the middle, between the lower and upper. Gate nodes will be fixed to these elements. When making cantilever sliding gates with your own hands, you should take into account that the passage width is usually 4 m. This standard has been adopted in Europe. Manufacturers of fittings and components offer setselements for a given gate size. To facilitate the work, it is better to use a ready-made solution.
When choosing a canvas, you must decide how it will be lined. Each of the options has its own advantages and disadvantages. The final decision can influence the choice of force elements. The most commonly used corrugated board, however, you can find lining options from lining or forged decorative elements. An alternative solution is a lattice structure formed from steel pipes.
Markup
When do-it-yourself cantilever gates with an average beam are made, the next step is to start marking. In this case, it does not matter whether a fence has been erected on the territory. Marking is carried out after the installation of the pillars. To do this, it will be necessary to determine the level of the zero mark, as it is the level of entry into the garage opening. You need to mark the level on one pillar, from which the mark is transferred to another using a laser or water level. At zero marks, a cord is pulled, which must be brought close to the inner surface of the supports. The rope should be further than the support post.
Foundation arrangement
The foundation will take on the weight of the gate. Channel No. 20 will act as the upper part, the length of which will be 2000 mm. Roller assemblies and a drive will be installed on this assembly. A hole is being prepared for the foundation, which shouldadjoin the support pole. Its width will be 500 mm, while the valley will be 2100 mm. The depth should be determined by the level of soil freezing in winter. In most regions, this parameter is 1500 mm.
If you install a cantilever gate kit, the technology will remain the same. It provides for the reinforcement of the foundation. In order to connect the base with the channel, you need to prepare 3 frames. For this, reinforcement No. 16 should be used. For cross-links, reinforcement No. 10 is used, while the pitch should be equal to the limit from 300 to 400 mm.
The frame is attached to the lower surface of the channel. The axial lines of the frames should be 400 mm away from the edges of the channel. After that, sand or a sand-gravel mixture is added, which is compacted. A channel with reinforcing cages is installed on the surface. For pouring the foundation, concrete grade M-250 or M-300 should be used. Stock up for cooking:
- bucket;
- rubble;
- sand.
The amount of liquid will depend on the moisture content of the cement and sand. If you want to reduce the volume of water and increase the mobility of the composition, then you should use a plasticizer. The supply of the concrete mixture should be carried out gradually, only then the leveled structure will not be shifted. As soon as the next portion of concrete is laid, it is pierced in several places with reinforcement, which will remove air bubbles.
After laying the top layer, wipe the surface of the channel to keep it clean forsubsequent manipulations. Concrete maturation will occur within 28 days, but after a week the solution will gain strength, which will make it possible to install the gate. At this time, you can do other operations.
Making the canvas
If you wondered how to make a cantilever gate, you should become more familiar with the fabric manufacturing technology. The main frame will consist of a profile pipe with a section of 60x40 mm. The internal filling and stiffening ribs are made of pipes with a cross section of 20x40 mm. The carrier beam will be located below, its length will be 6 m. It is welded to the gate.
When buying fittings, you must consider the weight of the canvas and the size of the opening. The size of the opening will be 4000 mm, while the weight of the sheet with corrugated boarding can reach 400 kg. Standard accessories include:
- guide beam;
- end roller;
- two roller bearings;
- bottom end roller catcher;
- guiding device;
- top catcher;
- two plugs per beam.
Work methodology
For the main frame, it is necessary to cut profile pipes, the cross section of which will be 60x40 mm. To exclude access to the internal cavity of the pipe during welding, the seams should be made as tight as possible. Marking is carried out with a square and a tape measure. You can cut the blanks using an angle grinder with a cutting disc. It is better to use a cutting machine,which will ensure the accuracy of compliance with the angles.
The pipes are laid out on the mounting surface, and then all the seams are tacked. After checking the dimensions, all joints are welded with a continuous seam. The remaining open ends are sealed with plugs. For stiffeners, profile pipes should be prepared, which are applied to the inner surface of the frame and tightened with clamps. After that, they can be grabbed by welding. Guide beams are fixed to the lower surface of the gate. For priming and painting, the gate is installed in a position that is close to vertical. For work, it is better to use an anti-corrosion automotive primer, which is applied in two layers.
If you want to speed up the priming process, you should use a spray gun and a compressor. A brush is also suitable for this, but the work will stretch for a longer time, and the quality of the coating seems worse. Particular attention must be paid to ensure that the primer is in the gap between the turns and the beam. The gap is also closed with an acrylic sealant laid with sausages. The gate at the next stage is painted entirely in 2 layers. The surface of the bearing beam is not covered.
As soon as the paint dries, the gate can be revetted. The most preferred material for this is corrugated board, because it combines a beautiful appearance, strength, light weight and reasonable cost.
Gate installation
Cantilever gates can be installed on the channel at the next stage. These manipulations are carried out no earlier than a week later.after the completion of concreting. To mount roller carriages, a mounting plate with studs must be purchased. With its help, you can adjust the position of the gate horizontally and height. In addition, the gate can be removed to replace roller blocks or repair individual components.
When it's time to install the cantilever gate, the roller carriages are seated on the mounting plate. The top nuts do not need to be overtightened. The position of the plates is marked on the foundation. Measure 150 mm from the edge of the channel and draw a perpendicular line. With a good bearing capacity of the pillars, anchor bolts will be well attached to them. The use of metal additional pillars is not required. If they are not there, then a profile pipe is installed vertically according to the prepared mortgages. On the supporting post, it can be welded to the edge, on the return post - from the edge of the post with a deviation ranging from 20 to 50 mm.
Installation recommendations
When the cantilever gate is mounted, the next step is to place the roller carriages in the carrier beam and move to the central part of the structure. Enlisting the help of another person, the canvas will need to be moved vertically above the channel. Roller carriages are bred in different lines, and the stretched rope must touch the guide beam. This position is fixed with the help of plank stands.
The operation of the gate needs to be checked, this applies to their horizontal and vertical, which are analyzed in the closed position. If it is necessary to adjust the structure, nuts should be used onstilettos. The gate must move along the guide. The gaps between the counter and support posts should be the same, while about 100 mm or slightly less should remain from the zero mark to the bottom edge. If the cantilever gate moves correctly, then the carriage nuts can be tightened, while the landings are scalded around the perimeter.
Conclusion
If you decide to make and install sliding cantilever gates yourself, you must insert the carriages with your own hands into the carrier beam. In general, the carriages are needed to move the beam along them, which will ensure the closing and opening of the gate.
