Designing your own gate.

This is for those that wish to take advantage our designs library but one to go one step further and design their own gate. Its not as difficult as you think and listed are a few guidelines to help.

What is the gate for?

This has to be the first question you ask yourself. What is the true purpose of the gate. If its just for looks then you have far less to think about. On the other hand if it has a purpose you need to make sure the design fits the purpose.

Keeping pets and children in.

If you are looking to keep children or pets safe within the confines of the garden. Bar spacing or gaps between the bars, is something to think about. To wide a gap and your pet is going to escape through the bars. Or possibly your child is going to attempt to get through the gaps and possibly get stuck. 100mm gaps between bars is good for children and most dogs. But if we are talking small dog breeds or rabbits then the gap is going to need to be smaller. Depending on the height of the gate it is worth considering having half bars in the bottom. This closes the gap up, but your only doing it on part of the gate. So its a way of economising.

Another point to consider jumping ability or climbing. A low gate and your dog might be able to jump over it. And as with children they might be able to climb it. Climbing ability for children will depend on the design. If the design has scrolls in could a child use these as a foot hold to climb the gate?

Latch position is also a consideration, if its not a lockable gate, can a child reach the latch or open it? Or could a dog open it? i have in the past had to modify a gate because a dog could operate the latch with its paw and open the gale.

Just for looks

If the gate is just for looks, you really are open to a whole lot of strange ideas. Because your only restriction is to come up with an original idea. Which in some respects makes it easy.