I'm building a gate for a new fence I'm finishing off. I want to make mortise and tenon joints for the door. I'm using cedar. Should I use the old standard M&T or are floating tenons acceptable? What's the best glue to use considering this is an outside door. Thx.
Titebond III (Not I or II) should work if you really want to use glue on an outside project. Floating tenons are no worse than conventional. The main problem here is that water gets into the joint, freezes and expands, and loosens it. The wood expansion and contraction with the wide outdoor temperature and humidity swings make it very difficult to seal water out. In general using glue for outdoor strength joints should be avoided. If you don't want to use metal (SS or gavanized) fasteners, cross pin or wedge joinery with your tenons will produce a nice old time look and allow you to retighten the joints if they get loose.
I've been browsing the Charles Prowell Woodworks site looking at his fences, and I'm wondering how he does his gates. The only way I can figure is that he must be using M & T joints on everything. Lots of work, but, if that's what it takes. Thanks for the tip on the glue. I figured it'd have to be something water tight. The gate is for a neighbour so I don't want failure to be an option. Thx.
Door or gate? For a door, I would use a pinned tennon and polyurethane glue or epoxy. For a door a floating tennon would be fine but I would still use polyurethane glue or epoxy. Personally, I use a steel tube frame with wood screwed (SS) to the frame. Gate hinges are welded to the steel posts. Look like wood from the outside.
Made one for my son, now he can tell the kids - "Get out of the house and go play on the gate!"
Dave
LOL. Thx. Good ideas.
Floating tennons are always acceptable. Structurally, there is no difference.
Not necessarily so. Floating tenons are often structurally better because they don't have to take into account the grain of the piece in which a proposed tenon is to be cut.
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