Wooden Gates Derby

Wooden gates made by joiners

A gate gets more use and more weather than almost anything else outside the house, and a poorly made one soon tells you: it drops, sticks on the ground, stops latching or twists out of shape. Ours are made by joiners, with the frame, brace and joints arranged so the weight is carried back to the hinges, which is what keeps a gate square and swinging freely for years.

Every gate is made to measure. Gaps between walls and posts are rarely square, the ground often slopes, and brick piers lean. We measure the opening, check what the gate will hang from, and make the gate to suit, so it looks even in the gap even when the gap itself is not.

Gates and outdoor joinery we make

Most gate jobs include more than one of these.

• Garden & side gates
• Wooden driveway gates
• Arched & shaped gates
• New & replacement gate posts
• Gates for sloping ground
• Garage & outbuilding doors

Wooden garden gate styles

• Ledged and braced

  Tongue and groove boards on horizontal ledges, with diagonal braces running up from the hinge side. The most popular choice for side gates, giving privacy and security.

• Framed, ledged and braced

  The same boarding set in a full timber frame. Heavier and stiffer, which suits taller gates, wider openings and driveway pairs.

• Arched and shaped tops

  A curved or shaped top, either to fit a brick archway or as a feature on a straight opening.

• Slatted

  Evenly spaced slats let air and light through while still marking the boundary, and suit modern gardens.

• Picket and low gates

  Lower gates with spaced pickets for front gardens, where you want a boundary without blocking the view.

• Driveway pairs

  Two leaves meeting in the middle, with drop bolts and a centre stop, made to suit the width of the drive.

Wooden driveway gates

Driveway gates are bigger, heavier and more exposed than a side gate, so the frame, hinges and fixings all have to be up to the job. We plan the width of each leaf, which way they open, how they are held open and closed, and what they hang from, whether that is timber posts or brick piers.

Because of their size, parts of a pair of driveway gates are often made or finished on site, and fitting usually takes a day or two depending on the design. If you are thinking about adding a motor now or later, tell us at the survey: a few details of the construction change to suit automation.

Gates for sloping and uneven ground

A garden path or drive that rises through the gateway is one of the most common problems we see. A gate with a straight bottom will drag on the ground as it opens. Depending on the slope and which way the gate swings, we cut the bottom of the gate to follow the ground, or plan the swing so the gate opens away from the rise.

Uneven openings get the same attention. Where one wall leans or one post sits lower than the other, we make the gate so that it looks level and the gaps look even when it is closed.

Gate posts and hanging

A rotten or loose post is the most common reason a gate drops and stops latching, and a new gate on an old post will soon go the same way. We fit new or replacement timber posts as part of the job where they are needed, or hang the gate from brick piers and walls with fixings to suit.

Choosing the timber

• Pressure-treated softwood

  The most popular and affordable choice. Treated against rot, it weathers to a soft grey or can be stained or painted. Most of the gates on this page are treated softwood.

• Hardwoods

  Oak, iroko and sapele are denser and more durable, and cost more. They suit statement driveway gates and gates you want to oil to show the grain.

• Finishes and care

  A stain, paint or oil protects the timber and keeps the gate looking its best. Re-coating every few years, depending on the finish, extends its life.

Our guide to the best woods for garden and driveway gates compares the options in more detail.

Wooden doors for garages and outbuildings

As well as gates, we make timber doors for garages, sheds, bin stores and other outbuildings. This garage door was made wide enough for the customer to bring the bins through, and fitted with a key lock for security.

Like our gates, each door is made to the opening, so it closes cleanly even where the brickwork is not quite square.

Derbyshire Joinery Specialists is part of Derbyshire Specialists Group, founded by Liam Taylor, who has more than ten years in property and joinery.

Wooden gate questions