Silly question about gate width

[EddieWalker]

Bird,

I was at a Park in Fredriksburg walking around with the owner who was telling me the exact same thing. We came up to a shed that was at least a dozen feet off the road, surrounded by lawn. It wasn't on an inside turn or anything tricky, just a shed off the road.

YUP, an RV'er drove off the road, across the grass and side swiped the shed.

The best part is the guy driving the RV wanted the owner of the park to pay for his damages!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Bird,

I was at a Park in Fredriksburg walking around with the owner who was telling me the exact same thing. We came up to a shed that was at least a dozen feet off the road, surrounded by lawn. It wasn't on an inside turn or anything tricky, just a shed off the road.

YUP, an RV'er drove off the road, across the grass and side swiped the shed.

The best part is the guy driving the RV wanted the owner of the park to pay for his damages!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Eddie

 

[RickS]

I went with a 14' gate for my entrance. The price difference between 12' and 14' was less than $10.

 

[RickS]

I went with a 14' gate for my entrance. The price difference between 12' and 14' was less than $10.

 

[HappyCPE]

I'm going to differ with the group. The guy who comes to hay my property shows up with a huge cutter that is nearly 12' wide. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif With a couple of turns, my 12' gates and the adjoining fence bay have had to come down since he can't make it thru. Of course, he cuts the place in about two hours!

 

[HappyCPE]

I'm going to differ with the group. The guy who comes to hay my property shows up with a huge cutter that is nearly 12' wide. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif With a couple of turns, my 12' gates and the adjoining fence bay have had to come down since he can't make it thru. Of course, he cuts the place in about two hours!

 

[greatrandini]

Dito, on the the 2 Twelves. That is the way I went and I think the way to go. I mostly use one side but if needed I can open that baby up.. This is an entrance to my pasture......

 

[greatrandini]

Dito, on the the 2 Twelves. That is the way I went and I think the way to go. I mostly use one side but if needed I can open that baby up.. This is an entrance to my pasture......

 

[RobS]

Well, the silly answer to your silly question is get a gate just wider than the widest thing you ever think will pass through it /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The real answer is of course, it depends. I can only share what I have done. 12 foot gate parallel to road and about 20 feet from edge of road. No problems including my own flatbed bumper pull trailer and fifth wheel camper. All the construction traffic for our house went through and never touched it.

If I ever find the time/money for an upgrade to our entrance, I'll do brick pillars on each side and a half gate on each. In that case, I may go to 14 feet just to be sure. Two seven foot gates will look better than a single 12 or 14 foot in my opinion.

Ironically, since we moved in I don't think the gate has ever been closed. It's more of a landscape element to announce the entrance /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[RobS]

Well, the silly answer to your silly question is get a gate just wider than the widest thing you ever think will pass through it /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

The real answer is of course, it depends. I can only share what I have done. 12 foot gate parallel to road and about 20 feet from edge of road. No problems including my own flatbed bumper pull trailer and fifth wheel camper. All the construction traffic for our house went through and never touched it.

If I ever find the time/money for an upgrade to our entrance, I'll do brick pillars on each side and a half gate on each. In that case, I may go to 14 feet just to be sure. Two seven foot gates will look better than a single 12 or 14 foot in my opinion.

Ironically, since we moved in I don't think the gate has ever been closed. It's more of a landscape element to announce the entrance /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[hwp]

<font color="blue"> ...I may go to 14 feet just to be sure. Two seven foot gates will look better than a single 12 or 14 foot in my opinion... </font>
Tha's more or less what I did. I put my gate posts 25 feet apart. I then put two 6' gate sections hinged together on each side. This lets me have a 6', 12', 18' or 24' opening depending on the situation. I normally have the two centre sections open leaving a 12' opening which is sufficient most of the time. I also put a caster toward the outboard end of each gate section /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[hwp]

<font color="blue"> ...I may go to 14 feet just to be sure. Two seven foot gates will look better than a single 12 or 14 foot in my opinion... </font>
Tha's more or less what I did. I put my gate posts 25 feet apart. I then put two 6' gate sections hinged together on each side. This lets me have a 6', 12', 18' or 24' opening depending on the situation. I normally have the two centre sections open leaving a 12' opening which is sufficient most of the time. I also put a caster toward the outboard end of each gate section /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[CurlyDave]

They have a law in Oregon or California that regulates the size of a persons gate?? Good grief!

The law is in Oregon and it makes a lot of sense to me and most other people.

The region is heavily forested, summer fires are always a threat, and the gate is to allow access for fire vehicles. There are a lot of jobs & houses at risk if fire crews can not get through, or are even delayed for a short time.

A fire is not going to stop at that fence around your property.

BTW, the OP may not have considered everything that needs to come to his house. If the night ever comes that he needs a fire truck up there he will be grateful for a couple of extra feet in the gate. You don't even need a fire to want a fire truck. In some places the paramedics arrive in the bigest fire engine around.

 

[CurlyDave]

They have a law in Oregon or California that regulates the size of a persons gate?? Good grief!

The law is in Oregon and it makes a lot of sense to me and most other people.

The region is heavily forested, summer fires are always a threat, and the gate is to allow access for fire vehicles. There are a lot of jobs & houses at risk if fire crews can not get through, or are even delayed for a short time.

A fire is not going to stop at that fence around your property.

BTW, the OP may not have considered everything that needs to come to his house. If the night ever comes that he needs a fire truck up there he will be grateful for a couple of extra feet in the gate. You don't even need a fire to want a fire truck. In some places the paramedics arrive in the bigest fire engine around.

 

[hudr]

We used to hang 16' gates everywhere. Then we started using a 15' aerway. About the same time we started loading out hay on OTR trucks w/ 48' spread axle trailers. They needed access to our various meadows. Now we hang 2 10' gates per opening. That gives us a much greater margin of error. What did we learn? don't think about what you have now, but what you might have later.

 

[hudr]

We used to hang 16' gates everywhere. Then we started using a 15' aerway. About the same time we started loading out hay on OTR trucks w/ 48' spread axle trailers. They needed access to our various meadows. Now we hang 2 10' gates per opening. That gives us a much greater margin of error. What did we learn? don't think about what you have now, but what you might have later.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Two ten footers for my gate to allow the truck and trailer go through with enough side room.

 

[Cottonhawk]

Two ten footers for my gate to allow the truck and trailer go through with enough side room.

 

[anojones]

It's true that I didn't think about emergency services- the EMS around here drive the biggest rigs they make, and often the FD will show up with them. I decided to keep the 12 foot gate, but recessed it further so a truck can have a straight shot at it- the other issue is stopping on an incline on our gravel drive to open the gate and then getting started again without having 4WD. I'm tempted to try and arrange for a sensor on both sides to allow free access (it's main goal is to keep animals in/out, not so much security). The Mighty Mule manul discusses a "wire loop" that allows entry/exit- but I don't see it anywhere in their catalog. They do have another vehicle sensor- but it's another $200.

 

[anojones]

It's true that I didn't think about emergency services- the EMS around here drive the biggest rigs they make, and often the FD will show up with them. I decided to keep the 12 foot gate, but recessed it further so a truck can have a straight shot at it- the other issue is stopping on an incline on our gravel drive to open the gate and then getting started again without having 4WD. I'm tempted to try and arrange for a sensor on both sides to allow free access (it's main goal is to keep animals in/out, not so much security). The Mighty Mule manul discusses a "wire loop" that allows entry/exit- but I don't see it anywhere in their catalog. They do have another vehicle sensor- but it's another $200.