Wayne’s Way: Hanging a gate

WIREMARK® Golden Pliers winner, 10 x Fieldays Silver Spades winner and former FCANZ Chairman Wayne Newdick, provides a quick summary of how to swing a gate using best practice techniques.

Make an effort to level the top of the strainer distance 3660mm gate inside measurement usually minus 40mm assuming the gate opens 180 degrees.

Tools

• 2 short levels 250mm one of which is magnetic • 30mm ring spanner • Small sledge • Drill and bit 19-20 mm • Tape • Spade

Method

• Stand the gate in position on the ground, check for slam ie: 30mm and make sure the gudgeon position will not cause binding. • At this stage I simply put a vertical pencil mark above the top hinge to determine entry point to drill through the centre of the strainer in line with hinge. • Lie the gate on the ground. • Most top hinges line up with bottom of the top bar of the gate. Simply measure from the top of the gate to the bottom of the top bar and add 15mm for the GATES centre of your top gudgeon. GATES • Transfer that mark to the strainer and with a short level transfer the mark that you put above the hinge to the horizontal mark indicating the centre of your gudgeon.

• If using a lock thru, hold this across the face below the mark you have just put on strainer.

• Then mark the top of the lock and this will give you the centres. Now drill both at the same time using a short level to ensure the drill bit is level.

• Fit the gudgeon and lift the gate on, then put a spade under the latch end of the gate, sometimes on the top of blade, if it’s too far off the ground put the handle of the spade under pipe on the top of the gate, or you can use a straight handled spade with a holder (as per photo below).

• Sit the top of the gate above the slam.

The amount depends on the gate, a

Standard gate is 20-30mm.

• Then put the magnetic level just above the bottom hinge to get plumb.

Try to keep both gudgeons in line.

• Once the gate is plumb drill the bottom gudgeon hole using the second same as the top. • Generally long pin is used on the bottom, makes it easier to fit the gate.

• All gates are different with drop.

Standard gates with a brace don’t drop much, 20-30mm. • Plastic inserted hinges drop less. • Some heavier gates and those without a brace can drop anything from 30-50mm or more

Most of the time it’s just practise mixed with a good guess.

I only use blocks of wood or wedges to lift a gate if I’m on concrete or hard metal. This same system is how I swing gates to ground as well.

Article written by Wayne Newdick

Every effort should be made to have GATES Every effort should be made to have gate tops and strainers level at all gate tops and strainers level at all times. Correct positioning of strainers in relation to contour is important for successful gate hanging. The strainer on which the gate is hung must be at right angles to the ground in the gateway. It is possible to hang a gate on sloping ground by observing this rule. Clamps on steel gates must be as far apart as possible, that is, just below the bend at the top and between the secondto-bottom and the bottom bars. After these adjustments have been made, stand the gate in the gateway level with the top of the strainer. Check to see the gate is plumb, and then mark just under the eyes of the hinges. If the gate is not plumb, it will either rise or fall as it opens. Where possible, gates should be times. Correct positioning of strainers in relation to contour is important for successful gate hanging. The strainer on which the gate is hung must be at right angles to the ground in the gateway. It is possible to hang a gate on sloping ground by observing this rule. Clamps on steel gates must be as far apart as possible, that is, just below the bend at the top and between the secondto-bottom and the bottom bars. After these adjustments have been made, stand the gate in the gateway level with the top of the strainer. Check to see the gate is plumb, and then mark just under the eyes of the hinges. If the gate is not plumb, it will either rise or fall as it opens. Where possible, gates should be able to open back against the fence. Every effort should be made to have gate tops and strainers level at all times. Correct positioning of strainers in relation to contour is important for successful gate hanging. The strainer on which the gate is hung must be at right angles to the ground in the gateway. It is possible to hang a gate on sloping ground by observing this rule. Clamps on steel gates must be as far apart as possible, that is, just below the bend at the top and between the secondto-bottom and the bottom bars. After these adjustments have been made, stand the gate in the gateway level with the top of the strainer. Check to see the gate is plumb, and then mark just under the eyes of the hinges. If the gate is not plumb, it will either rise or fall as it able to open back against the fence. opens. Where possible, gates should be able to open back against the fence.

INCORRECT

INCORRECT Hanging gates Hanging gates –Strainer must stand 90º to –Strainer must stand 90º to contour of gateway. INCORRECT Hanging gates contour of gateway. –Strainer must stand 90º to contour of gateway.

On wooden gates top strap On wooden gates top strap down on top bar. Bottom strap up on bottom bar. Straps MUST be equal distance from upright to down on top bar. Bottom strap up on bottom bar. Straps MUST be equal distance from upright to hinge eye. On wooden gates top strap down on top bar. Bottom strap up on bottom bar. hinge eye. Straps MUST be equal distance from upright to hinge eye.

CORRECT CORRECT

CORRECT

Be careful to position Be careful to position gate so gudgeon is in a position to clear gate on opening and will not gate so gudgeon is in a position to clear gate on opening and will not become hinge bound. Be careful to position gate so gudgeon is in a become hinge bound. position to clear gate on opening and will not become hinge bound.