Driveway timber gates
Discussion
I am looking to have some nice wooden gates built for our driveway, but not 100% on what the best option is.
Few things for certain:
-Must be wooden
-Must be high (approx. 6 ft)
-Must be solid - Mrs doesn't want people to be able to see through
The opening between the wall posts is 12 feet wide, which I initially thought was plenty but its probably more 'average'. Not wide enough to have a solid hardwood main gate with a pedestrian gate at the side.
So I am looking at a pair of 6ft wide, 6ft tall in-swinging (likely hardwood) gates. Havent yet ruled out a sliding gate. Ideally would like electric, but not sure its worth the expense?
The dilemma is that the house only has 1 door, which is around the back, and access up the drive is needed to get to it.
We have a young daughter who we would like to allow to play in the garden in summer time, so the driveway gates will need to be closed most the time.
I have seen some gates with a 'wicket gate' built in, which may be our best option? Does anybody have experience of these?
I thought about knocking a section of the wall down and having a pedestrian gate built, however there is a drain/sewer right outside where I'd want it. Inside of the wall is all grass so would need a path building there also.
Does anyone have any suggestions/alternatives?
And on the off chance, any recommended suppliers/fitters in the Doncaster/S
horpe area?
Here's a rough photo showing the arrangement:
Few things for certain:
-Must be wooden
-Must be high (approx. 6 ft)
-Must be solid - Mrs doesn't want people to be able to see through
The opening between the wall posts is 12 feet wide, which I initially thought was plenty but its probably more 'average'. Not wide enough to have a solid hardwood main gate with a pedestrian gate at the side.
So I am looking at a pair of 6ft wide, 6ft tall in-swinging (likely hardwood) gates. Havent yet ruled out a sliding gate. Ideally would like electric, but not sure its worth the expense?
The dilemma is that the house only has 1 door, which is around the back, and access up the drive is needed to get to it.
We have a young daughter who we would like to allow to play in the garden in summer time, so the driveway gates will need to be closed most the time.
I have seen some gates with a 'wicket gate' built in, which may be our best option? Does anybody have experience of these?
I thought about knocking a section of the wall down and having a pedestrian gate built, however there is a drain/sewer right outside where I'd want it. Inside of the wall is all grass so would need a path building there also.
Does anyone have any suggestions/alternatives?
And on the off chance, any recommended suppliers/fitters in the Doncaster/S
horpe area?Here's a rough photo showing the arrangement:
The little gate within a gate is probably your best option especially if you want to electrify as it will give you the odd issue from time to time. Even if it's only big enough to crawl through you can get through, release the electric motors so they can free wheel and you can open the gates.
Check the strength of your gate posts. I have very similar sized solid wooden gates and the forces are huge on very windy days. My old setup didn't have a central pin to locate the leafs when closed, the wind got up but from the back of the gates, wiped out the motors and pushed the gates beyond what the hinge travels. The hinges were super strong, so next weakest link was the posts, which fell down.
Automating can be relatively inexpensive, mine was around £500 fitted by myself. But be prepared to spend a while getting it all setup just so. Then with regular tweaking every 3-4 weeks.
Looking at your setup I'd go sliding gate, much more reliable and will give you less problems with high winds. Easier to electrically lock, less moving parts.
Edit-Looking again, inward swinging gates would need to be a long way off the ground as your drive is sloped. Or have very wonky posts!
Check the strength of your gate posts. I have very similar sized solid wooden gates and the forces are huge on very windy days. My old setup didn't have a central pin to locate the leafs when closed, the wind got up but from the back of the gates, wiped out the motors and pushed the gates beyond what the hinge travels. The hinges were super strong, so next weakest link was the posts, which fell down.
Automating can be relatively inexpensive, mine was around £500 fitted by myself. But be prepared to spend a while getting it all setup just so. Then with regular tweaking every 3-4 weeks.
Looking at your setup I'd go sliding gate, much more reliable and will give you less problems with high winds. Easier to electrically lock, less moving parts.
Edit-Looking again, inward swinging gates would need to be a long way off the ground as your drive is sloped. Or have very wonky posts!
V8RX7 said:
Wood is a disaster I'd use Millboard or similar which is what my local fabricator uses attached to a steel frame.
Pay attention to this man . I knocked myself up some wooden gates a while ago in much the same situation , they've never been any good , moving around and swelling and shrinking in different weathers . I've now got a few lengths of steel in my outbuilding awaiting me to get my arse into gear and weld them together into a frame . V8RX7 said:
Wood is a disaster I'd use Millboard or similar which is what my local fabricator uses attached to a steel frame.
Thats stuff looks great, was thinking of options for my gates as wood is a real pain and want a virtually maintenance free setup. Doesn't seem like many suppliers and none where I am. Is it spendy stuff?paulwirral said:
Pay attention to this man . I knocked myself up some wooden gates a while ago in much the same situation , they've never been any good , moving around and swelling and shrinking in different weathers . I've now got a few lengths of steel in my outbuilding awaiting me to get my arse into gear and weld them together into a frame .
This. I would never consider a wood only gate. I have a similar sized electrically operated cedar clad metal frames gate. The only issues I have with it is the whacking great solid oak post that is buried deep in the ground, "moves" as the weather changes causing the gap in the middle to close up.Uggers said:
V8RX7 said:
Wood is a disaster I'd use Millboard or similar which is what my local fabricator uses attached to a steel frame.
Thats stuff looks great, was thinking of options for my gates as wood is a real pain and want a virtually maintenance free setup. Doesn't seem like many suppliers and none where I am. Is it spendy stuff?IIRC they come out around the same price as reasonably decorative steel.
I'm sure there are similar products too.
Uggers said:
Thats stuff looks great, was thinking of options for my gates as wood is a real pain and want a virtually maintenance free setup. Doesn't seem like many suppliers and none where I am. Is it spendy stuff?
£56-£65 per board (176mm wide x 3600mm length x 32mm depth) here.Does look quite good.
Edited by NewChurch on Friday 27th January 16:06
Thanks for the comments/suggestions.
Sounds like a sliding gate may be the way to go then. The area behind the wall is grassed, and a slight incline as you get further away from the gate area, but i'm guessing this wouldn't matter too much as a trench would need digging to lay tracks down anyway?
Can a wicket gate be integrated into these still? A sliding gate would make even more sense to have pedestrian access, for the postman/delivery people etc.
And as I work away I'd like it to be as secure & maintenance free as possible so the mrs doesn't have issues, so the millboard sounds interesting, will have a look at that as never heard of it til now.
Sounds like a sliding gate may be the way to go then. The area behind the wall is grassed, and a slight incline as you get further away from the gate area, but i'm guessing this wouldn't matter too much as a trench would need digging to lay tracks down anyway?
Can a wicket gate be integrated into these still? A sliding gate would make even more sense to have pedestrian access, for the postman/delivery people etc.
And as I work away I'd like it to be as secure & maintenance free as possible so the mrs doesn't have issues, so the millboard sounds interesting, will have a look at that as never heard of it til now.
mrpbailey said:
A sliding gate would make even more sense to have pedestrian access, for the postman/delivery people etc
If you want it for security then you can't let delivery people in - except via buzzer etcOr you open it at say 8am and close it at say 5pm
I moved mine back a bit and fitted a mail box to the post.
Sliding gate would be your best option there,I fitted gates for many years and you should go electric as you will never bother closing manual gates. The lads I used to work with are the best in Yorks/N.Lincs. http://www.swangates.com/
mrpbailey said:
And on the off chance, any recommended suppliers/fitters in the Doncaster/Shorpe area?
Im in Sheffield and I had a pair of timber gates made to size by Wentworth Sawmills (in Wentworth) not a million miles from you. They were lovely gates and appeared well made. This was about 12 yrs ago and we've since moved house but I often drive past our old house and the gates are still looking good. They came and did a site visit, took measurements, quoted and then installed. They also made me some bespoke timber trellis panels for the garden, and a small garden gate. Couldn't fault them.horpe area?Wentworth Sawmills were taken over a few years ago and are now called Earnshaws
https://www.jobearnshaw.co.uk
We fit a lot of wood effect aluminium gates. Google stargates. Wont say they look exactly like timber but a good maintenance free option. Your installer should will be able to set two openings for either full or pedestrian openings. Make sure you get a force test and risk assessment if there's kids around to make sure there set at the correct levels as per new regulations.
Thanks for all the input. Some very nice looking gates, very similar to what we'd like on the Swan Gates & Stargate website.
I'm guessing that gate installers/fabricators are currently inundated with work, as the 3 companies I've so far contacted haven't bothered to get back to me in nearly a week.
I'm guessing that gate installers/fabricators are currently inundated with work, as the 3 companies I've so far contacted haven't bothered to get back to me in nearly a week.
Based on my experience of getting tradesman to actually show. I go see them at their premises instead.
You see their workmanship and they will be able to give a fairly close idea on price if you have approx measurements and a photo of the setup. You can then decide to go ahead or not and they will sort out accurate measurements of their own.
You see their workmanship and they will be able to give a fairly close idea on price if you have approx measurements and a photo of the setup. You can then decide to go ahead or not and they will sort out accurate measurements of their own.
Uggers said:
Based on my experience of getting tradesman to actually show. I go see them at their premises instead.
You see their workmanship and they will be able to give a fairly close idea on price if you have approx measurements and a photo of the setup. You can then decide to go ahead or not and they will sort out accurate measurements of their own.
Normally I would do this, but I'm currently working in South Korea and was hoping to make some progress on this while I am away, and arrange for the work to be done when I'm home next month. You see their workmanship and they will be able to give a fairly close idea on price if you have approx measurements and a photo of the setup. You can then decide to go ahead or not and they will sort out accurate measurements of their own.
Only 1 company has replied so far and that is the Stargate's mentioned a couple of posts up. However they are more of a supplier, and don't have any fitters reasonably local.
Just annoys me when people don't bother to respond. Must not need the work.
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