Installation Tips For Timber Field Gates

Most garden gates are still normally supplied in imperial sizes and are available as standard items in width increments of 305mm. It is therefore, best before setting out a driveway or building brick entrance pillars to calculate the overall width including the ironmongery enabling standard gates to be used.

Most Gates are about 4ft High.

Field Gates are available in 3 types of timber - Treated Softwood, Iroko Hardwood or Oak Hardwood. Softwood and Iroko gates are held in stock at all branches of AVS Fencing Supplies, Oak is available to order only. The Treated Softwood is available in a sawn finish or smooth planed finish. All types of timber change there appearence when exposed to the elements and as a rule turn depending on type to different shades of grey. Initial treatments can delay this.

Gate posts are generally 2.1m long which is sufficient to hang most field gates in situations with reasonably level ground and allows a minimum of 760mm in the ground. If there is a fall across the width of the gate, this may mean that a longer post needs to be ordered for the low side to obtain sufficient post length to concrete into the ground. The section of gate posts can be varied to suit the size of the gate to be hung. A 175 x 175mm gate post is sufficient to hang all timber gates up to 3660mm wide, it is also quite normal to use 200 x 200mm hanging posts for gates over 3050mm wide. 150 x 150mm size gate posts are normally used to hang gates up to 6ft wide. 125 x 125mm posts may be used for the very small pedestrian field gates. The traditional spring latch is not suitable for the smaller posts, a self locking gate catch should be used in this situation.

The top gate post pin is normally turned upside down to prevent field entrance gates being lifted from the pins. The best way to lock a field gate is with a chain around the gate post and gate style. Self locking gate latches do have a facility for padlocking, which may be suitable in domestic situations. Where the gate is used less frequently it is best to lock the gate with a chain and padlock around both the gate and gate style.

Prior to installation all gates should be treated with a moisture permeable woodstain preservative such as ''Seasonite''. This will achieve maximum protection for your garden gate, allowing the moisture to permeate through the treatment at a controlled rate and providing protection against the natural elements. This treatment also helps to prevent checking in the timber. The gate should be retreated with Textrol annually or as required. See decking treatments page for further information.

These are normally 2 or 4 way weathered or rounded. Normally they match the tops of the gate styles.

Field gates are normally back hung i.e. the gate post ironmongery is fixed to the back of the gate posts and the gate opens into the site. If the ground rises behind the gate posts, it is possible to make the gate rise upon opening thus maintaining ground clearance. Dependant on the amount of rise required when the gate is in the open position, it will not to be perpendicular.

Gate posts require a substantial foundation if the gate is wider than 1.83m, without this the gate will drop as the posts move in time, because the weight of the gate will pull the post over. It should also be remembered that if strained wire fences are attached directly onto the gate posts, which is not recommended, the gate posts have a tendency to open outwards, again causing the gate to cease to function properly.

All AVS gates are normally supplied with an adjustable bottom hinge which will allow the user of the gate to adjust the gate easily throughout its life. This is important both for reasons of appearance and to extend the life of the gate, gates quickly deteriate if allowed to drag on the ground or bind on posts.

Double gates may have equal leaves ie. 1.83m and 1.83m or unequal leaves ie. 0.915m and 2.75m. The latching method usually adopted for pairs is the drop over loop. Field gates do not have rebates although a centre stop may be fitted (see illustration) which has a similar effect.