Glossary

Rake

Rake means the ground is not flat. It slopes up or down. For a sliding gate, the slope changes how you measure the opening and how the gate is built.

Rake is just another word for slope. Flat ground has no rake. Sloping ground has rake. Builders also call it fall or grade.

It matters most for sliding gates. A sliding gate slides sideways, so the bottom of the gate has to stay above the ground the whole way it moves. If the ground rises part way along, a flat gate can catch on it.

There are three ways to build for it. Level: flat ground, a square gate. Single rake: the bottom follows the sloping ground while the top stays flat. Double rake: the top and the bottom both slope. You pick the rake mode in CAD60 and it works out the shape and the cut list.

Related terms

Single rakeA gate built for ground that slopes one way. The top stays flat and level; the bottom follows the slope. You measure one height on each side.
Double rakeA gate built for ground where the top and the bottom both slope. You measure four heights from one level line: up to the top and down to the bottom on each side.
Datum lineA line that is perfectly flat and level. You stretch it across an opening and measure from it, so every measurement starts from the same place.
Ground clearanceThe gap between the bottom of a gate and the ground. Too small and the gate catches on dirt and leaves; too big and it is easy to crawl under.
Sliding gateA gate that slides sideways to open, instead of swinging out. Picked when there is no room out front for a gate to swing.

Used in these CAD60 models

Battened Sliding GateParametric sliding gate with a rectangular hollow-tube frame and vertical battens face-fixed to the front. Supports optional tail extension for motor automation and optional L-piece top rail.
Slatted Sliding GateParametric sliding gate with a rectangular hollow-tube frame and evenly-distributed slats. Supports vertical or horizontal slat orientation, optional tail extension for motor automation, and optional L-piece top rail.
Louvred Sliding GateParametric single-piece sliding gate with a rectangular hollow-tube frame, internal vertical stiles dividing the face into bays, and 45-degree louvred battens in each bay. Supports optional tail extension for motor automation, optional mid-rail brace, and optional L-piece top rail.