Side Gate Installation

Discussion in 'Landscaping and Outdoors' started by SaintBulbasaur, Aug 13, 2021.

  1. SaintBulbasaur

    SaintBulbasaur New Member

    Needing to put in a side gate on our house. Don't want to end up with it all rotten and having to replace in 10 years, if I can help it. The ground is soil, with weed membrane and soon to have gravel on the top. Planning a wooden gate.

    I was wondering about those post spikes, but I get the gist they're flimsy. But then you can get these shoes that you concrete into the ground, like this one: https://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Concrete-Fence-Post-Support-for-Posts---75-x-75mm/p/540561 ... Is that kind of thing going to do the job? Or is it better just to postcrete the posts?

    And then, what about concrete fence posts? Would they be worth putting in rather than wooden ones? Any downsides to those?
     
  2. chillimonster

    chillimonster Screwfix Select

    I've never used the concrete fence post support. I can see it might work for car
    ports, pergolas and the like which are vertical ( ? ) loads, but a gate exerts a
    sideways pull when you open it, when the kids swing on it etc. The post is only
    held in by 6 ? 8 ? inches . Cant see it working. My opinion.
    I wouldn't screw into concrete posts to hold gate hinges nor put a 2" wide batten
    in any slotted concrete post and do same to that.
    Use thickest posts possible in your situation, paint the posts with bitumen
    emulsion, or someone on here suggested a rubber paint-on, covering the post
    that will be in contact just above ground level then down by 10 inches,
    and above ground level say 6 inches.
     
    ramseyman likes this.
  3. SaintBulbasaur

    SaintBulbasaur New Member

    Thanks, that's helpful. Out of interest, why wouldn't you use the concrete posts?
     
  4. ramseyman

    ramseyman Screwfix Select

    Difficult to drill and screw into and timber attached can be unsightly
     
    SaintBulbasaur likes this.
  5. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    Prefer timber myself. Properly concreted in, preferably 600mm down assuming it’s a full height gate. I always use Postsaver sleeves on mine. Shrink-wrapped plastic sleeve, bitumen filled. When posts rot they invariably do so just where they meet the ground and are fine above and below so these are cheap insurance. Same principle as painting with bitumen but simpler to apply.
     
  6. stevie22

    stevie22 Screwfix Select

    I have just put up 2 new side gates. I wanted long life so I went for 90x50 steel box section. That will see me out
    .
     
  7. Truckcab79

    Truckcab79 Screwfix Select

    Pretty sure that won’t be going anywhere.
     

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