GATES AND FENCES.
[Illustration: Figs. 65 and 66.--Front View and Plan of Solid Garden
Gate.]
In many gardens there is a space devoted to the tool-house, potting
shed, refuse head, etc. Shrubberies of course hide the unsightly
appearance of this particular spot to a certain extent, but it may be
found desirable to close the entrance to this part of the garden from
the remainder, and the gate illustrated in front elevation by Fig. 65
is, from its semi-rustic nature, particularly suitable. Fig. 66 shows a
plan and Fig. 67 is a part back view. The gate is quite simple in
construction, and should be of sufficient height to obstruct the view
from each side.
[Illustration: Fig. 67.--Part Back View of Frame for Solid Garden Gate.]
Local circumstances will of course determine the width of the gate, but
the one illustrated by Fig. 65 is constructed on a framework 6 ft.
square, the total height being 8 ft. The timber for the frame need not
be planed.
[Illustration: Figs. 68 to 70.--Joints in Frame of Solid Garden Gate.]
[Illustration: Figs. 71 and 72.--Fixing Ends of Twigs.]
[Illustration: Fig 73.--Detail of Closing Stile.]
Cut the closing and hingeing stiles 6 ft. long out of stuff 6 in. wide
by 2-1/2 in. thick. The three rails are of the same dimensions, and can
be halved and dovetailed to the stiles or, better, mortised, tenoned,
and wedged and braced, as shown in Figs. 68, 69, and 70. Separate pieces
of stuff are fixed up the centre to form a muntin for supporting the
rustic work; the necessity is obvious from Fig. 66, where it will be
noticed the twigs are outlined on the frame. Each twig has a bearing on
the frame, and can thus be nailed individually.
[Illustration: Figs. 74 and 75.--Designs for Rustic Gates.]
Two stout gate hinges and hooks are required, and they can be bolted on
with 7/16-in. Whitworth bolts and nuts, or secured from the back with
square-headed coach screws. Now commence fixing on the unbarked twigs;
they should be as straight as possible and used in their natural shape,
without being split in halves.
The terminations of the joints for circular stuff are slightly different
from the ends of the half-round stuff; see Figs. 71 and 72. Start by
fixing the outside square, then the two inner squares, and finally the
diagonal filling.
The posts are 9 in. or 10 in. in diameter by 9 ft. long, 3 ft. being
underground. Cut three mortises in the posts to receive the rails for
the side fencing. These rails are nailed flush to the secondary posts,
nails also being driven through each mortise in the gate posts. Next
dig the holes for the posts, these being kept at correct distances apart
by nailing battens to the top and at the ground line while ramming in
the posts. Two parts of old brickwork and one part of Portland cement
will make a good concrete for the posts.
A week or more should elapse before the gate is hung to the posts. This
may then be propped up fair between the two posts, and the positions
should be marked for the staple of the latch, and hooks for the hinges.
A rebate is formed for the gate on the posts by nailing on split
sapling; see Figs. 67 and 73. Finally, a short post can be driven in the
ground and fitted with a hook for retaining the gate when open wide.
[Illustration: Figs. 76 and 77.--Designs for Rustic Gates.]
Suitable designs for small rustic gates are given by Figs. 74 to 77. The
wood for making gates to the two designs (Figs. 76 and 77) should have
the bark removed. The chief rails and posts are about 2 in. thick,
filled in with 1-1/2-in. or 1-in. pieces, halved and nailed together
where they cross. The joints may be hidden by bosses of planed wood (see
Fig. 77). If the gate is to be removable, fix a hook on the hanging
stile to engage with a staple in the joint, and a pin in the bottom to
turn round in a socket. The gate is then easily taken out of its
hangings. Varnish the wood on completion.
[Illustration: Figs. 78 and 79.--Designs for Fences.]
Rustic fences can be constructed as shown in Figs. 78 to 80.
The garden trellis illustrated at Fig. 81 will form an attractive
addition to the grounds of a suburban or country villa residence. In the
case of new houses, the existence of such a trellis, with creepers ready
planted, will often prove a deciding factor in effecting a quick sale or
letting. The structure extends to a length of about 20 ft., but the
dimensions may readily be altered to suit requirements. The material may
be fir or other straight unbarked saplings and twigs. The posts are 12
ft. long; the four for the arch being 4 in. in diameter, and the others
3 in. or 3-1/2 in. The rails are 2-1/2 in. in diameter, and the twigs
for the trellis, etc., 1-3/4 in. or 2 in. The bay seat with canopy is 6
ft. long by 1 ft. 4 in. wide.
[Illustration: Fig. 80.--Design for Fence.]
The position of the seats and posts and of the shores A, B, and C is
clearly shown in the plan (Fig. 82). The arrangement of the double posts
adds materially to the stiffness of the framework, making long shores
unnecessary. The shores are placed 3 ft. 6 in. above the ground line,
and are inclined at an angle of 50°. The posts are sunk into the ground
a distance of 3 ft., and well rammed in; rubble stones being mixed with
the earth, as shown in the vertical section (Fig. 83).
[Illustration: Figs. 81 and 82.--General View and Ground Plan of Rustic
Trellis with Seats and Gate.]
[Illustration: Fig. 83.--Vertical Section of Trellis.]
[Illustration: Fig. 84.--Section through End Post and Trellis.]
[Illustration: Fig. 85.--Detail of Back of Seat for Trellis.]
[Illustration: Fig. 86.--Alternative Design for Gate.]
The arch may with advantage be entirely fitted together before being put
in position, as a better job can thus be made of the joints of the short
rails and struts. The joints in the remainder of the work, with the
exception of the gate, are of the simplest description. The rail ends
are bevelled and notched to the posts, and secured with nails as shown
in the sectional view of the trellis at Fig. 84.
Having erected the framework in position, next sink and well ram the
shores deep into the ground, and splay and nail the top ends to the
uprights. Also fix the shorter posts for the seats, letting them into
the ground about 1 ft. 6 in. The end seat bearers are fixed to the end
posts, and the centre bearers to the front and back central posts. The
seat battens are saplings split in two, the flat portion being laid
downwards and nailed to the bearers (see Fig. 83). Fig. 85 is an
enlarged section through the seat back, showing the method of securing
the smaller twigs to the rails. The fixing of the vertical pieces in the
lower part, and the inclined lengths above, will complete this portion
of the screen.
The gate, shown enlarged at Fig. 86, which gives an alternative design,
is 3 ft. 9 in. wide by 4 ft. 6 in. high. The stiles are 4 ft. 9 in. long
and about 2-1/2 in. in diameter, and should be as straight as possible,
with the twigs neatly trimmed on; the rails should be at least 2-1/4 in.
in diameter, trimmed to fit the stiles, and secured with inserted
hardwood dowels 1 in. in diameter, as shown at Fig. 26, p. 27.
The diagonal struts in the top panel should be fitted and in place
before the rails and stiles are finally secured; the vertical twigs in
the lower panel should be similarly fitted and nailed before the rails
are secured to the stiles. Ordinary forged hooks and eyes are used for
hanging the gate; these are secured to the stile and post with nuts and
washers, as shown in the enlarged horizontal section (Fig. 87).
[Illustration: Fig. 87.--Method of Hanging and Latching Gate.]
A mortice is cut in the closing stile to receive the latch, the catch
for the latter being a simple forging (see Fig. 88) with a pointed tang
for driving into the post.
A rustic carriage entrance is shown by Fig. 89. The intention is, of
course, that the rustic archway above the gates shall be more or less
clothed with climbing plants. It is for roses that the structure will be
best adapted, though clematis or honeysuckle will look well upon it. Ivy
would look too heavy, and, if neglected, might even prove too heavy in
other respects. Light as the arch may appear, the four posts grouped to
form the turret on either side are so tied and braced together as to be,
to all intents and purposes, a solid pillar, 30 in. square, and fully
equal to resisting any outward thrust of the rafters. In the elevation
(Fig. 89), to avoid confusion, no indication is given of the work
forming the farther side of the arch, though something of it would
necessarily be seen from the front; the two sides will be alike. Figs.
89 and 90 are drawn to a scale of 1/2 in. to the foot.
[Illustration: Fig. 88.--Catch for Gate.]
The posts, and at least all the more important straight pieces, should
be of larch. The wood chosen for filling-in should have picturesque
forks and contortions. Small oak bangles will, perhaps, be most
appropriate.
In the ground plan of the left-hand turret (Fig. 90) it will be seen
that the posts used--four at each end--are some 5 in. or 6 in. in
diameter, and that the largest is selected as hanging-post for the gate.
From centre to centre they are set 2 ft. 3 in. apart. They are 13 ft.
long--that is, 10 ft. 4 in. above ground and 2 ft. 8 in. below. The
rafters of the arch spring from them 7 ft. from the ground, and at this
point each post is surrounded by a cap, formed of four pieces of
quartered stuff nailed upon it. The rafters are not mortised into the
post, but if, instead of being merely nailed, they are attached by a
bolt and nut, a stronger joint will be made.
[Illustration: Fig 89.--Elevation of Rustic Carriage Entrance.]
The upper rafters, back and front, are connected by five straight
cross-pieces, whose ends show in Fig. 89. The spaces between these are
filled up very much at random with crooked stuff.
The four posts of each turret are bound together close beneath their
tops by cross-pieces nailed outside them, whilst from their tops, and
nailed down to them, slant four short rafters, which meet pyramid-wise
in the centre. The filling up of the upper parts of the turrets, as well
as of the front and back of the arch, is with a mixture of straight and
crooked stuff, the arrangement of which is clearly shown in the
elevation (Fig. 89).
[Illustration: Fig. 90.--Plan of Left Side of Carriage Entrance.]
The lower parts of the turrets and the gates must be constructed in such
a way as to exclude animals; the palings are so arranged as not to leave
a space between them wider than 3 in. The rails of the gates should, of
course, be mortised into the heads and hinge-trees.