Critique my gate design

[IHDiesel73L]

I'm installing a fence and need to incorporate an 8' wide gate where it runs along the end of the driveway so that I can get my pickup, lawn tractor, etc...into the backyard. The gate will consist of two 4' wide doors which will be hung on 6 x 6 x 10' posts sunk about 30" in concrete. The gates will be pretty heavy as they'll be made of the same material as the fence (pressure treated lumber) plus they'll have extra bracing to keep the frames from sagging. One way I thought to keep the posts from bending/sagging inward from the weight of the doors would be to place a crossbeam (like a lintel) on top of the two posts. This way the beam would act as a spreader, holding the tops of the posts apart so that they can't bend inward. The crossbeam would consist of a 6 x 6 x 10' timber sandwiched between two 2 x 8 x 10' boards. It's a little hard to visualize so I attached a PDF to this post with a quick diagram I whipped up. Clearance from the ground to the bottom of the beam would be 7'-0" so my truck would fit just fine, which is the largest vehicle I'd be bringing through. I don't have a septic in the backyard so I can't think of any other reason I would need to bring very large trucks or equipment back there that wouldn't fit through the gate. I also figure that the post should be plenty stout so I could use it to hang deer and suspend other things with a block and tackle if need be. Tell me what you think...

 

[J_J]

Looks good to me. I would put some gravel under the post so the water can drain, otherwise, don't encase the post in concrete.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

Looks good to me. I would put some gravel under the post so the water can drain, otherwise, don't encase the post in concrete.

I learned that lesson (here on TBN actually) and all my posts will have a gravel "footing." Only the gate posts and corner posts will be concreted in anyway-the rest of the posts will sit on a gravel footing and the holes will be backfilled with tamped stone dust or crusher run as its called in some parts.

 

[jimmyj]

Is there any way you can make it bigger than eight feet? That's pretty tight. I know you say it's big enough but trust me, I have had to make a couple of gates bigger years later and if it's not too hard at the time.....

Anyhow, good luck!

 

[CowwFace]

Is there any way you can make it bigger than eight feet? That's pretty tight. I know you say it's big enough but trust me, I have had to make a couple of gates bigger years later and if it's not too hard at the time.....

Anyhow, good luck!

Hey IH,

My 2cents would be to go at least a bit taller. The threads on TBN about ROPS and hitting stuff are FULL of stories ... Even another 6 to 12 Inches in height would make sure that would not be a problem. And just a bit wider.. incase you ever need to back a double axle trailer etc back there...

Of coarse it's easy to go bigger on your nickle!!

Carry on

 

[hawkeye08]

You might also consider the weight of the gate pulling on the post when the gate is open. The cross piece would certainly do the job when the gate is closed, but unless the gate has a place to rest when open, you could be tipping your posts over time.

 

[Tompet]

I agree with Jimmy make it a little wider. Either two 4.5' gates or two 5' gates...8' width is too tight. I agree with CowwFace...make it a little taller using 6x6x12' instead of 10'...this way you can have at least 8' of clearance for any tractor ROPS etc. I usually agree about not over scaling things but IMO you plans call for a slight bump up in size for stated use. Good Luck with your project!
tp

 

[orezok]

I would consider both wider and higher. You never know when a fire truck or ambulance will have to come into your yard and it won't fit.

 

[Travelover]

I wouldn't put that piece across the top. Eventually you'll want to move something higher through that gate. Instead, I'd brace the gate posts like you'd brace a corner post, with an angled support.

 

[IHDiesel73L]

All good points-thanks. Especially about the fire truck or ambulance-never thought about that one. I think I definitely will go higher but I can't go much wider unfortunately-we live in a fairly tightly packed subdivision and on one side is the wall of my garage and the other side is the setback line for the fence. I might be able to stretch it out to 9', but that would be the max. As long as I can get my Toyota mini-truck back there I'll be happy. As for the ROP hitting the crossbeam I wish I had a tractor that big! :laughing: My John Deere 110 will fit through just fine. Once we move to a larger piece of property I'll have a wider/higher gate. I do need to look for some kind of carrier for the gate though. Maybe I can rig something up with an some old wheelbarrow tires?

 

[Egon]

Put wheels on the gate.:thumbsup:

 

[studor]

Your profile does not say where you are putting this gate in terms of weather but in some places three feet is not deep enough to prevent frost form pushing out the posts -- JMHO, I like the rest of it

 

[eepete]

Make it as wide as you can. Our fire trucks need a 10 x 10 box to drive through. Other departments go with a 12 foot height clearance on their rigs. So if you plant 16 foot long vertical columns you can put a top on it.

If you really have a 9 foot width constraint, well, thats what you have. You might want to visit your fire department and see if they can fit. You can also find out what size ambulances they have. Our county just upped the size of their ambulances, and its good and bad. There will be some driveways they can't get down into now. If emergency apparatus can't fit, then have a plan B for how they can in to the area if this gate is the only way in.

If there is other access for emergency vehicles for this area, I'd still opt for a 10 x 10 hole for a tractor if you can. Failing that height, have some way you can unscrew carriage bolts and remove the top piece if need be (and use stainless bolts). If 9 feet is all you can get, well, that's all you can get (but you can still do the removable top).

Agree on a supporting latch or wheels for the non hinge side of the gate.

Pete

 

[jimmysisson]

Can you get any additional width by swing the gate on one side only (away from the garage) and using a wheel as mentioned? Wider is always better, and the wheel eliminates the need for a top brace. 4' in the ground just makes the post stronger in use. I agree not to use concrete around the post - washed or crushed stone is best, tamped hard. You can use that under the post as well, so you don't need concrete, just tamp it hard first. No cross-piece = no height restriction and = shorter post = win/win.
Jim

 

[nap61]

I usually agree that bigger is better, but, if I read you plan correctly, you are using 6.0' high gates. Do you need them that high for privacy? If not, you could save some weight by going smaller. That would put less stress on the posts.

Norm

 

[jayste]

I have to agree with others on several points. Go the full 9' width and higher if possible. For support on the doors go with wheels. I've made brackets for my 16' farm gates to acommodate wheels that you can buy for tubular gates. You might want to put them on the inside. Looking forward to the project and seeing pics.:thumbsup:

 

[rd_macgregor]

I didnt' see where you live, but if you get any snow, you might want the swinging gate/doors to be elevated at least a few inches. A recreational vehicle, or even a big SUV with roof box, might exceed your seven foot design clearance, so an 8' X 8' opening would give you an extra safety margin.
If you are looking for lots of privacy and/or containing animals, this design (essentially a couple of 4X8 sheets!) should do the trick. If you are just aiming to discourage miscellaneous trespassers, a more open gate design would save materials and weight and would not look quite so forbidding.
Either way, you could adapt this design to an automatic/remote control electric opener, if you wanted to (I assume there is electricity available in your adjacent garage).
BOB

 

[catskinner]

If your using a header board, attach gates to a rail overhead like you would a barn door.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

I'll recommend 9' wide, 9' tall. You never know what you might want to haul back there in the bed of the pickup.

The 2x8's making the sandwich at the top don't have to be full length. I would just go with gussets or angled braces near the posts, or even cut a mortise and tenon joint.

The top beam is mostly stressed in tension and a 6x6 is way plenty strong. Having that full length sandwich will also invite rot.

 

[jml755]

How big is your backyard? You say you live in a "closely packed subdivision", so I can't imagine a need for a fire truck or ambulance to get back there. They'd just park on the street in just about every situation I could think of and lug stuff/people to/from the scene. Otherwise, nothing wrong with your idea, a little overkill in my mind, but it'll sure work. And if you're going to use a lintel, why use 6x6 posts? 4x6's or even 4x4's would probably be ok considering you're balancing the bending forces on the posts.