Driveway gate mounting advice

Fuzzbucket_2

Hello!

I'm doing some outdoor childproofing and that includes installing a metal gate which will go from the side of my house to the fence on the opposite side of the drive. I'm looking at gates which have two halves which lock together. A concrete/steel post will be installed next to the fence to mount one half, but I am trying to establish the best course of action for the other side.

Last year someone suggested I attach it to the house, but something doesn't feel right about that to me. I don't know what the norm is, however, so I don't know whether that's an option worth considering or not.

If it's a post, however, I wonder if the foundations of the house will be in the way when digging the hole for the post/concrete.

Any advice/solutions much appreciated!

Thanks

flashg67

If decent fixings are used, fixing the post to the house all shouldn't be an issue?

EachPenny

Fuzzbucket wrote: »

I'm doing some outdoor childproofing and that includes installing a metal gate which will go from the side of my house to the fence on the opposite side of the drive. I'm looking at gates which have two halves which lock together. A concrete/steel post will be installed next to the fence to mount one half, but I am trying to establish the best course of action for the other side.

How wide is the gap the two gates will close off?

Fixing one gate to the house wall might be a better solution as the weight of the gate is likely to make a stand-alone post start leaning unless you have it dug into the ground quite a way. This can cause problems if you have two gates which meet in the middle, as even a small amount of movement will lead to them not aligning with each other and the latching/locking system not working.

A gate properly attached to the house is not going to go anywhere.... at least you have to hope it won't.

Hoploz

I think I'd be checking what size gates can be bought off the shelf and see where the post needs to be ... If you need a custom size because you want the post in a certain place could cost a lot more.

Fuzzbucket_2

Hi EachPenny, thanks for your thoughts!

Good point about the post leaning, I hadn't thought of that. It's an 11ft gap so each side could have a fair weight to it, possibly 15kg or more each side.

Although I have no reason to doubt the structural integrity of my house, attaching something as heavy as a gate to the side does cause mild concern.

Ectophile

If your house is going to fall down under the weight of a gate, then you've got bigger things to worry about than the gate!

bris

Ectophile wrote: »

If your house is going to fall down under the weight of a gate, then you've got bigger things to worry about than the gate!

It's not going to fall down, but it will cause damage when the kids start swinging on it. Over time the fixings become loose and pull out taking block and harling with it.


The best way is to core down the side of the house and put in a post. The foundations won't be in the way, people put up fences tight to the house all the time, those posts can go deep.

Tom99

All you need do is rawbolt a post to the house wall, you don't sink that post into the ground.

DigForVictory

bris wrote: »

It's not going to fall down, but it will cause damage when the kids start swinging on it.

I think the answer may depend on Which Kids are swinging on it. Small Fuzzies can be trained. Young oiks are harder work & if the latter is a risk then CCTV or something that looks like it, along with taking up dog ownership, may be indicated.

Usually you childproof to allow you to release your own livestock as I think the alternative verb is burglarproof.
Best of luck!

Ganga

Ours is fixed to the side of the house and is standing after the 26 years we have been living here,if not sure why not dig down and do a test hole,you can always have the post fixed into the ground and fixed to the side of the house,belt and braces.

casper_g

Fix a wallplate (like a half-thickness gatepost) to the house wall with thunderbolts into the bricks, avoiding the mortar joints. Then screw the gate hinges to the wallplate. It'll be fine. That's how you're meant to put gates up. You're much more likely to cause problems by digging a hole and trying to put a post in right next to the house.