Looks amazing 👏 I'm looking for a close up on the middle is that concrete drilling into the ground? What is that piece called ? How deep is that? What hardware is that called please
Finally found a video showing how to install 6x6 posts strong enough to support gates that span more than 7 feet without sagging... Wish I saw this a year ago before I built a gate for my parents using 4x4 posts. It's sagging now. 😕
I know I just did mine with 4x4 and am already starting to regret it. Am installing some rods and hope that will help also will cut the pickets off at top and make my bottom 1x6 bottom plank shorter
I had the same question as another viewer but your answer was related to the rods in the middle. I'm asking about the hinges from the 6X6 to the 4X4's. It looks like you have 5 on each side - 2 diffrent styles. Do you recall what they were - I have 2 - 6 foot gates that I'm preparing to build using most of your design with some modifications. I'd like the strongest hinges I can find, or the ones you used (if they have held well) Thanks - great video.
I replaced the hinges in the video with ones that I made out of rod ends and custom clevis brackets. I would recommend leaving a space between the posts and the gate frame. That way you can drill holes in the post and gate for the rod ends and won’t need to make custom brackets like I had to. You will need to make sure that there is enough clearance for the gate to open. Using rod ends makes for a much stronger hinge and they are adjustable for any movement the gate may have.
Thanks for the video. You are the ONLY person I’ve found on RU-vid building a gate with 4x4 post. I just completed my driveway entry gates with 4x4 cypress post. Now I’m getting a little afraid of sagging after spending so much time and money. I am going to run a cross member and possibly a turnbuckle sag cable set up as well just to try to prevent it. How does yours look now? Any sag?
Your gate is already sagging? If you are cool with that then you can apply the street facing boards to hide that sag however I am looking for a gate that has no sag. I know from looking the hinges have up and down play in them and they would have to be pre stressed before plotting the attachment point to the wood
The gate dropped a little once under load but hasn’t dropped since. Installing the gate at a slight angle and letting it settle into position would be a good way to go. The hinges in this video aren’t all that great and I have since replaced them with heavier duty / adjustable hinges.
Great video and nice gate. Just one suggestion. Around 1:30, you started backfilling the hole with dirt. Don't do that. The backfill will not be compact enough, so the gate may sag. I know this from personal experience. I had to redo a fence after about 3 years because I used a form but backfilled with dirt before pouring cement in the form. The whole fence started sagging. My second time, I used just a small section of the form (6") so that it's nice on top, but the rest is filled with concrete.
Hi Minh, The problem with what you're suggesting for people in the North anyways. The frozen ground can stick to your posts and lift them. Frost doesn't stick as easily to sonotubes.
Thank You, the pressure treated lumber in my area is Hem Fir. I haven't had issues with twisting, on the 4x4 or 6x6 but I have had some cracking (from drying out). Nothing structural. The 2x4 and 2x6 lumber does have a tendency to twist if not secured and sealed adequately.
Thanks for sharing! It helped me out tremendously! I'm having trouble finding a solar powered duel gate opener that can handle the weight of duel wooden door spanning toral of 10 feet. Any recommendations?
Finding hinges that can handle the weight is a challenge. I ended up making my own. The gate opens easily though, so I’m sure most openers should work.
Hey Joe - great work. Getting ready to do my own fence/gate. I have always found that the hinges are the weak point in my large gates. How do you find hinges large enough to bear the load of the gate? Thanks!
8' swings are pretty big, lots of weight and compound leverage working with gravity's help against the post and frame, not that bad really. Two 45s are stronger than a 60 and a 30 though, but the slight notching is very clever and does work. Big, strong wood driveway gates are a craft all by themselves, lots of details to take care of. It took me years to evolve to my current, best designs, every component is important and does a specific job as part of the whole gate.
Nice looking fence. Will sag. Guaranteed. I’d put some wheels under the ends for support and pour a concrete path for them. Just noticed this video’s age. RU-vid recommended it. Curious to see if it did sag. I’ll try to see if there’s an update
Hey great video! Love the process and thorough explanation. I have a similar gate built a few years ago and it's leaning a bit these days due to the weight. I've added a gate wheel for support, I'm curious if yours is still holding up fine since you created this video ?... Also are you located in WA state? The houses look very similar to mine. Cheers!
Very strong looking. However, Without cable supports are squared tubing to help hold these long heavy sections up, its on weight will eventually cause sagging toward the center of each section. All lumber will succumb to rot and weather also creating more issues with its stability. Over all a great expanse and nice looking gate for sure. Yet over time people seldom keep their fences sealed properly and even if you did spend more time doing lap joints and even added full diagonal pieces from one end to other there would be issues within just a few years time. one of the best gates I've seen built using wooden posts. Great job! Nothing is meant to last forever these days anyways. Good job Joe.
It’s true wood out in the weather has a lifespan especially if it’s not taken care of. I think a good average lifespan is around 15 years. Another option would be to use 1.5” x 3” steel tubing welded together, and powder coated, then bolt the 2” x 4” rails to it and add the pickets. The gate is currently holing up well. It’s good to mention the two support methods such as compression braces that this gate is using and tension cables as you mentioned.
@@JoeMcCoskey that’s what I kinda did using a no sag kit from lowes it came with welded hinges too but they looked too weak so I change them for hinges like that ones you have looks like they will hold better
@@JoeMcCoskeydid you get a professional to quote you on this gate before deciding to do it yourself? What were your product costs? Looks awesome by the way great video.
I used it towards the top of the hole that was rounded out from digging out the old post. I didn’t go full depth with the tube. It was used for appearance purposes.
That's a really good job. Looks great. Would be so good to have a parts list and instructions to help someone who's never done a fence before. Everything is so darn expensive to pay. In SoCal they want $450 labor just to install two ceiling fans. Without running any switches. Crazy
Just wondering. Wouldn’t it be better to pour the concrete straight in the dirt with using a form so that it’s against the undisturbed dirt. Because it looks like the dirt that you put around the concrete form is not very well compacted. Maybe use the form only on the top to get the nice circle shape
It probably would. The gates are strong. Finding strong enough hinges is an issue. I would recommend using rod ends and brackets, to make your own heavy duty hinges.
This is what you call Big Gates they are Huge & Beefy My friend wants a Single Gate for 8ft Driveway Thinking now after watching this Video using 5 x 5 post with a wheel on the end for more support Thanks for the Video
Great video. However a few particulars would have been nice. What were some of the sizes like Gate post length, depth of holes and cost. I know the cost is relatively subjective and out of date but, It would still help during preliminary tear off calculations, even in today's market.
6x6's sure seem heavy, I want to put in a 8' gate and only have experience with 4x4 fence posts and pickets, so trying to figure out how to plan my 1st gate build. A little intimidating bc I want to do it right.
For an 8’ gate I wouldn’t go any smaller than 6x6 and a depth of 3’. It would also be good to have a slight angle away from the gate, since the gate will be pulling on it. Putting in the posts is similar to 4x4 posts, just a bigger and deeper hole.
I should have made it more clear that I intend on a double gate, 8' total, with each gate approximately 4' each. I picked up 4x6 post awhile ago and let them dry and stained. Been sitting in the yard for months. Been a rough year but we're starting to get cooler weather in FL now so I may be able to focus on it more now and at least get the post set. Can't believe it's been 9 months since I've seen this video and looking back for reference as your gate looks great. It'd be nice to get it done and make my yard look better.
@@samueladams584 that’s a small gate lol bro you good with 4x4 posts, I have my 8’ on 4x4 and for the most part it’s okay just the guy that I hire to install them only did like 2 feet deep so am having to install no sag rods
Your gate is a 16' span double gate, if I am planning on a 8' 2" (50" gates) do you think a 4x6 post adequately installed would be strong enough to support the 50" gate ?
Did you recess or lap join your angle weight bearing 2x4's to the outer from of the gate? It looks as though there is glue at each connecting point to outer frame?
That gate is gorgeous! Wish you were closer and I would ask if you would build mines. Where can I purchase those decorative end caps? The ones on top of the post?
Thank You I purchased the post caps at Lowe’s. I just looked them up and the brand is Deckorators, style Newport High Pyramid. They have an adhesive strip inside but I toenailed them, some construction adhesive would also be a good option to attach them.
I work as a machinist and don’t have the setup to do these in qty. I ran some rough numbers though. Each gate has about 400 worth of wood. The hardware and screws are an additional cost. I can’t really say how long it should take and cost for labor, since I only made this set and did it with the equipment I had. Roughly speaking around 1-2K (labor cost) per gate sounds reasonable. I made my own heavy duty adjustable hinges after this video that cost with material and labor around 1,000 per gate. I would estimate each gate with material, hardware and labor costs at around 2.5-3.5k (5-7k for the set). I’m not in the business but that’s what I think would be reasonable for someone to charge. This turned out to be a bigger project than I thought when I started.
The majority of the hardware I used is made by National Hardware and can be purchased most places. I did end up making my own hinges to replace the ones you see in the video. I made some mounts that attach to the post and gate, I used rod end bolts for strength and adjustability, one end attached to the gate using the threaded rod, the other end attached to the post using a bolt going through the rod end. While I made my own mounts, you could use mounted sleeve bearings. The items can be purchased from McMaster-Carr. The mounts that I made have more surface area and holes to distribute the load. I hope that helps.
Thank You, I am in Wa. I hope you build goes good. Finding some good hinges is a challenge. I ended up making some using rod ends. Things will settle a little and having some adjustment is nice.
@@Memo-nd6fj If you go to McMacter-Carr or Grainger Industrial and type in rod end bolt, you will see them. The other end should be a clevis mount. They sell them for hydraulic cylinders and other applications but they will work great for hinges.
@@JoeMcCoskey I was 8 years old when that car came out. Those were the days when cars had much more character and were distinct from one another. I could identify most cars make and model on the road at that time. That car was also featured the 1970's detective show, "The Streets of San Francisco".
I ended up making my own with rod ends and clevis mounts to replace the ones in the video. It’s hard to find good heavy duty hinges and making your own seems to be the way to go.
I work as a machinist and I’m not in the business of making and selling these but I ran some numbers on what someone might charge. Each gate has about 400 worth of wood. The hardware and screws are an additional cost. I can’t really say how long it should take and cost for labor, since I only made this set and did it with the equipment I had. Roughly speaking around 1-2K (labor cost) per gate sounds reasonable. I made my own heavy duty adjustable hinges after this video that cost with material and labor around 1,000 per gate. I would estimate each gate with material, hardware and labor costs at around 2.5-3.5k (5-7k for the set). I’m not in the business but that’s what I think would be reasonable for someone to charge. This turned out to be a bigger project than I thought when I started.
As with any project. I learned some things while making these. The gate and fence are holding up good. I made some heavy-duty adjustable hinges for it. I should make an update video sometime showing how it’s doing.
Seems like a brace from bottom (at hinge side) to top (at gate center) would be more resistant to sag? The two short braces support half the gate very well, but the remaining four feet will tend to sag?