If you are installing a garden gate yourself, we have all the right information on how to hang a garden gate which we advise you to read before you start.

For detailed instructions please read our installation instructions that can be found here.

A garden gate first and foremost will provide access and security, but they can also pose as the weakest link in a property boundary so it’s integral to opt for a gate that is well designed, strong and installed correctly.

We have a wide range of timber garden gates to match all our fence panels. All our garden gates are made using stainless steel fixings which means they won’t leave rust marks down your brand-new gate. Complete with heavy duty galvanised adjustable hinges, as the gate moves over time, the hinges can be adjusted so the gate sits straight and in line just as it was when it was first installed.

Prior to installation, read our blog on how to measure for a garden gate.

Installing the gate posts 

The gate posts are the most integral part of hanging a garden gate as the posts will keep the gate upright. If you are installing the gate onto a brick wall, a timber wall plate can be used. A timber wall plate will be attached to the wall and then the garden gate will hang off the timber wall plate.

If using posts that will be dug in the ground, our heavier gates will need larger posts to support the weight of the gate. Most gates over 1.8m tall will need larger posts. You can find out which gate post is best suited to a gate on our individual product pages. If you need more help working out which gate post is required, please contact our sales team.

Gate posts, wall plates or suitable fence posts need to be installed each side of the gate opening, allowing a 10mm gap beside each gate leaf. For a single leaf gate add 20mm to the actual gate width (10mm for each side). For a pair of gates add 30mm to the combined width of both gates.

What do you need to hang a garden gate

Tools required

  • Screwdriver
  • Adjustable spanner (19mm spanner for Jacksons gates)
  • Fencing Spade
  • Shuvholer (if digging holes for posts)
  • Fencing Spade(if digging holes for posts)
  • Drill (if attaching a wall plate to a wall)
  • Tape measure
  • Spirit level
  • Pencil
  • A cable avoidance tool is recommended

Materials Required

  •  Gate  
  • Screws 
  • Hinges 
  • Gate latch 
  • Security bolt 
  • Cabin hook 

 

Installing gate hinges

All our wooden gates are supplied with heavy duty galvanised hinges and fittings that are adjustable as standard.  

All our standard gates will be supplied with the hinges fitted during manufacture, but if the gate is supplied without, check the gates’ diagonal cross brace. If it is running from the top left-hand corner to the bottom right-hand corner, then the hinges should be placed on the right side of the gate and vice versa.  

If there are two diagonal cross braces, then the hinges can be placed either side depending on which way you want the gate to open. All our garden gates, open inwards as standard. 

We manufacture both left-handed and right-handed gates and this will impact the bracing and therefore the opening direction.   

The two hinges will already be pre-installed in the centre of both the top and bottom rail of our standard garden gates but if this is not the case, they will have to be attached to the gate. 

During the process of attaching the gate to the post, if installing alone it’s worth adding packers or anything sturdy below the gate to support the gate while you work. 

The eye bolts should now be connected to the metal hinge/band attached to the gate with one nut either side of the hinge/band. Ensure the position of the eye facing away from the gate ready to hang on a hinge.

The hook plate is fixed to the gate post and connects to the eye bolt which connects to the gate hinge. To mark out where to install the hook plate on the gate post, temporarily insert the hook plates through the eye bolts, use a piece of offcut timber that is around 50mm to lift the gate off the ground and mark the fixing holes with a pencil or pen on the post.  The measurement at the bottom of the gate can be adjusted if the top of the gate needs to line up with a fence run. 

Now fix the hook plates to the gate post. For increased security the top hook plate can be inverted so that the hook faces downwards stopping the gate from being lifted off the hinges.  

Once the hooks have been attached, the gaps either side of the gate can be adjusted by winding the nuts in or out on the eyebolt.  As mentioned previously, we recommend a 10mm gap either side of the gate.  

Securing the shutting strips and gate ring latch

Now the gate is hanging the shutting strips and ring latch keep/receiver can be installed.

The ring latch is a gates’ handle, what you use to open and close the gate. As standard our garden gates come complete with a galvanised ring latch. The receiver will have to be attached to the slam post and the ring latch keep attached to the gate (an image of how these should be positioned can be found in our full instructions).

Once fitted, the shutting strips can be installed. These are supplied with all our garden gates and are essentially pieces of timber the gate shuts against when in the closed position. Please note the shutting strips will be delivered attached to the sides of the gate, they should be gently removed before you start installation and reinstalled against the post at this point.

The shutting strips should be installed to the gate post on the opposite side of the hinges, and hook plate. A 1mm gap should be left between the timber shutting strip and the gate. This provides a rebate stopping the gate from swinging too far against the hinges.

 

For added security and convenience, affix a Brenton bolt at the bottom of the gate to ensure the gate cannot be opened from the outside when locked, followed by a Cabin Hook to allow the gate to be propped open when needed.

Extra gate security

For added security a Brenton Bolt can be installed at the bottom of the gate to prevent the gate being opened from the outside. If a padlock is being installed, then this is often attached to the top of the gate. For even more security a two-way lockable gate lock can be installed during both manufacture and installation which increases security considerably.

Correct installation

Installing a gate correctly will ensure the gate will not twist and warp over its life. It will ensure the gate does not need replacing in a few years. For full instructions please read our installation instructions

Installation Instructions 

Gate Comparison Tool

Compare all the different types of garden gates we offer using our handy comparison tool.

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