Box and Plank Gate

Criteria	Score
Aesthetics and visual appeal	9/10
Suitability and usefulness	8/10
Sustainability and recycling	4/10
Problem solving and brief	7/10
Overall	7/10

The old garden gate was made out of wrought iron, featured wrought iron house numbers in a Christian fish motif and was dilapidated and in need of refurbishment. The neighbours dog was also staying with us for a two week period and was able to escape through this gate. A new gate was required.

The dimensions of the gate were established and a survey of materials to hand was carried out. I had some offcuts of wooden joists used in the Shed which were of a suitable width. I also had access to a small amount of 30mm steel box section, although more of this had to be purchased. The small amount of box section allowed me to prototype the transitions between steel and wood and how these would be managed, however.

A frame for the gate was cut, drilled and assembled using a Mig welder. This was created at my workshop, and gave me the opportunity to practice welding. The frame was zinc galvanised using an aerosol spray and sprayed in satin black paint. The wooden panels were cut and the edges routed with a 45° chamfer so that the wood (which measured 45mm deep) would sit up to the steel box section on both sides of the gate. A slot was also routed in one of the panels to accommodate a bar latch.

Hinges were fabricated incorporating a T style design to add horizontal rigidity to the gate, and steel tube was welded to the frame of the gate to fit around the hinge post. A latch bar was also fabricated and hasps were made from steel scraps. All were sprayed with zinc galvanising spray and given a coat of satin black paint.

The wood was waxed using Briwax. This was given 10 coats on each panel (on both sides) so that the water resistance of the wood was effective, and the wooden panels had a high gloss to aid water dispersal. The panels were then screwed through the gate frame on both sides to fix into position. The hinges were mounted on the wall and the gate was hung. The neighbours dog did not escape.