Wooden Gates

There's something about a good timber gate. It suits country homes, period properties and modern houses alike, and it ages nicely if it's looked after.

Wooden gates start from around £2,500, depending on size, design and timber.

Built to stay straight

The biggest issue with wooden gates – especially once they're automated – is movement. Timber swells when it's wet and shrinks when it's dry, and a badly made gate twists, sags or drops. That puts strain on the motor and the hinges, and the gate stops closing properly.

So a good wooden gate needs:

• quality timber – a good hardwood, or properly treated softwood
• a strong frame with proper joints and bracing, so it doesn't drop at the far end
• heavy-duty hinges and solid posts
• a good finish, kept up each year or two

Wooden Driveway Gates Built to Stay Straight

A timber gate only works as an electric gate if it stays true. Twisting and dropping are the main reasons wooden gates fight their motors, so we use well-seasoned timber, a strong internal frame and proper bracing, all hung on hinges sized for the load.

Wood and timber gates typically cost £2,500 – £5,000+, depending on the timber, the design and the size of the opening.

Done right, a wooden gate suits everything from a cottage in the Eden Valley to a modern home in Carlisle, and it will give years of reliable service.

Automated Timber Gates for Cumbrian Homes

Automation on timber needs a little more thought than on metal. Wood moves with the seasons, so we fix the motor brackets into solid sections, allow for movement, and set the forces carefully so the gate opens smoothly in summer and winter alike.

We fit CAME overground or underground motors, plus photocells and safety edges where the gate needs them, and force test everything to BS EN 12453.

A light treatment every year or two keeps the timber looking its best, and we're on hand for servicing so the motors stay as reliable as the gate.

Styles

• solid boarded gates for full privacy
• framed, ledged and braced gates
• curved or arched tops
• five-bar and field gates for farms and country driveways
• matching pedestrian gates

Making them electric

Wooden gates automate well, as long as they're well built:

• Overground motors – the most common choice
• Underground motors – for a clean look
• Sliding automation – for sliding timber gates

I'll allow for the extra weight when the timber is wet, and for wind on solid gates.

Already have wooden gates?

If they're in good shape, I can probably automate them. See automating wooden and five-bar gates.

Looking after wooden gates

Re-oil or re-stain each year or two, keep the bottom of the gate clear of soil and wet leaves, and keep an eye on the hinges. Have the automation serviced once a year.

Call or WhatsApp Adrian on 07854 037752 for a price.

Questions people ask me