Braced Gate Frame
A 900 x 1800 mm cedar gate that stays square: three rails and one diagonal brace, every joint bolted through, because a gate with no brace is a gate that sags within a year.
Designthe dimensions everything else is derived from
Cut list sizes are finished sizes. Add 5 mm to the width and 25 mm to the length of every solid-wood part for saw kerf and planing, and buy boards oversize by one thickness so a bowed board can be flattened rather than relegated.
Materialswhat each part is made from, and why
All materialsCut listfinished sizes, worked back from the design
| Part | Qty | Finished size | Stock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stile | 2 | 1800 x 70 x 45 mm | Cedar (Western Red) |
| Rail | 3 | 760 x 70 x 45 mm | Cedar (Western Red) |
| Brace | 1 | 1825 x 70 x 45 mm | Cedar (Western Red) |
Fastenersquantities and lengths that follow from the joints
All standards| Item | Qty | Grip | Standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| M10 x 160 hex bolt, A4 stainless | 12 | 140 mm | ISO 4014 |
| M10 x 130 hex bolt, A4 stainless | 4 | 115 mm | ISO 4014 |
| M10 plain washer | 32 | — | DIN 125 A |
| M10 nylon-insert nut | 16 | — | DIN 985 |
Grip is the sum of the clamped thicknesses. A bolt has to clear the nut by two full threads, which is what sets the length that appears in each row — not a preference.
Toolsand what each one is for on this job
All toolsOrder of workthe sequence, and where it is not free to change
- Cut two stiles, three rails and one brace. The brace is 1825 mm, which is the diagonal of a 760 mm run and a 1660 mm rise.
- Lay the frame out on a flat surface and clamp it, with the diagonals measured equal.
- Check the diagonals again after clamping. This is the moment the gate is either square or not.
- Bore and bolt the six rail joints, snug only.
- Fit the brace so it rises from the bottom of the hinge stile to the top of the latch stile. Fitted the other way round it will pull the gate out of square rather than holding it in.
- Bring all sixteen bolts to torque, then hang the gate.
Where it goes wrongthe three failures worth designing out
- Leaving out the brace, on the reasoning that three rails are enough. Three rails make the frame rigid in bending and still completely free to rack; the brace is the only part resisting that.
- Fitting the brace the wrong way up. It must rise from the hinge side to the latch side, so the load path runs into the hinge rather than hanging off the latch.
- Bolting the frame together before checking the diagonals. Bolted timber does not pull square; the frame has to be square first.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the brace cut to a diagonal and not mitred?
Because it is bolted through the stiles rather than housed between them. A plain square-ended cut is bolted flat against the stile face, which is both stronger and simpler than a mitre that adds nothing.
Can a lighter gate be built with two rails?
Yes, and the brace is still not optional. Rail count follows the depth of the leaf and what it has to resist; the brace answers a different question, which is racking.
What about the hinges and the latch?
They are hardware, not fasteners under a dimensional standard, so they are outside this database. What the database does cover is the bolt pattern in the frame that the hardware then hangs off.