Garden Gates

Garden gates which are also known as simple sides are the focal points of our homes. They mark the border between public and private around our homes. They always give the first impression to everybody visiting our homes and it is very important that we select for them designs that will secure your property and at the same time also enhance your property. This depends on the following factors. The first one is how the surrounding area has been designed and the second factor is the function that the gate is going to perform. Construction of garden gates is very simple. Garden gates that are meant to be installed at the entrance of the gate or at the side of the house usually measure six feet in height. They must be made using materials that are weather and corrosion resistant since they will be able to endure the vagaries weather will present. Use of the correct material prevents wearing or tearing and also weakening of gate posts. Garden gates are constructed using metal, wood and bamboo which has become popular lately. For example, for a six feet tall gate, five by five lumber posts which have been cut to a height that is suitable are required. These posts have to be bolted to a structure that is fixed or to beams or headers which are for stability and for holding the posts. Holes which these posts will be concreted into should be of a size of one foot squared and two feet deep. For extra support, a concrete bridge or timber can be run below the ground between the two posts. This will also keep them straight. The gates width is required to be proper, and it should also be given enough space on any side of the gate that you will choose. An inch has to be removed from the width present between the posts to allow for a half an inch clearance. The frame of the gate should be made on level ground using two by three lumber pieces. This frame should be squared by adjusting it till the two diagonal measurements that are opposite are identical. This helps in ensuring that the corners of the frame are at right angles and that the frame is square. For extra support, use galvanized nails to nail a two by three lumber piece on each corner of the frame. The vertical boards of the gate should have fence boards measuring one by six and two and a half inch nails (galvanized and flat headed to offer stability) should be used to nail them. They should be overhang the bottom and top of the frame equally at the same time lying flash using its edges. The last board has to have its width deducted to maintain what is known as the flush fit. The gate is then hung two inches above the ground between the posts. Parkers or wedges are used to jam the gate into place while installing hinges on the inside of the gate.