How to hang a galvanized farm gate

A good gate is very much under-rated and under appreciated.  A perfectly hung, gently swinging and securely locking gate will make your life a dream. No more wandering life-stock.  No lifting that dipping gate up off the mud as you try to manoeuvre it over hard ground, with bags of feed in your hands.  Ah a good gate is one of those things that you absolutely take for granted. There is no doubt that a sturdy gate is a worthwhile investment. Gone are the days when a stray wooden palette or a few bits of whin bush and bailing twine was all that stood between your livestock and the busy roads.  At the Dandy’s we appreciate a good gate and have great value in field gates, yard gates, sheep gates and any posts and hangers you might need to make the job complete.       

Simple steps to hanging a gate:

Decide which type of post you will be using to hang the gatepost.  A steel post is one good option, but you may also consider a heavy duty wooden PDM (pressure treated creosoted product) post, an RSJ or even a railway sleeper, although these boys are getting harder to come by.  Whatever you choose as the posts for the gate, the first job will be measuring out the distance between the posts. Allow room for the gate to swing, so a 13ft gate will have a 13.5 ft gap between the posts.  The post hangers will allow for any discrepancy in the measuring.

Dig the hole for the posts.  The hole should be a good 2ft 6 to 3ft deep and the width depends entirely on the post width but should generally give a 6inch gap all round.  Measure the posts in the ground to ensure that they are at equal height on both sides of the gate.   Mark where the posts may need drilling for the fixings.   If you are using a half moon hanger, this won’t be necessary. Place the posts in the holes. Allow or clearance under the gate and for the gate’s height. If the gate is not mounted high enough on the hinge post, the far end of the gate may dip.  Put a bit of ballast in the holes around the posts. Quick setting cement is the easiest to work with and you can pour this round the posts, ensuring that they are upright and straight in the hole.  Post mix cement dries in 5- 10 minutes and you will be tramping it down in no time.

Decide which way the gate will be swinging so that the hanging post and the closing post are on the right side.  You can let it swing both ways for convenience or just inwardly to the field if you’re on road frontage.  Using a wood level, or a string level, ensure that both gate posts are at the same height.  A strong hanging post is essential to ensure that any gate sits properly and opens and closes with ease.   Fix the hangers to the posts and with assistance, lift the gate unto the hangers.  Some people hang gates upside down, whether by accident or design.  The rule of thumb is a gate is hung with the smallest gaps at the bottom.  This makes total sense when you think about what you are trying to keep out and in! 

Rusty old gates are a liability and a danger both to yourself and to your animals.  A decent gate, particularly a galvanised steel gate will see you through a few winters and probably a couple of generations.  Buy decent ones, hang them well and you never have to give them another thought. And sure isn’t that the way its supposed to be.  Call into the yard anytime and take a look at the choice we have on offer and say goodbye to the frustration of broken old ill-fitting gates.