How to build a sliding wooden gate (EASY) 

Hey Floridaman what is the gap from the bottom plate to the ground on the roller wheel ? I think my gate will be 64in tall and 15’ long . Setting my rail hight now , just wasn’t sure what the gap would be between the ground with the roller wheel , hopefully the roller wheel works Iam on grass for now , might have to do a 2’ wide by 15 ‘ concrete strip for the wheel to run on

@@JasonGemes I wish I knew what exactly you are asking here, are you asking basically what the diameter of the wheel is so you can see if it would roll over grass/dirt? they make rollers that are on springs, i dont know how well they would so what all that weight, but might work better over uneven terrain.

Thank you very much! Good luck with your project

Thank you! Good Luck!

Hi. I am getting closer to designing this for my slanty drive. One question. In your video at 4:55, I noticed that the top of the gate starts to flex away from where you want it to be. Later it seems pretty stable. Other than the weight of the fence and the strength of the fence build, is there anything that keeps it from twisting/flexing while it is rolling? It's windy on our drive. Mine will be considerably shorter so hopefully not a problem. Thanks @@floridaman9045

Good question, once the pickets were on there it straightened them up some because it sort of tied it all together. But the best thing I did which you dont see in this video because I did it a few weeks after was run another 16' 2x4 all the way down that top board, I put the board on its side, so the 4" on the 2x4 is facing up if that makes since. It was dead straight wont allow it to flex. I glued it on with liquid nails and screwed it in. I plan on making an update video soon. Maybe I will do it today if I get a chance.@@C3S789

So you basically made a "T" out of the top section and that stiffened the top of it? Any other things you would have done differently? I've gotta get started on mine soon! @@floridaman9045

Hey there. I'm several days into building my fence with all the damn slopes that are driving me crazy. Turning to sliding gate next. Nylon wheels are coming next week. $$$! @@floridaman9045 Could you help me with a couple of key measures because I am trying to avoid extra weight for the door? But need to make sure the wheels are not seen at top of fence from the front. I need the distance from the top of the 2x4 holding a roller to to the top of the roller itself. Last of the good weather here in Bridport, England!

Where you located

No problem! Good luck!

This was my first attempt also, and its still holding up great. I would run a strip of concrete for it to roll on, or at the least you could get some pavers and place them in a stip. There may be some wheels out there that are more designed for uneven surfaces, mine seem to be pretty hard and I feel they would only do good on hard surface. Good luck!

@floridaman9045 I agree, I'm gonna consider doing some concrete for mine. Probably at least 2 feet wide? Thank you, for your reply 🙏!

yea 2 feet wide should be good@@garymcnemar6620

yea not a bad idea, that gate is very heavy though, and there is nothing to grip to lift it.

Did you use 4x6 or 4x4 for your posts. My fence pickets are deck boards.

Good luck with it! let me know how it goes.

I bought mine from ACE hardware, but I'm sure you can find at any hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot.

Thank you

2 x 6 might be a move, I added a vertical 2 x 4's on each side of the 2x4x16's to square them up, since this video was made. I put them on the side with the rollers. It now has no sway and opens and closes with ease.

@@floridaman9045 nice do you have and updated pitchers or video ? Our gate opening will be 14’ foot , but will probably make the gate it’s self 15’or 16’

@@JasonGemes I don't but I will probably make an update video in a few weeks. I used 2x4x16's. I basically ran the full length, maybe cut them down an inch or two.

So we about have our fence done , rollers and wheel is ordered , we have a 14 , opening , i plan on using 2x6s for the Frame , with 2x4 stiff back horizontal and vertical , the gate will probably be 15 foot , give 6in eave way for coverage , I wanted to one piece my rails , I found some 21’ 1 5/8 but it’s 17 gauge do you think that will hold up ? Thanks you

@@JasonGemes That sounds like it will be solid, with a lot of weight (not a bad thing). I'm curious to see how it turns out! I think you should be ok with the tubing, I would just make sure to brace it as much as you can, if its not braced enough you run the risk of it flexing. Try to secure the rollers better than me. Mine wanted to roll since it was uneven. Or at the least take 2x4's and square up the side with the rollers (one on each side), it will keep it tight.

16ft

Haha!! Thank you!

Still holding up great. I will post an update video eventually. Not really anything I would change that I can think of.

16 foot. Good luck with your project

Thank you! glad you got some use from it!

Are you talking about the close or open position? and what do you mean by the over hang? I'm not a carpenter and don't do construction. This is just a project I did on my own, so I would only be able to give an opinion without a lot of knowledge.

when in the closed position would it be best for the gate to butt right up to the vertical post in the ground? and when the gate is closed to have 6 ft extra to have 4 rollers instead of the short area you have with 2 rollers attached to fence gate. Is your gate standing straight and moving straight or is it top heavy and swaying or bending? I think I will do a metal square tube frame now and attach the pickets to that to make it more sturdy. @@floridaman9045

Hard to understand what you mean, but I think it would be no problem to have some overlap. The gate is sturdy and is not top heavy. The reason I have such small overlap is because I made that person gate and I also wanted to keep the wheels on the concrete driveway. Adding extra rollers wouldn't be a bad idea. If you have the extra room and everything was perfectly square that might work great. My design kind of works on a tripod type design with all the weight going to the ground vs the rails/rollers, but it was all experimental. Let me know how it goes and good luck. @@TaylorGrayson33

it doesn't even budge with the wind. Its very stable. Good luck!

Thank you!!

Will update soon. I've added a few things but for the most part the gate has been great. I'll post again very soon. Stand by and good luck with your projects!

I did that, its not included in this video, but it helped a lot

Hey thank you! The links are both in the comments and in the description of the video, good luck with your project!

HAHA

thank you!

I think you can do whatever you think. The pickets go on after so it doesn't really matter

Thank you so much!

Works good, will probably update very soon.

there is a lot of weight and those tires are pretty hard, I have a feeling they wouldn't roll very well. I would probably put down pavers, or maybe like a 2x10 PT that might last a little bit with ground contact. Or you could always look for softer rubber wheels.

​@@floridaman9045 good call. Thanks!

It could probably be lifted off the track, the rollers come with a metal tab that goes under the bars so it can't be lifted off, but I took that piece off so it can roll past the 2x4's. I'm sure you could find a way to keep that piece on the rollers, or add something else to keep it from coming off. Good luck!

why wouldn't it? I live in Florida so I have no idea

thank you! Good luck!

My dad kept trying to get me to do something else, telling me I was wasting my time hahah

@@floridaman9045 yeah my neighbor said it couldn’t be done out of wood is what I meant to completely say.

just went and measured them for you, the 2x4's are about 7 inches, the rails are centered at about the 5 1/2 inch mark. That leaves enough room for the straps to fit on there around the rails.

@@floridaman9045 ty!

@@samstorm8923 good luck! let me know how it goes.

Good luck!

Possibly? I don't plan on adding one to mine. But with a motor and a chain I guess there's no reason why you couldn't.

Good luck!!

Thanks!

I'd go 12' and you can always cut them. Only reason to go less if you dont have the space on the other side. Basically I think the longer the better.

Awesome!!

@@floridaman9045 what is the length of the 2x4 horizontal of gate? And how much excess did you leave off the left side for rollers? Height from top to bottom 2x4 horizontal post?

Wind wont knock it over, I have it locked in on the far side and you can't push it off the rollers

Yea I changed it up. still works great

You got it! Good luck!

pretty sure I just used 2.5" deck screws, except when I was screwing into the 4x4's I may of used 3" or 3.5". Also used like 1.25" when screwing in the pickets.

That would be awesome

These poles are the only ones I saw at Lowes when I went, I think the top rails aren't as wide and may have a little more sag. I could be wrong, but I think they make 10-20 foot sections of top rail, It may be worth trying just making sure you add supports underneath. The other concern might be the rollers being a little too big for those rails. But It may work just fine.

I guess someone could, there is nowhere for them to grab on the side where the wheels and its kind of heavy. Hard to lift even with the handle.

TY!

I'm sorry I'm not sure what you mean by that question

I think you mean, "I'M SORRY IM NOT SURE WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT QUESTION."@@floridaman9045

No problem, good luck!

thank you

Thanks!

I'm not sure about that, I have never looked into it.

Called galvanized pipe straps

@@floridaman9045 could you share me a link or video on how you went about putting the diagonal and the 90s on the actual gate. How you screwed them together. I saw you made two angled cuts on the diagonal to the 90s but not sure how you screwed them together

@@floridaman9045from Amazon too for the clamps?

@@ronieramirez4842 I don't have a video on how I did them, but I screwed them in from the 4 inch side of the 2x4's into the horizontal and vertical piece, almost toe-nailing them if that makes sense

How did you join the chain link post if there the same diameter

Just buy two 8’ pipes and butt them together to create the 16’ bar and add three straps to the joint. I just replicated this method of gate yesterday and it was a success

Thank you!

Thank you! I don't have a material list, the 2x4's are 16'. Good luck!

TY

Yea I changed my mind, still think the pole would of worked fine though

I think around $600 at the time.

Still holding up great!

@floridaman9045 thank you so much! I just got all of my supplies today! I'm going for 20ft. I'm starting on it tomorrow lol

@@cregxy good luck!

I made it so you can't on purpose

Thank you!

Hahahah I'm far from that, but thanks! Good Luck!