Hello!
I would need some tips for casting the posts for a double gate at the summer cottage.
The double gate is about 2.5 m wide in total and will serve as an entrance for both people and cars; the passage is a bit tight due to surrounding stones/trees, but it has worked so far, and the space inside the gate widens considerably.
Anyway, regarding the construction; the old and rotten wooden structure is intended to be replaced by two solid cement pillars that I will cast myself. – Height above ground about 1.40 m. I have taken inspiration from the English-language picture guide below
http://www.buildeazy.com/house_property_makeover/concrete_gate_post_3_07_page1.html
and basically have the following questions:
Is it enough to let the gate post go down 0.7 m below ground and base in a broader mass of consolidated rocks (connected to vertical reinforcement bars of course)? I should add that the location is outside Ystad with fairly compact clay soil, so it's quite hard to dig.
Can I cast a gate post with the dimensions 20cm X 20 cm, or will that be too weak in terms of durability?
How do I make the fittings for hanging the gate in the best way? I assume that there are ready-made mounting brackets for the hinges to buy, which are made to be inserted into the mold from each side, right? Because surely it's not meant to drill the hinge mounts into the finished cement?
Are there any other do's and don'ts you can inform me about?
Many thanks in advance
Jörgen
I would need some tips for casting the posts for a double gate at the summer cottage.
The double gate is about 2.5 m wide in total and will serve as an entrance for both people and cars; the passage is a bit tight due to surrounding stones/trees, but it has worked so far, and the space inside the gate widens considerably.
Anyway, regarding the construction; the old and rotten wooden structure is intended to be replaced by two solid cement pillars that I will cast myself. – Height above ground about 1.40 m. I have taken inspiration from the English-language picture guide below
http://www.buildeazy.com/house_property_makeover/concrete_gate_post_3_07_page1.html
and basically have the following questions:
Is it enough to let the gate post go down 0.7 m below ground and base in a broader mass of consolidated rocks (connected to vertical reinforcement bars of course)? I should add that the location is outside Ystad with fairly compact clay soil, so it's quite hard to dig.
Can I cast a gate post with the dimensions 20cm X 20 cm, or will that be too weak in terms of durability?
How do I make the fittings for hanging the gate in the best way? I assume that there are ready-made mounting brackets for the hinges to buy, which are made to be inserted into the mold from each side, right? Because surely it's not meant to drill the hinge mounts into the finished cement?
Are there any other do's and don'ts you can inform me about?
Many thanks in advance
Jörgen
Last edited:
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Forget rocks at the bottom.
It should be a FLAT bottom.
If you can put up with posts in iron pipes, choose that.
I understand that you want to dig minimally, but the gate will hang there and try to tip the post forever.
So........... dig properly, and as mentioned, a wide flat bottom.
It should be a FLAT bottom.
If you can put up with posts in iron pipes, choose that.
I understand that you want to dig minimally, but the gate will hang there and try to tip the post forever.
So........... dig properly, and as mentioned, a wide flat bottom.
Thank you for the responses - I will take the tips into consideration and see what I will do about the mounting. But it's not a bad idea at all to go with a metal post in the middle and then use welded brackets that protrude from the mold. Sigh, yes, there's no avoiding the digging in this case. But I see it as a well-invested effort since the gate, hopefully, will stand there for a long time.
Kind regards,
Jörgen
Kind regards,
Jörgen