Garden Gate

[Dennis McDonaugh]

I'm making an 80X32" gate that looks like a frame and panel door. The frame is 2X6 cedar and the panel is 3/4 cedar T&G. I used M&T for the frame--the tenon is 5" wide by 4" long and I plan to drawbore the joint. I'm unceratain what size dowel and how many I should use to pin the joint. Should I use more smaller pins, maybe three 1/4" white oak dowels at each corner or should I use fewer larger pins, say two 1/2" or maybe 1 3/4"?

[Dave Falkenstein]

Just a guess on my part, but I would use two larger dowels in each joint. I would also be tempted to find some decorative right angle braces, made from hammered steel or a similar material, and use those to add even more strength to the corners. A gate that large and heavy will have a strong tendency to sag. A decorative brace will add an interesting trim to the gate, IMHO.