Building Gates on uneven ground

[KCF6Ranch]

I'm in the process (as weather allows) of building some permanent pipe corrals to work our cattle. Our ground isn't very level in some spots where I need to put gates. I was curious how others have dealt with similar situations. One gate needs to be 14ft but the others are 12 footers. Using 1.66" pipe for gates. I thought about building them to match the angle of the ground so they are a uniform height off the ground and open easily but I'm not sure if that is the best approach. I'd appreciate any ideas.

 

[bcp]

I have several on slopes. I build up under them so it is like a gentle speed bump - level crossways to the road. And the gate will only swing open on the downhill side.

A built-to-fit gate would probably be more effort, and would work in only that one place. A regular gate can be used anywhere, and it is easier for me to modify the ground.

If you use double gates and don't mind the offset look, you can get by with less ground work.

Bruce

 

[MitchellB]

When I put our 12' double gate in, I made sure to build my gate posts plum, but hung the gates at an angle on the hinges and also placed the hinge mounts on the lower post lower than the upper the gate post.

 

[Sodo]

MitchellB - were the hinge pins plumb to the poles or to the gate?

 

[MitchellB]

MitchellB - were the hinge pins plumb to the poles or to the gate?

Neither actually. On my fence gates the hinge pins have somewhat adjustable bolt/nuts (an inch or so) that go through the posts in a drilled hole. I was able to move the bottom hinge pin in as tight as it would go on the upper post and the top hinge pin I just adjusted it out until the gate hung down at an acceptable level to the ground. (reversed that on the lower post) The pins probably are closer to matching the out of kilter gate than the plump posts though. We had the chain link fence installed professionally many many years ago, but last year I wanted to make a tractor drive through to the property behind us we had just purchased. So that was my first attempt at cutting out a section of chain link fence and adding a drive threw gate. Seems like all the gates that I looked at, that others had installed showed the main gate posts always looked plumb while the gates were angled and/or offset to fit the slope. Once I had the posts set in concrete the pre-made gates were easier to hang on my mild slope than I expected.

Before the section was cut out


after installed and some clearing of the tractor trail looking in the same direction.

 

[Xfaxman]

I'm in the process (as weather allows) of building some permanent pipe corrals to work our cattle. Our ground isn't very level in some spots where I need to put gates. I was curious how others have dealt with similar situations. One gate needs to be 14ft but the others are 12 footers. Using 1.66" pipe for gates. I thought about building them to match the angle of the ground so they are a uniform height off the ground and open easily but I'm not sure if that is the best approach. I'd appreciate any ideas.

Had two 16' pipe gates that were built parallel to the slope, where we used to live. Looked good, worked good. Put the hinges at the low side.

 

[boggen]

the livestock are going to rub them, kick them, bite them, ram them, scratch on them, and just plain down running and go attempt through them.

my issue with longer single gates, is that they get stuck in the mud eventually, and/or frozen into the ground or with snow piled up on them.

preference is to use a "wheeled jack" you might find on a trailer / boat trailer. pick them up fairly cheap (got 2 that were like 15 bucks each on sale at menards a few years back). quick and easy twist of the jack handle to raise one end of the gate up if need be, and then wheeled assist. so your not having to lift it up as you walk it back to were it needs to go. just place the wheeled jack clear out on the end. i just used a couple 1x6s boards so i had something to wire to / screw when attaching to the gates.

those long gates even the lightest weight you can find. the fence post that it is connected to (hinged post) even with extra bracing to next post in the fence. is still going to want to move some. causing the gate to drop down into the ground. it may be good for a couple years but after that.... reason i prefer the wheeled jack approach, only a few bucks, and makes gate easier to deal with in the "ugly times" and more so when ya got a few piles of manure heaped up by gate ya need to get over (jack the trailer up err gate up).

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when gates is closed = want a nice parallel to the ground and a couple of inches of ground if that. to keep the dumb dumbs from putting there head under gate and lifting the gate up off the ground and running through the gate. grass is always greener on the other side!

how gate open doesn't really matter. as long as it opens without having to lift it up and drag/pull it across dirt up a hill. other words gate needs to swing freely other than that. it doesn't really matter. some wire / bungie / dog leach / cat leash / etc... can be used to hold the gate open and/or closed. personally though i prefer gates to swing open if not latched in place. though with live stock at times is nice if gates swung shut.

 

[KCF6Ranch]

Thanks for the feedback. We do need the gates to open via horseback like our other gates do. While the gates will be heavy (probably a few hundred pounds each, maybe a little more), we haven't had problems with the posts moving or sagging on other pipe gates we've hung. Just trying to decide if an "angled" gate is worth the effort. Maybe if we build it 6 foot tall (7 rails) and keep it low at the hinge side as suggested that would be the simplest. If there are other thoughts I'd love to hear them.