Gates

itsthisyear

Looking at putting gates into a new house. It is detached on a busy road. Personally I am going towards wooden gates but most of the houses around seem to be iron gates.

What are people's opinions, pros/cons for each?

The only con for the wooden gates is maintenance but iron gates also need painting.

Thanks!!

Get electric iron gates, you will be kicking yourself with manual gates having to get in and out and you will just end up leaving them open.

ED E

Wooden doesnt necessitate manual, there are steel frame/wooden panelled options.

Needles73

itsthisyear wrote: »

Looking at putting gates into a new house. It is detached on a busy road. Personally I am going towards wooden gates but most of the houses around seem to be iron gates.

What are people's opinions, pros/cons for each?

The only con for the wooden gates is maintenance but iron gates also need painting.

Thanks!!

If iron gates are galvanised and painted properly you'll get years without need to paint. I've mine up since 2008 and they'll go another season or two before I repaint.
As another poster mentioned consider electric. Most houses in Ireland have open gates out the front .....always open.....defeats the point in gates don't you think ? Regardless my advice would be on new build run the ducts for gate automation and they are there if you need them.

Samuel T. Cogley

I've wood gates and I like them, thery have a thick gloss on them and I've seen no need to do anything to them the two years I've been in the gaffe. They seem much more sturdy and it feels a bit more private than metal gates IMO.

milhous

What price for electric gates if you have the wires there already? Obviously you'd need a good quality motor for it to last.. would 4K cover both?

Needles73

milhous wrote: »

What price for electric gates if you have the wires there already? Obviously you'd need a good quality motor for it to last.. would 4K cover both?

Well others may be more up to date but typically metal gates (decent heavy ones) would be the guts of 1.5 to 2k and the same for automating. If it's a new build I'm sure money could be better spent elsewhere now so run the ducts and perhaps fit the below ground boxes. I'm sure it could be done for less I think that would be the ballpark for a decent below ground kit.

itsthisyear

Samuel T. Cogley wrote: »

I've wood gates and I like them, thery have a thick gloss on them and I've seen no need to do anything to them the two years I've been in the gaffe. They seem much more sturdy and it feels a bit more private than metal gates IMO.

I like the privacy of the wooden gates too. Just curious as to why so many go for the iron gate?

Samuel T. Cogley

itsthisyear wrote: »

I like the privacy of the wooden gates too. Just curious as to why so many go for the iron gate?

Just seems to be the thing I suppose. Odd thing is I'm replacing all the wooden internal gates with metal gates, but the drive gates I'll leave as wood.

Using metal to open it up a bit, lighter, don't need as much maintenance as the wood internals, but the drive gates need even less than cheaper metal so I suppose it's all relative.

elperello

You might consider getting a local welding place to make up a steel frame and then you can bolt your timber onto it.

Needles73

itsthisyear wrote: »

I like the privacy of the wooden gates too. Just curious as to why so many go for the iron gate?

I really like the metal frames gates with wooden elements. I think they can offer more privacy but only if your wall or hedges similarly restrict the view/prying eyes. Proper steel gates will still be there when the timber gates are long gone and require less maintenance imho.

Lumen

I have a lovely looking naked hardwood gate (posh post and rail style, possibly teak) and it stays open. The gate is about 30 years old and needed the main post replacing after maybe 25. The above ground swinging part of the gate is original and in great condition.

The gate was horrifically expensive when new. I think the owner told me it cost him 5k punts in the late 80s.

If you're going to use softwood and have to paint it, I wouldn't bother, stick to metal.

Also, think about visitors. If they're coming from a busy road, try and set back the gate so they can pull in safely and push the buzzer.

itsthisyear

Lumen wrote: »

I have a lovely looking naked hardwood gate (posh post and rail style, possibly teak) and it stays open. The gate is about 30 years old and needed the main post replacing after maybe 25. The above ground swinging part of the gate is original and in great condition.

The gate was horrifically expensive when new. I think the owner told me it cost him 5k punts in the late 80s.

If you're going to use softwood and have to paint it, I wouldn't bother, stick to metal.

Also, think about visitors. If they're coming from a busy road, try and set back the gate so they can pull in safely and push the buzzer.

5k in the 80's!!! That's a lot of cash 😮!!

Lumen

itsthisyear wrote: »

5k in the 80's!!! That's a lot of cash 😮!!

It's a bad motherfcker of a gate, in fairness. :pac:

Needles73

Lumen wrote: »

It's a bad motherfcker of a gate, in fairness. :pac:

I'm sure it's a fine gate but like the vast majority of gates in Ireland it's always open it's an expensive ornament

Needles73

Needles73 wrote: »

I'm sure it's a fine gate but like the vast majority of gates in Ireland it's always open it's an expensive ornament

It's why you have to go electric. Wooden or iron is up to the person but if you don't get electric it's basically a waste of money and also not as secure either.

Lumen

Damien Substantial Ginger wrote: »

It's why you have to go electric. Wooden or iron is up to the person but if you don't get electric it's basically a waste of money and also not as secure either.

My absurdly expensive 1980s gate-ornament has neither motors not any kind of lock. That's not the point.

I understand why people want gates to keep young kids off the road or maybe to suppress noise, but as security they're pure theatre. In fact the more privacy you create, the quieter time any burglars have whilst ransacking your property. I went through the process of designing a properly secure perimeter (I had good reason to at the time) and then decided I just don't want to live in something that resembles a prison yard.

If you want security, get a dog. But then you'll need a gate to keep the dog in.

Lumen

Lumen wrote: »

My absurdly expensive 1980s gate-ornament has neither motors not any kind of lock. That's not the point.

I understand why people want gates to keep young kids off the road or maybe to suppress noise, but as security they're pure theatre. In fact the more privacy you create, the quieter time any burglars have whilst ransacking your property. I went through the process of designing a properly secure perimeter (I had good reason to at the time) and then decided I just don't want to live in something that resembles a prison yard.

If you want security, get a dog. But then you'll need a gate to keep the dog in.

They actually offer significant security as it prevents people getting their car etc close to your house thus significantly reducing what can be stolen in a break in and more than likley deterring it in the first place. Why rob a place with a strong closed gate when there are plenty of places without.

A sliding gate is the best in this regard too and what people who want better security go for (farm yards, homes that want better protection, businesses etc) as they are much more difficult to ram.

milhous

Can any gates be made into electric gates or is it something you have to consider when buying gates in the first place? Because looking on Donedeal you could get a set of gates for 1-1.5k.. just leaving it a matter of buying a motor etc in the future?

Needles73

milhous wrote: »

Can any gates be made into electric gates or is it something you have to consider when buying gates in the first place? Because looking on Donedeal you could get a set of gates for 1-1.5k.. just leaving it a matter of buying a motor etc in the future?

Yes. However if you want proper underground motors installed you would have to remove and modify them slightly. Plus you have to dig for underground boxes and fit modified gate above. The costs of modifying could negate the difference between the premade sets and getting them made from scratch. My advice is fit the motor boxes (you can get them without motors) and run ducts. Fit bespoke or modified premade gates atop boxes. At some stage in future finish install or leave as is. This way no big digging up excercise plus you can finish driveway.