Driveway Gate Install

[troutsqueezer]

>It looks like in the picture above the gates will be located on a part of the drive that is sloped. Have you thought how this is going to work out? Can you grade the driveway flat in that area?

If you open the gates toward the polaris, they will be really high in the air when they are open(might not be a problem really). If you open them toward the wheelbarrow, you will probably have the cut the driveway down up toward the wheelbarrow area. <

Thanks for looking so closely. Yes, I have thought about the sloping since the inception and carefully selected the part of the driveway where I would run into the least amount of trouble. The gates will swing away from the polaris which is a very slight uphill slope. There is also a very slight downhill slope from left to right. I should have the clearance but if not, I am prepared to drag the tractor bucket to get the inch or so I may need. I plan on welding the gates on tomorrow so we'll see how it plays out but yep, I sure have thought about that a lot.

>Great idea putting grease fittings on the hinges!

I thought so too. Of course, they were already on there when I bought them.

 

[tractchores]

The reason for the gates is that several homes not far from us have been robbed lately. Ive got several game cams set up but those won't deter anybody. At least the gates will keep someone from casing the joint. I am at the end of a long gravel road and at the top of a hill so it's pretty private.

I priced out concrete blocks at Lowes today, about the same size as yours. Two five foot columns came out to almost $500. Thats at $2.88 apiece, 120 blocks. I do like how easy it would be.

This is the product I used. https://www.techo-bloc.com/product-category/walls-pillars/ It's a Techno bloc pillar kit. I used two kits per side to get 3x3x7' I believe. It's got a nice texture and is colored all the way through, so it looks decent. The tops are just formed concrete and there's a small space in th center of them for conduit for the lights. I put mine on a concrete pad, but they can be on compacted ground too.

On the levelness of the drive - it probably won't matter. My drive slopes pretty good to the side wher the gate is, as long a the gate is level its fine. When open one side is a few inches off the ground and the other is probably a foot or so. The clearance helps with snow (not an issue for you probably).

Should help make theives think twice. I mounted a camera (foscam) to mine, which gives a great picture of anyone approaching the gate.

 

[ultrarunner]

This is the product I used. https://www.techo-bloc.com/product-category/walls-pillars/ It's a Techno bloc pillar kit. I used two kits per side to get 3x3x7' I believe. It's got a nice texture and is colored all the way through, so it looks decent. The tops are just formed concrete and there's a small space in th center of them for conduit for the lights. I put mine on a concrete pad, but they can be on compacted ground too.

On the levelness of the drive - it probably won't matter. My drive slopes pretty good to the side wher the gate is, as long a the gate is level its fine. When open one side is a few inches off the ground and the other is probably a foot or so. The clearance helps with snow (not an issue for you probably).

Should help make theives think twice. I mounted a camera (foscam) to mine, which gives a great picture of anyone approaching the gate.

Look nice... just did a California search of dealers and none found... guess no West Coast presence.

 

[franklin2]

On the levelness of the drive - it probably won't matter. My drive slopes pretty good to the side wher the gate is, as long a the gate is level its fine. When open one side is a few inches off the ground and the other is probably a foot or so. The clearance helps with snow (not an issue for you probably).

Yea, I guess he is not trying to keep livestock in, so it won't matter.

 

[downsizingnow48]

That's a great looking job!

 

[thirdroc17]

Yep, in Nothern California the frost is minimal. Might go down two inches at the most.

Thought so. Around here, those outriggers would be frost heaving all over the place!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I should add, looks good! I wouldn't mind having gates. While they don't come often, for those of you with gates, what's the plan for when UPS, or the mail person has a package to deliver to your door?

 

[troutsqueezer]

Thought so. Around here, those outriggers would be frost heaving all over the place!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing:

I should add, looks good! I wouldn't mind having gates. While they don't come often, for those of you with gates, what's the plan for when UPS, or the mail person has a package to deliver to your door?

My plan is to have UPS leave the package at the gate. Very few people come up this way. If I am home and expecting a package, I will leave the gate open. If someone steals the package at the gate (or even at my door), they will be caught on game cam.

 

[ultrarunner]

I've seen all weather oversize package holders...

 

[EddieWalker]

Nice looking gates. Where did you get your hinges? I've been looking at McMaster Carr and King Metals, but I'm nowhere near actually starting on mine. Just dreaming and hopefully learning from others.

Way back in the 80's, I used to drive for UPS. When I came to a locked gate, and there wasn't a signature required, I would just leave the package right behind the gate. If it was raining, I would put it in a bag. A lot of places with gates also had boxes to put stuff in. Either one with the front open, or with a lid on the top that I would put the package in.

Eddie

 

[flyerdan]

Eddie, those look to be 5 inch barrel hinges. They are available at King metals, but as noted elsewhere they will roger you on shipping, or at least they used to. About the same with Amazon, from my quick look. Ebay might be the best deal, but a thorough Google search might yield better results.

5" Hinge at King
5" Hinge at Amazon
5" Hinge at Ebay

Probably don't need to mention it, but remember that one pair of hinges does one leaf of a gate, two sets required for double drives.