Reducing rattle in a large panel

[Joe Hendershott]

I have a gate I am making that will have a single floating panel inside rails and stiles. The panel is 22mm thick and will float inside. Looking for some suggestions for a product similar to space balls but large enough for this 22 millimeter groove and keep the movement and rattling in check.

[Lee Schierer]

You can make your own "space balls" by squeezing out silicone sealant onto a sheet of wax paper. With a little care you can make the strings any diameter that you need. Once it cures, cut it into short segments

[Joe Hendershott]

That might work, thanks.

[Robert Engel]

Space balls, etc. are really meant to keep the panel centered and allow for expansion/contraction. If the panel panel fits too loosely in the groove, it will still rattle.

The best prevention for rattling is to match the groove perfectly to the panel.

[Joe Hendershott]

That will not be a problem, the seasonal movement will surely make the most perfect fit move a bit.

[Erik Loza]

What about foam ear plugs? I think that's what Space Balls are, but larger.

Erik

[mreza Salav]

You can also use weather strip foams inside the grooves.

[Jamie Buxton]

You can halve the panel movement by adding a middle stile and making each panel half the size.

[Joe Hendershott]

Thanks for all the ideas guys. I may be able to find some appropriate weather stripping for this.

[Adam Herman]

mcmaster carr sells about 100 different sizes and types of rubber balls. just search for "ball" in the search box on the site.

i may be weary of anything foam holding water in the groove.

[Al Launier]

Have you considered 7/8 Polyethylene Closed Cell Foam rope caulking. I've used various diameters, not 7/8", perhaps it's available??? HD/Lowes???

[Joe Hendershott]

.

i may be weary of anything foam holding water in the groove.

Good point. Thank you. I will check out the offerings.

[Jamie Buxton]

If you build the gate like you would an indoor door, where the panel fits into a dado on all four sides, you will get water pooling in the dado at the bottom. Water pooling inside the gate i going to lead to rot. A fix is to reverse the tongue-and-groove joint at the bottom of the panel. Put the groove in the panel, and the tongue on the rail. No pooling.

[glenn bradley]

I have done this. I have also just put a blob of silicon every so often in the groove prior to assembling the panel and frame. I position the panel where I want it in the “float“, and then when the silicone dries I have custom Spaceballs.

You can make your own "space balls" by squeezing out silicone sealant onto a sheet of wax paper. With a little care you can make the strings any diameter that you need. Once it cures, cut it into short segments

[Rich Engelhardt]

What about foam ear plugs? I think that's what Space Balls are, but larger.

Space balls are a lot harder than foam (or silicone for that matter) & it takes quite a bit pf pressure to compress them.