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I would like to make a set of external timber yard gates, i.e. both sides of the gates will be exposed to the elements. Since I live in the North of England, it tends to rain. In order to avoid the gates swelling during our damp winter, what sort of things should I aim to do? The sort of things I'm thinking of are:
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"tends to rain" :) Wood will shrink and swell. You can't stop it. Rather, allow for it. You can use wood naturally resistant to decay. Not sure what's available in your locale, examples include redwood, cedar, teak, cypress. You can also use pressure treated lumber, in which case, be sure to apply preservative to cut ends. Field applied preservative will help for a while, but it will not last. You should avoid paint, the shrinking and swelling will quickly cause failure. If you must paint, all surfaces of every piece should at least be primed, if not fully painted. Use corrosion resistant hardware and fasteners. Stainless steel if possible. At least hot dipped galvanized. Not the much thinner electro-galvanized. For hardware, a durable factory applied finish such as powder coating would be OK. Don't waste time with fine joinery, big and clunky is more appropriate. This is not an excuse to be sloppy, the big and clunky joints must be well made. The frame's primary diagonal should be low at the hinge side so that it's joints are in compression. |
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Yes, you should paint along the bottom of the gates. Paint and oil keeps the wooden garage doors safe in rainy season and also protects your house. |
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