Creating an Entrance

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( posts bend during a severe storm )</font>

Did the posts actually bend, or did the the posts stay straight, but lean; i.e., soft soil around them?

 

[EddieWalker]

Dargo,

The PT Post was a cheap solution for a gate that will get minimum usage. There is a chance that gate might never get opened. I have a rock under the other end of the gate to suppport it, so there really is very little stress on the post. Wind shouldn't be a factor since I'm not catching it like your fence does.

By the way, that's a beutiful privacy fence you have. Thanks for sharing the picture.

For my gate's that will get daily useage, I'm useing a five inch steel tubing painted white to support them. Cost is around $9 a foot for the steel.

I'll post pics when I get it intstalled. Right now I'm about 80 feet from where it's going to be, but with nice weather, it might be weeks until I get to it.

 

[EddieWalker]

The rock for the sign has been sitting around since last summer. Plenty of time for somebody to set up residence.

This little lady came out to say hi to my girlfriend.

 

[EddieWalker]

The ends of the sign are 9 feet tall. We set up the scaffold to make life a little easier.

 

[EddieWalker]

She stuck with it until she got it done. I've never met a woman before with such determination, or love of completing projects.

 

[EddieWalker]

One side done, one side to go.

 

[EddieWalker]

I ran out of rock, so this is what it will look like for the next few weeks.

This is the exit gate, the sign, then the backhoe is parked on the entrance road. It's the view you see approaching my place from Interstate 20.

 

[Dargo]

Bird, you are thinking exactly the same thing I was on whether the post bent, or if it just moved the soil. The answer to your question is a good "I don't know". /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Eddie, I love the stone work you are doing. I have a scalloped shaped brick wall around a parking area. I was really wanting to use the stone like you are for the "posts". However, I was talked into just using brick. Are you running any electricity to your sign? I ran conduit through my wall and up to the top of my posts so I can put lighting on them, but can't find lights I like.

I was wondering what you used for an "every day" gate. The gates that come from the vinyl fence makers are of very poor quality and design. I can pretty well say that they flat don't work. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif I'm trying to figure out how to line the vinyl fence with steel or something so it doesn't sag immediately. Even with all of the cross bracing they send and recommend with a vinyl gate, it saggs badly.

You said that you are using 5" steel tubing. Do you plan on a need to stop tanks? /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I've used quite a bit of 3/8 wall 2" steel tubing, and that stuff is really strong. I couldn't imagine how strong 5" is!

 

[EddieWalker]

Dargo,

The sign will have a floodlight on the either side of it, aproximately ten feet back. The will sit about a foot above the base of the sign. One side of the sign is much lower then the other side, so I'll have a taller post for the light on the low side.

My "every day" gate will be a regular ranch tube gate from the feed store or McCoys. Dark green with wire welded to it. I'll attach the rails to it like I did before so it blends in.

I've seen a few 4 ft vinyl gates that looked rinky dink. No way do I think they will last over time, and a larger one will be even worse.

The post supporting it is my big concern. Since the vinyl posts are five inches wide, I used the same for my light posts and gate post. It's way overkill on strength, but I felt it was important to maintain the look of the original posts.

 

[EddieWalker]

Here's my first 12 foot gate along my entrance.