Fence Gate On A Hill?

Apex McGann

Hi all,
Anyone got input on installing a gate in a 6' privacy wood fence that is on fairly steep slope?
The existing fence runs from the house to the property line; about 15'. and the grade drops about 2' to 3' in the 15' run. Client wanted a double gate and I point out the swing problem with the up hill hinged gate. He is considering a 40" single gate in the center. I've rebuild gates and installed a few too some on a slight grade, but I got concerns on this one. Any one do one like I have described? How did it go?

Tia
Mark

DecksEtc

Put the hinges on the post on the low side and cut the bottom of the fence boards to conform to the slope, as close as possible anyway. Then, hang the gate about an inch off the ground and voila, problem solved.

curapa

agreed

Apex McGann

Thanks

Seascape

A guy thats done a ton more fence than me was telling me he builds his gates right in the fence leaving gaps in his boards for the opening. Puts his hinges on than cuts the runners and the gate swings open. Ive never seen it but would really like to. I cant seem to pin him down and get a closer look. He said its especially ideal when building a gate on a slope.

Anybody else ever seen it done?

DecksEtc

Never heard of anyone doing that. Sounds interesting, I'd love to see a picture of one.

I'm curious to see how it's built to prevent sagging. BTW, I'm not knocking the method before I see it but I am curious.

curapa

I hate to knock it before i've seen it but that sounds pretty f'd up.

Seascape

LOL,, I hear ya. He looked at me like I was crazy for building them on the ground.

He's been fencing 20 yrs. I believe him but I would need to try it in my own back yard.

Thing I cant figure out is how does it NOT leave a chinzy little 1.5" block of runner hanging on the hinge and latch posts? You runners would have to run through the gate posts but only he installs the cross members in prior to the cutting he said...... so how does he nail those stringers up? Without dicing a little 1.5" chunk left hanging with 2 nails in it?

curapa

I would think that once you cut the runners the gate would drop a bit no matter how well you ran your cross bracing, with the fence boards already on the frame it would look like crap.

I build my gates on the ground and only install the first hinge side board. I install the gate then fill in the remainder of the boards according to my string line.

I am all for learning new faster ways to do things but cutting the gate in seems like it will cost quality.

genecarp

I have done gates like this before, runners, we call rails, i have even done this with premade 6' stockade. all the bracing goes into what would be the gate section. strap hinges with galv nuts and bolts. cut the rails, and the gate opens up. one advantage is that since the gate is made from the same fence section, any nuance in the rail does not matter, the gate matches the fence section perfectly. we also glue and screw the bracing in to prevent sag...i think this is what you are talking about, if not, NEVER MIND...G

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DecksEtc

My thoughts exactly. I fail to see how "cutting" a gate out of already installed fence boards would be better quality than a custom built one done after the fact.

It "might" be faster but I still fail to see how it would be a better longer lasting gate.

Again, pictures of a finished one would be beneficial.

Seascape

No sounds like you've done it.


Your still dropping in your hinge and latch post though right? Of course. So what becomes of that little piece of "rail" thats left behind each fence board on each side of the gate opening? They just stay in there? Gap your boards 1/2' each side and cleanly trim off excess runner on the gate? Am I close?

Sounds alot faster. If its not a shabby gate. Id like to at least experiment with it but never seem to have the time.

genecarp

i am not seeing the little piece of rail that you are refering to. lets say i have an 8' section with a 3' gate, i would lay out my posts so that i end up with 2 1/2' fixed sections on either side of the 3' gate. on the fence post i also like to run a verticle member between the top and bottom rail, it just cleans up the detail when the gate is open, also provides solid backing for latches, slidebolts etc.. and gives a little more support. G

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curapa

Are you talking about the 1 1/2" left from the table of the saw? If so I would imagine that you could cut from the front side and finish the cut with the sawzaw.

I also miter the corners on my gates and screw them from the sides, along with toe-screws which would be hard to do using the cut in method.

I do like the glue idea from genecarp, I would imagine I would have to use a good sub-floor adhesive for it to have any real effect on the twisting PT. I wonder if it would help to put glue on the fence boards also.

genecarp

yea, if a piece of pt wants to twist, its going to for sure, glue or no glue. but just to stop the settling it does the job. on larger gates i do glue the pickets as well as the angled supports. when put together properly, with a good cons adhesive (plp) or equal and screws, they dont sag....

ps. if i am building a custom section, with gate, i carefully hand pick my rail material...

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Seascape

Cool. Ok typically in line i strap my rails half way through the posts from post to post butted up beside each other. However when i come to my gate opening I bring the rail over flush to the edge of the hing post. I fill the 2 (24") voids with scrap rail ,,, kinda like you do i guess. Than i start my rails flush again on the latch post and break back off on my 8' secs.

So only way i see not leaving that little chunk of rail is to not even nail the runner (thats what i call em) on the hinge and latch post and just stretch thenm over and nail on the next line post. That way theres still not this little shabby chunk tucked back behind the board ,,, in between my scrapped in runner ? It would end up exactly like i typically build? Once i lagged in my hinges they would fasten the runners i never nailed.

Does that make sense?

Seascape

I dont like the glue theory,, but i also run 3" screws in my braces,,,, trying to picture why that would cause difficulty? Im trying to picture it. Should just be able to go on other side of fence and screw in your braces? mark your rail where your gonna cut and use that point to set yuor braces.

Very intriguing!

genecarp

i think we are all pretty much on the same side of the fence. i am still not seeing the little piece thing, but its late, im tired. if i have time i will swing by a job i have done and get a photo. have a great night, G

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Seascape

Cool,, i'll see what i can come up with 2. We may build differant and thats the confussion.

Id like to figure this out though......

curapa

The difficulty would be trying to miter the corners, which I found helps alot with the sagging issue.