A Contractor at the New Jersey shore was building an extraordinary home, and they had designed a spectacular infinity edge swimming pool. As part of the pool landscape, and for pool code requirements, gates had to be created. The client’s wife wanted these swimming pool gates to be specially designed around the shape of the moon. And why a moon? She had sentimental connections toward the moon due to the stories that her late mother told her as a girl. And, as for her husband’s requirements…. No visible welds were allowed and it had to be created out of solid bronze with a raw finish. So, in essence, he wanted a “Living Finish” on these gates!
Moon Gate Design
The initial moon gate design was for the pool gate frame to be 2” solid square with 1” solid pickets. Our concern with this design was the sheer weight of the gates on the hinges. So we created a full gate sample with 1 ¾” solid bronze bar frame and another with a 1 ½” square bar frame. After careful consideration, the decision was made to go with the 1 ½” square bar frame design due to proportionality and weight factor.
The pool gates were designed to maximize the yield of one continuous bar. The radius top was rolled in the center of the bar so that no weld was visible. The bottom radius portion of the pool gate was radiused as one piece, then installed in the pool gate with hidden fasteners. Each individual picket was then threaded on one end. Then corresponding holes were drilled and threaded into the bottom of the radius frame. Lastly, the threaded dowels were installed into the holes, and the threaded pickets turned up onto the threaded dowels.
Moon Gate Outer Circle
For the moon gate outer frame, 2” solid bronze was used and rolled into a continuous radius. The challenge with this portion was the client did not want any visible welds, but the length of the bar we had to have was longer then what we would be able to purchase. So the outer moon portion was created in two pieces and then ship-lapped together and attached with countersunk bronze fasteners.
“Bronze” Hinges
Another request from the client was for all gate hinges and latches to be covered with bronze. This took some brainstorming as the pool gate hinges had to open more then 90 degrees yet also allow the gate to telescope inside and outside of itself. So, through trial and error, an ingenious box structure was designed to allow for standard hinges to be used yet giving them a solid bronze look.
Living Finish!
This swimming pool gate project was definitely a challenge, but once completed, was an absolute masterpiece. And, with the “Living Finish”, it will only become more REFINED as it oxidizes along the shore.
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