The aluminum fence has been purchased and installation is beginning but first you must plan where to put your gate within the fence line. We can help!
The first step after you have decided where to place the gate is to start by digging the holes for the aluminum posts for your gate. As you are digging the holes you must make sure they are wider and deeper than the holes that have been previously dug for standard posts for the line, end, and corner. Wider, deeper holes are needed for aluminum gate posts as they will be under heavy usage. A bigger hole will mean that more concrete can be used when securing the post itself. When sizing the width of the hole needed for your gate be sure to make plenty of room on all sides of the post for concrete.
The depth of the hole needs to take into consideration a number of things including the frost line, the post length, the height of the fence, and the width of the gate. Living in an area where a freeze can occur the hole for the gate post should be dug deeper than the frost line. Having the concrete below the frost line will prevent the footers from cracking over time. Concrete must be installed at the bottom of the hole as well as around the four sides of the aluminum gate post.
Once the first hole has been dug it is time to move on to the second hole. The placement of the second hole will be solely dependent on the width of the gate. Aluminum gates are meant to be opened and closed. A gate that is four feet has a gate frame of only forty-six and a half inches, the inside measurement, post to post will be forty-eight inches. This gives room for the installation of hinges and latches.
Next comes the placement of the gate posts and the addition of the concrete. Concrete should be added to the bottom of the hole before the placement of the post. This helps to create a strong bond between the concrete and the aluminum gate post. It is important to keep your tape measurer available so that you can make sure your measurements are accurate throughout the installation of the posts and walkway gate.
Once the post distance is achieved and the posts are leveled it is now time to slowly shovel in more concrete. This process should be done with extreme care to prevent the movement of the gate post. Concrete should fill the hole up until you have reached about four to six inches from the top of the hole. On top of the concrete you will add in a final layer of dirt which is packed tightly around the post to create a sturdy base for your gate. Again, throughout this process it is crucial that you maintain proper measurements and that the posts remain level. The concrete should be allowed to completely set up and dry before the final step of hanging the aluminum gate and the installation of the hardware.
The final step of aluminum gate installation is to determine the direction in which the gate will swing. Outward swinging gates will need hardware to be installed on the outside face of the fence line. Vice versa for gates that will be swinging inward. Hinges will be first installed on the frame of the gate. In order for even weight distribution measure from the top and bottom of the gate for an even distance for installation of the hardware. Once the gate hinges are attached to the gate frame it is time to anchor the gate to the posts. This is a two-person job, one person to pick up the gate and hold it to the post and the other to fasten it down. Lastly install the latch and there you have it, your aluminum gate will be installed!
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