How to Build a Front Gate Pillar

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Things You'll Need

  • Shovel

  • Concrete mix

  • L-shaped steel rod

  • Bricks

  • Mortar

  • Bricklaying trowel

  • Concrete slab

Pillars as elaborate as these can be prohibitively expensive, but a simpler variety can be built quite economically.
Image Credit: Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images

Every front gate needs something solid to support it, but purchasing pre-made pillars or hiring contractors can result in a bill much larger than you'd like. You can build your own pair of pillars much more cheaply, laying bricks around a steel-reinforced concrete core for a column that is sturdy enough to hold any gate you attach to it, yet attractive enough to stand on its own if you prefer to keep your driveway unimpeded.

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Step 1

Dig a hole 42 inches deep, with a width of 12 inches and a length of 20 inches. The long side of the hole should be perpendicular to the eventual orientation of your gate.

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Step 2

Fill the hole halfway with concrete, embedding an L-shaped steel rod in it with the horizontal length submerged and the vertical extending up above the ground. Wait 24 hours for the concrete to solidify.

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Step 3

Build the pillar around the steel rod, laying bricks in a square formation, layer upon layer with mortar in between. Fill the interior space with concrete, pouring a little more each day and waiting for it to harden until it reaches the top.

Step 4

Cover the upper surface with mortar and lay a concrete slab atop the pillar to serve as a capstone.

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