Entrance Height

TNhobbyfarmer · Nov 25, 2007

I am going to build and erect a western style gate entrance, the kind with two vertical poles and a horizontal pole mounted on top of the side poles. I am debating on the height of the cross bar. I am thinking the major consideration will be the possibility of needing to get a dump truck under the entrance for gravel delivery. Does anyone know the height of a dump truck? I want to make sure I get it tall enough.

David Ferguson · Nov 25, 2007

14 foot high will allow nearly all semi-trucks to enter your property. You never know when you'll need a cement pumper...

dbdartman · Nov 26, 2007

13' 6" is max height without a permit, so anything over that should be good, but I'd consider 14'-15' just to be safe.

EddieWalker · Nov 26, 2007

Is the driveway finished with your permanent surface? If you just have gravel down, will you ever put asphalt or cemtent down? If so, you need to consider the added height of the road if you buid it up when determining your final height.

Dump trucks are not all that tall, but if you ever get a delivery from a freight company, they will need the full legal height depending on what type of trailer they are using. I've had all sorts of delivery trailers out to my place for things like a table saw, electrical panel and even decorative metal. It just depends on the carrier the business uses to make the deliveries.

Eddie

orezok · Nov 26, 2007

Also consider a tall 5th wheel RV. Some run close to 13'. Maybe not yours, but you wouldn't want to wipe the A/C off a friend's.

YanmarFever · Nov 26, 2007

TN,
14' minimum, 14 1/2 even better, I receive my neighbors shipments at our place, you can guess why.

RobertN · Nov 26, 2007

TNhobbyfarmer said:
Does anyone know the height of a dump truck? I want to make sure I get it tall enough.

Who cares how tall a gravel truck is

I wanna know how tall all the local Fire Engines are

If things go bad, I wanna make sure emergency vehicles can get to me and/or my family. Of course, that's just because I've been on engines, where we had to stop for gates. Or, couldn't go down the driveway because the trees were so over-grown the engine couldn't fit through, and had to walk in to medical and fire emergencies.

Ductape · Nov 26, 2007

Make it fifteen feet. That will allow max height delivery trucks in with a foot to spare. That if you ever pave, re-pave, and re-pave..... you will still be able to get a truck in there.

Dale_Alan · Nov 26, 2007

Make it high enough to get a backhoe or dozer on a trailer into the property.

Firetrucks? Trust me by the time they get out there it will mostly be gone and if they put it out and save part of it the insurance company will rebuild around it. I've been there and done that, you want it down on the slab.