In conditions of small space in front of the garage, lifting gates will come to the rescue. Their design provides for the lifting of the sash under the ceiling. This is much more convenient than conventional swing options. Of course, there are a lot of similar designs from various manufacturers in stores. But you can make lifting gates for the garage with your own hands. It will cost much less than the purchase of a finished design. And the installation of an automatic drive will allow you to remotely control the gate.
Features of Overhead Gates
Before you begin to manufacture gates with a lifting mechanism, you should find out how they differ from other types, what advantages and disadvantages they have. This will help make sure that this type of device is the one you need.
Quite often in our time you can find lifting gates for a garage. Do it yourself with your own hands. The main thing to start is to determine the device of the gate. In any case, the lifting gates perform their functions. In addition, lifting gates have several advantages over other types. They can be used in any room, regardless of size.
Types of gates
Lifting gates are divided into two types:
- Sectional lifting. The door leaf consists of several parts, which are interconnected by a rigid structure. As they rise, they bend and assemble. When lowering, the assembled sections are straightened and aligned to their original (flat) position.
- Rotary. Unlike the previous view, in this case, the main door leaf is not able to undergo deformation. The principle of their action is that the sash will rise along a curved path. In this case, the upper part slightly deepens inward. The rest of the sash rises outside.
Installation of garage doors with a lifting mechanism in two cases occurs almost the same. And you can do it yourself.
Advantages of overhead gates and their disadvantages
Homemade garage lifting gates have a number of undeniable advantages that distinguish them from other types of devices. The main advantages are:
- Save space. To raise the sash, a place is used under the ceiling, which, as a rule, is never used. Due to this, you do not need to spend useful meters on the ground next to the garage.
- Sashes are a one-piece canvas. And this is a reliable protection against the penetration of outsiders.
- It is possible to insulate the sash. Most often, polystyrene foam is used for this.
- It is possible to install a mechanism for automatic lifting.
- Suitable for installing not only single, but also double garages.
- Exterior decoration can be any, due to which the gates will harmoniously fit into the decoration of the garage and the design of the entire plot.
The disadvantages of overhead gates stem from their design. There are not many of them, but you do not need to write them off. The disadvantages are:
- The whole leaf of the sash is not subject to partial repair. In case of damage, it must be replaced completely.
- Gate installation is possible only in rectangular openings.
- Installation requires some knowledge.
- The gate rises up, due to which the height of the opening decreases.
- Warming must be taken into account in advance. The fact is that the mechanism of the lifting gate is designed for a load of a certain size. An additional layer of insulation will entail an increase in the load on the mechanism.
The device of the gate and the principle of their action
The main structural elements that carry the load are the frame, the guides and the mechanism for moving the canvas. The gates open in automatic (via remote control) or manual mode.
Levers are attached to the bottom of the sash. In the upper ends there are two more guides along which the rollers move. With the help of these elements, the sash is lifted. To do this, just pull the handle, which is located at the bottom of the canvas. There are no difficulties with this, since springs in extended condition come to the rescue. The sash lifting pattern can be seen in the picture above.
Hoist gears
The lifting mechanism can be of two types:
- Lever spring. This is the most popular mechanism among garage owners. It is characterized by simplicity of design and reliability. The manufacture of metal gates with a similar mechanism involves the exact regulation of the springs, the exact installation of the guides (along which the rollers will later move).
- If the sash has a large weight, preference is given to a mechanism with a counterweight. In this case, a winch is used. A counterweight is fixed on one side, which is connected to the other edge of the sash using a cable.
The selection of a suitable mechanism is made taking into account a specific situation.
Preparatory work
Before making and installing the lifting gates for the garage with your own hands, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work.
The surface of the walls and ceiling must be flat so that the guides are installed without tilting. Any dust falling on rollers or guides may interfere with the operation of the entire mechanism. Therefore, all construction and finishing work inside the garage must be completed. This does not apply to gender. This is due to the fact that the frame goes inside at least 2 centimeters. Therefore, it will be necessary to complete the construction of the floor after the installation of the garage door is completed.
The opening should be ready to install the gate frame. According to it, the basic calculations are made. Therefore, you need to know its dimensions. The dimensions required for the construction of the gate are described in the drawing for the garage door in the picture below.
Necessary materials and tools
Depending on the size and design of the door, the number of materials required may vary. But with the simplest solution for the manufacture of metal gates, you will need:
- Wooden blocks 120x80 mm for the box;
- Bars of wood 100x100 mm for the ceiling;
- Metal pins to secure the structure;
- Metal corners 35x35x4 mm for the manufacture of the frame;
- Corners from metal 40x440x4 mm for rail;
- Spring with an internal diameter of 30 mm;
- Metal rod with a diameter of 8 mm;
This is a set of necessary materials for the manufacture of doors with manual lifting mode. If desired, you can purchase a drive to automate this process. The list of necessary materials may be changed or supplemented. It is difficult to describe everything in detail, accurate to the screw or bolt. After all, even a slight change in the design of the gate will entail a change in this list.
In order to assemble and mount the lifting gates for the garage with your own hands, you will need a grinder, a drill with drills for metal and wood, a welding machine. Other tools that every owner will also need: a hammer, tape measure, screwdriver, wrenches, level, pencil.
Construction stages
Gates from professional pipes are made in accordance with the following steps:
- Preparation and collection of frames;
- Fastening additional elements.
These steps explain how to make a lifting gate yourself. Next, we consider each stage in detail.
Frame manufacturing
The base on which the gates will be mounted is the frame. It will be on it that the bulk of the load of the entire structure will lie. With its manufacture, the work begins.
The list of required materials shows wooden blocks. This is the simplest and most economical option. They can be replaced with a metal structure, which will be a more reliable option. But everyone makes a choice. This practically does not affect the installation process.
A box is assembled from the bars. To connect them, use metal corners or plates. The lower bar must be buried in the floor by at least 2 cm. This must be taken into account during the assembly process. When the box is twisted (in the case of metal - welded), carry out its control check. She put in the opening and check the position vertically and horizontally. If the frame stands correctly, it is fixed with anchors (metal pins) with a length of 30 cm or more. They are taken at the rate of 1 pin per 1 linear meter.
After that, horizontal guides are installed, which are located under the ceiling.
Installing Rollers
When the frame is installed, you can begin to mount the brackets for the rollers. To prevent the gate from clinging, the upper brackets are mounted a little deeper than the lower ones. This can be clearly seen in the picture below. For fastening the rail using bolts. At this stage, it is very important to accurately measure the level.
At the edges of the rail, clamps are installed. They will hold the rollers, thereby holding the canvas in the open (closed) position.
Sash preparation
The shield itself, which will serve as the gate leaf, can be made of various materials. But, since it will provide reliable protection for the garage, be exposed to external climatic influences, it is better to choose more stable materials. These may be the following options:
- Frame of wooden bars, upholstered on the outside with a metal sheet;
- To frame a frame from metal profiles with metal.
The final (outer) layer can be anything, even plastic. To protect against frost, the shield can be upholstered with a layer of insulation.
In order not to open the gates from the professional pipe every time completely, a gate can be made in the shield. Through it it will be possible to enter (exit) without using the entire structure completely. Some garage owners also have a window in the sash. If necessary, install it is easy.
When the shield is ready, it is installed on the guides and the operability of the mechanism is checked.
Additional items
The installation of the gate is completed by the installation of additional elements. These include handles, locks, heck for fixing the gate.
Handles are necessary in order to open (close) the gate was more convenient. If available, do not cling to the edge of the sash. It is more convenient if the handles are located below the shield. Moreover, both outside and inside.
If the gate is equipped with a gate, then inside you can make a heck. This will allow you to secure your property. This technique will open the sash only from the inside. The same solution can be resorted to if the garage is attached to the house and they are connected by a door.
If the garage is separate and there is no gate, it is necessary to provide locks. If there is no way to buy special ones, then you can hang ordinary ones. They do this with the help of the arms that are mounted on the canvas and the outside of the vertical frame.
The manufacture of metal gates with a lifting mechanism is completed by the external finish of the structure. They are treated with protective equipment, painted, fastened with finishing materials.
Automation system
The automatic drive can be installed on the lifting gate for the garage. Prices for the entire structure will increase from this. But the level of comfort will increase significantly. It will not be necessary to open (close) the gate manually. Everything can be done using the remote control. At the same time, it is important to choose this type of drive so that your garage door is suitable for it. Prices are in the range of 300-800 euros.
Installing the drive is not a problem. The instructions indicate the sawing of contacts, which will need to be followed. It is difficult to give an example, since each manufacturer has its own connection standards.
By connecting an automatic opening system, lifting gates made and installed on their own will not differ from the factory ones. This will enable remote control using the remote control.
So, after completing several simple steps, you can get a lifting gate for the garage. In addition to significant cost savings, this will entail a host of other benefits. This design saves space. The gates do not require free space in front of the garage, as is the case with the swing option. They occupy a place under the ceiling, which is not used in others. An independent choice of materials for the manufacture of the structure will allow you to do everything in accordance with your views and requirements. The addition of a device with automatic drive will increase the level of convenience when using the gate.