When investing in a set of timber gates, there are a number of issues that need to be taken into consideration. The first of these would be which species of timber will best suit your requirements. The answer will depend on the location the gates are to be situated and the aesthetic look you want to create. 

There is no doubting that hardwoods are far superior in durability, and that's an advantage, especially as the majority of gates are open to the elements from all sides. However, oak, although a popular choice and durable material, can easily turn black should regular and sufficient treatments not be applied. Of the hardwood timbers, the best for use in exterior gates would be Iroko, Idigbo or mahogany. Iroko is extremely durable, very similar to teak, and even when it’s left untreated will outlast generations. Idigbo is similar yet lighter in colour, and can easily be colour graded to match another timber such as oak. Mahogany is the darkest of the three, but again has excellent durability and reacts well to coatings. 

Another important consideration is the section of timber used to construct your gates. The larger the gates the greater the section needs to be. For a single pathway or side entrance gate a 45mm finish will suffice, but a pair of driveway gates should be constructed from 56mm or 70mm section depending on their size. Should you be planning on having your gates automated, it’s advisable to opt for the heavier sections due to the extra pressure created by the mechanism. Failure to do this could result in twisting and distortion. 

All timber gates should be constructed with wedged mortice and tennon joints. The top of your gates need a bevelled cap running along the entire length, or the edges rounding so that water doesn’t have any gather points where it can sit and begin erosion. For the same reason, all horizontal rails need to be slightly bevelled. 

There are plenty of gate designs available, and the labour cost for this should stay relatively the same regardless of the material used. However, there is a massive cost difference if you do choose to have solid oak gates, rather than one of the previously mentioned timbers. If you want the "Oak look" and don’t want to pay the "Oak price", then use Idigbo and an oak stain as this will give the closest resemblance. 

Whatever your choice, make sure you take the relevant measures to ensure your gates will stand up to the elements they are exposed to. As long as they’re well constructed from the right material for your needs, installed correctly and treated regularly, you should have no issues for many years to come. 

To view a gallery of wooden gates click on the link http://ehjoinery.com/products/gates.phuse

When we say something is handmade, the word tends to conjure a popular opinion that this represents quality of the highest standard. The mental picture of craftsmen using traditional methods, learnt through a lengthy apprenticeship under the guidance of an old master to create something unique or specialist can be very appealing to a customer. Perhaps it’s the personal touch, and the feeling that someone has poured a part of their self into the product that’s such an attraction, but the phrase can easily be misunderstood. 

A prototype model may well be constructed totally by hand and tool, but once the design is perfected, production is then generally undertaken by machinery. Modern technology and CAD (computer aided design) has largely removed the need for products being totally hand crafted. Although, this doesn’t mean that the personal touch has been lost and it certainly doesn’t mean that quality has been compromised. There’s no doubting the skill involved when hand crafting for example, a sweeping staircase, circular window frame or panelled door. However, no matter how experienced and accurate the tradesman, it’s virtually impossible to consistently reproduce the same quality over and over again by hand. 

It’s also easy to confuse “Bespoke” as being handmade, but by no means does it suggest that the item has been completely made by hand. Bespoke actually means made to measure (replicated in a non standard size), or constructed to a unique design specification. There may well be certain stages of production that are accomplished by hand, but don’t be fooled into thinking that this is always the case, or that being totally handmade means the product is in any way superior. 

When looking for quality, the phrase that would be a more accurate representation is “Hand finished”. This means that there’s some sort of quality control and the product has been inspected for faults, and deemed fit for the end user. Unique and specialist items (Bespoke) are quite commonly inspected during every stage of production to ensure an accurate finish. This is the reason there’s such a price difference in products that are categorized as standard or stock size, and those that are bespoke (made to measure). 

Modern designs are highly dependant on accuracy, especially when multiple materials are being used in one product, such as hydraulic drives for automating timber gates, glass balustrade in a contemporary staircase or a sliding track mechanism’s for bifold doors. Therefore, if one part of the product is engineered to a fraction of a millimetre, it makes sense that all parts are manufactured with the same accuracy. The only way to do this is by using modern CAD design and machinery.