Looking to build a set of driveway gates. OD is 12′ split 6′ each side. Did a search but came up empty. Not looking for short cuts. Best wood to use that paint/stainable? hinges 4 per side too many? Best connections @ joints. I’ve made small garden gates but nothing this size. TY for you help.
steel post supporting gates will be anchored in concrete pier 36″ deep, I’ll wrap the posts with wood or stone.
Edited 1/23/2008 2:15 am ET by Rackman
Replies
The big issue, which you didn't mention, is the posts that the gates hang on. The gates weigh a lot, and they're going to spend years trying to pull the posts over. Pro installations use stout posts buried a long way into the ground, and/or concrete, and/or diagonal bracing back along a fence line.
As was said previously, the gate is cantelivered out over the driveway and puts a lot of sideways force on the top of the hinge post. You need to keep the post from leaning into the drive until the gate hits the ground. Don't forget that the gate spends much of its time open and the end of each side also needs to be supported when open. On the farm, a support post alongside the drive is used with a bracket that the end of the gate sits upon when open.
Wood? I've used redwood and white oak for gates and prefer the white oak in all but price. However, I've got a good gate that has a strong white oak frame and lighter weight redwood filler boards. If you live towards the south east, you may be able to get cypress boards that may be good also.
I build alot of these for a living. If you don`t have the option of anchoring to the house on each side,then I would set 6/6 cedar posts in the ground as deep as you can go.As for the frame clear cedar 2 in thick ,M/T joinery.If you can get SST 4 in ball bearing hinges then use them. Keep the stiles at least 5in wide so you can use regular door locks.If posts in the ground don`t thrill you then build stone pillars with wood jams inserted on the insides.These will never move.
Good luck.
There is a thread going on over at breaktime about this very thing.
Brick column pricing-I think.
Yep, that is the one I started and was going to point the OP to it. Thanks for saving me the time!
dlb
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The undisciplined life is not worth examining.
Do you have a source for the hinges you mentioned??? Thanks for the tip.
Dorex,or try stanley.
If your gate design allows for a compression brace or shear panel, you should be OK. If not, you might consider a steel frame with applied wood. If you use wood alone you will have to be extremely diligent about yearly maintenance, depending on your weather type.
Paul
Is 12 ft. total width, enough? And, is that actual clearance between the opened gates, not just the distance between the posts. That's OK, but not generous, for a driveway, but on the few occasions where full width vehicles must pass through--such as fire trucks and moving vans--I'd suspect that a little more clearance might be desirable. Sure the maximum on the road width is 8 or 8 1/2 feet but I don't think that includes mirrors and the like.
Would you consider putting a caster under each half of the gate? This would help support the latch side and help prevent the torque on the hinges.
Google "Snug Cottage imports" for some nice gate hardware. Its in a English cottage style. Don't know if that will work for you. They have gate plans, too.
Mike
Good site, Thanks for the info.
Thanks for all the tips. I believe I'll create a steel frame, sandwiched with wood. Like an oreo cookie
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