Installing a driveway gate but don't want to use brick columns since my house isn't brick. Any ideas? (opener, townhouse)
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I have a steel gate and was thinking of using brick columns, but don't want to go that route because my house isn't brick. But at the same time, I don't want to use just plain generic steel posts. Does anyone know of a website that sells decorative posts?
But for the sake of discussion, there are countless "styles" of gate columns. You likely need more than "posts" as gates are heavy and need to carry a lot of extended weight. Telling us a little more about your house style, yard, urban, rural, ranch, townhouse, etc would give people some idea of what might work. Pictures would be even better.
Traditionally, gateposts (and associated structural elements) had sufficient mass to counter the various thrusts/stresses/tensions transferred to them by the gates.
Today, of course, steel, inserted deeply-enough into the ground, should do the job. The thrusts/stresses/tensions are transferred to, and countered by, the soil. But it looks wrong. As 'The Oracle' (an ultradesigner who works with my Decorator) has schooled us, "It's all about Structural Plausibility".
And that look can be expressed in wood ( https://walpoleoutdoors.com/blogs/dr...mpression-home), as was done in Colonial Connecticut. The town adjacent our beach house, is one big gallery of ideas for gates. Just google, 'Southampton, New York', and, via the internet, "Drive" around.
The wood for the gateposts, can be painted to match your fence's ironwork, or the trim on your house.
But for the sake of discussion, there are countless "styles" of gate columns. You likely need more than "posts" as gates are heavy and need to carry a lot of extended weight. Telling us a little more about your house style, yard, urban, rural, ranch, townhouse, etc would give people some idea of what might work. Pictures would be even better.
Traditionally, gateposts (and associated structural elements) had sufficient mass to counter the various thrusts/stresses/tensions transferred to them by the gates.
Today, of course, steel, inserted deeply-enough into the ground, should do the job. The thrusts/stresses/tensions are transferred to, and countered by, the soil. But it looks wrong. As 'The Oracle' (an ultradesigner who works with my Decorator) has schooled us, "It's all about Structural Plausibility".
And that look can be expressed in wood ( https://walpoleoutdoors.com/blogs/dr...mpression-home), as was done in Colonial Connecticut. The town adjacent our beach house, is one big gallery of ideas for gates. Just google, 'Southampton, New York', and, via the internet, "Drive" around.
The wood for the gateposts, can be painted to match your fence's ironwork, or the trim on your house.
Would probably have made everything “come together”-
You, yourself, said steel posts. They don’t have to be round- could be square. What will make them is making them “non-descript”- no fancy ornamentation, no elaborate finial cap- let the gate be the attention grabber.
Not looking for anything fancy......6"x6" pressure treated posts will work just fine.
Not unless the gate is of the very lightest possible construction. They'll warp under the weight of the gate. I assume from the photo that the OP wants to use the kind of gate typically seen at such a location: swung at one side, somewhat ornamental, electric opener. Even a steel heavy gauge post set deep in concrete will gradually assume a lean toward the gate; the gate will sag and eventually drag on the driveway. You either need to brace it with a member in tension running away from the gatepost (of course, if you have a complete fence, a fairly simple diagonal brace does this), or you need to attach the tops of the two posts up above the driveway (it has to be tall enough to pass a moving van, and/or easily removable).
"Brick" posts would simply be a brick surround on a structural post made of steel (or reinforced concrete).
Is the house white brick? if so white brick columns. Or white concrete pillers with wing walls sloping down to the ground to help transfer the horizontal load of the gate hanging from it. What will the rest of the fence be? You aren't just putting a gate up without a fence are you?
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