How to Measure for Wrought-Iron Gate Rails
Wrought iron gates create an elegant, traditional note for driveways, entranceways and yard. These gates are often fabricated by local metal shops, but do-it-yourselfers with knowledge of welding and other metalworking equipment can create their own gates in either complex scrollwork or simple, Mission-style designs. If you plan on fabricating a wrought iron gate for your property, you must consider some basic features of the gate, such as the height, the space between rails and how the gate will swing after installation. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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1
Use a plumb line to determine the plumb, or straightness, of the walls or posts that will hold the gate panels. This will warn you about disparities in measurement that may occur.
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2
Measure the open, horizontal span where the gate will be by holding the tape 2 inches above the ground. Write down this number
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3
Measure the horizontal span at the level of the highest point of the gate. Write this number down. A discrepancy between the lower measurement and the higher measurement means that the two sides are not plumb. You will have to fabricate the gate to the smaller dimension, and add shims to provide additional material on one or the other side to allow for installation.
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4
Subtract the measured width of the hinge assembly from the width of the gate opening that you measured in Step 3.
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5
Subtract from the number in Step 4 the width of the vertical post on either end of the perimeter frame of the gate. The number that remains is the space available for the pickets, or rails, of your gate and the spaces that separate them.
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6
Calculate the number of rails and spaces that will fit into this number. For instance, if you have 1-inch rails and 4-inch spaces, you must calculate how many 5-inch units can be fitted into the remaining number. You can adjust this to fit whatever size material you wish to use, such as ½-inch rails or pickets. You can also adjust the amount of spacing between rails.
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Tips & Warnings
Wrought iron is a term that is often used for steel gates that contain a variety of additional components. True “wrought iron” that was once hand-wrought by blacksmiths is a material that is no longer used for today’s construction.
Before starting, determine whether your gate will be a single panel gate that swings from one side or double gates that open from the center. These two designs will differ in the amount of material used and the number of pickets, or rails, needed to make up the gate structure. Two single gates cannot necessarily be hung in a double-gate area, according to the GateDepot website.
Support structures that will hold the gates may have a variety of flaws or characteristics that may need to be accounted for in the fabrication of the gate and its hinges, such as round columns that have varying circumferences or square columns that have cantilevered surfaces.
Consult with your local building permit office to determine what codes apply to your gate construction. Some localities require compliance with the Universal Building code on rail spacings. Other communities may have this requirement for railings, but not for gate structures.
References
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