What to use for gate posts

freewookie · Oct 27, 2014

Can't make up my mind and it's about to drive me crazy.

I'm putting up a 14ft entry gate, tired of "lost" folks driving down my road. Nothing fancy just a steel pipe farm gate. My dilemma is what to use as gate posts.

What I'm considering:

- 6" treated wood posts
- 6" treated wood h braces with 4" cross brace
- 4-1/2" steel post
- 4-1/2" steel h braces with 2-7/8" cross brace

With the wood I worry about rotting and fire but they are significantly cheaper than the steel.

I'll have short runs of barbed wire running from the posts to corner posts. Longest run would be 30-40 ft. One run is vertical to the gate and the other horizontal.

What say you???

Buppies · Oct 27, 2014

4.5 in tubing filled with concrete for support

GPintheMitten · Oct 27, 2014

Buppies said:
4.5 in tubing filled with concrete for support

This or 6 x 6 with h brace. Put a bag or two of redi mix in each hole on either side of the gate.

roadhunter · Oct 27, 2014

Steel. Even if it costs a little more now. Wood posts can be a PITA for many reasons. Rotting is obviously the big one but sometimes the brackets that mount the gate to the post can have problems. Much easier to weld on hinges and never mess with them again instead of trying to lag or bolt hinges to wood posts.

downsizingnow48 · Oct 27, 2014

Steel in concrete.

Stimw · Oct 27, 2014

I used two old utility poles that were on my property when I bought it. I put them 5.5' deep and have double 12' cattle gates on them with a opener. They are not going anywhere!!

Jstpssng · Oct 27, 2014

4 1/2 inch pipe set in concrete poured in 18" sona tube... welded solid to another 4 1/2 inch pipe buried 3 feet under your road; which is then welded solidly to the upright on the other side. (I may hate gates and no trespassing signs, but I also know how to build them.)

This will enable you to upgrade later if needed to a gate which might even keep me out... I can tell you how to build that, also.

Jstpssng · Oct 27, 2014

PS; the above was written based on your climate... in colder regions, I would alter the design to account for frost action.

s219 · Oct 27, 2014

I have a 16' tubular farm gate hanging off a pine log that was cut green and set in a 3' hole with dry cement mix. It's been there for over 2 years now and hasn't budged. I accidentally tagged the latch side post with my front loader and it got a scratch but still didn't budge.

So based on that, I'd say a treated 6x6 would be fine, or get some treated 7" round posts from Tractor Supply. They are 8' long and $15 each, and are whole logs -- not veneer cores. They have agricultural-rated treatment, which is the good stuff. Should last a long time. You can avoid rotting issues at grade by making sure the concrete is domed to shed water away from the post.