05 Walk, Double & Arched
Gates that still swing true in year ten.
A gate is the only part of your fence with moving parts, the part you touch every day, and the part that fails first when it is built as an afterthought. We build gates as their own piece of joinery, matched to your fence line and hung to stay square.
Types we build
- Walk gates — typically 3ft to 4ft wide for garden and side access.
- Double drive gates — two leaves meeting at the centre for driveways, boat and trailer access, spanning 10ft to 16ft and beyond.
- Arched and scalloped tops — a curved top rail that lifts a plain run and marks the entrance.
- Matching infill — built in the same board, picket or ornamental profile as the fence, so the gate reads as part of the line rather than a patch in it.
Why gates sag, and how we stop it
A gate leaf is a lever. Every pound of it is trying to rotate around the hinge, and gravity works on it every hour of every day. Sagging is not bad luck — it is a specification failure.
We oversize and over-set the hinge post, because it carries the entire load. We brace the leaf diagonally from the bottom hinge corner up towards the latch, so the frame works in compression rather than pulling itself apart. We use heavy strap or ball-bearing hinges sized for the actual weight of the leaf, not the smallest hinge that will bolt on. And on wide double gates we fit adjustable turnbuckle bracing so the leaf can be trued up years later without rebuilding it.
Hardware
Hinges, latches, drop rods, cane bolts, gate stops, self-closing hinges and lockable latches where they are needed — in finishes that match the fence. For pool gates we fit self-closing, self-latching hardware positioned to meet Massachusetts barrier requirements. Everything we hang is galvanised, stainless or powder-coated, because a rusted hinge pin will stain a cedar gate permanently.
Questions
Custom Gates questions we get asked.
How wide can a double gate be?
Commonly 10ft to 16ft for a driveway, and wider is achievable. Beyond a certain span the leaves get heavy enough that hinge post sizing, diagonal bracing and drop-rod support become critical rather than optional.
Can you add a gate to my existing fence?
Usually yes. The question is whether your existing posts can carry a gate — often they cannot, and we set a properly sized hinge post. We will tell you at the estimate which situation you are in.
Will the gate match my fence exactly?
That is the intention. We build gates from the same material, profile and height as the run so the line is unbroken. On a repair or an addition to an older fence, we will be honest about how closely weathered timber can be matched.
Do you fit automatic gate openers?
We build and hang the gate, and we will specify and prepare it for automation — correct leaf weight, hinge type and post reinforcement — so that an automation installer has something sound to work with.
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