Why Coastal Timber Gates?
I am relatively new to the wooden gates industry, having left my career as a health professional in 2020 to embark on something more fun and less stressful. One of my earliest jobs was to replace a set of Hamptons Style gates for a Mount Eliza Anaesthetist. The gates were only 10 years old but had totally rotted so I wanted to know why. They were hardwood gates made with traditional techniques such as mortice and tenon joints then painted so in my mind they should have lasted a lifetime. As I pulled them apart I found that the traditional techniques and a lack of attention to detail were the culprits. The Mortice and tenon main joints and the routed groove to hide the lining board ends had become traps for water and therefore wood rot. As I cut through one joint water literally poured out onto the floor. I decided then that I wouldn’t follow the pack when it comes to construction. Rather I would take an analytical approach to design and construction to make my gates beautiful, strong, and long lasting.
Beautiful Gates –
Beauty is of course in the eye of the beholder and that is why I regularly work with customers to make their personal vision of a beautiful gate come to life.
Lots of beautiful gate designs can be created from solid timber however timber does have many structural limitations particularly when it comes to bracing.
So when a customers vision is not really suited to solid timber construction I create a custom steel frame to support the gate. The frame sits discreetly behind the gate to provide the structural strength and attachment points for gate automation motors and hinges and is generally powder coated to blend in. This leaves the front of the gate free to fulfill your imagination.
The Keys to Long Lasting Gates
Good design - I recently came across a custom timber gate built with deep pinned mortice and tenon joints (one of the strongest joints possible) which looked very nice. I stopped to have a look and on closer inspection the joints had all started to separate. This indicates that the glue within the joint had failed causing them to no longer be waterproof and resistant to rot. This was due to inadequate bracing within the gate design and too much reliance on the strength of the mortice and tenon joints. A well designed gate should put only compressive, tension or shear forces through a timber joint but never rotational or twisting forces. Adequate bracing or the use of steel would have eliminated the joint failure in this case.
Attention to detail when building – I was asked to replace this set of gates and side gate which had rotted out after 10-12 years, again in Mount Eliza. Similar to the above situation but in even worst condition, they litterally collapsed as I was removing them. I said to the owners that 8-10 years is when gates need to be repainted, not replaced! Again there was traditional carpentry methods but poor design and a lack of sealing and waterproofing lead to their failure. With a good clean and a fresh coat of paint wooden gates of this age should literally look brand new.
Ongoing maintenance – When timber is outdoors it must be protected – From UV rays, water and fungal mould. At Coastal Timber Gates you won’t receive your gates and be told to paint or oil them as you wish, instead you will receive them fully finished with every cut surface treated against rot, correctly primed and then coated with a minimum of two coats of high-quality exterior paint. Or if you wish to paint them yourself, I will still treat and prime them before delivery so that I know they are correctly protected.
Ongoing support –
When you buy something, like a new Timber gate, that both secures and enhances your property you want to know you can rely on it and the people who made it. At Coastal Timber Gates you are dealing with someone who treats his customers the way he would like to be treated himself so rest assured that I am easy to reach and ready to help.
Electric gate motors need regular servicing and gates should be assessed for damage, swing and alignment. Give me a call and I’ll be there to do the job.
