How to make a pair of lumber driveway gates

Gate installation

Aligning the gates

The two gates were laid on the ground on top of packers and positioned in alignment with one another.

There was a 12mm (1/2″) gap between the two gates.

Making the pair of gates steadfast

Two pieces of 100×50 (4×2) were placed on top of the gates: one running along the top and one running along the bottom.

Both pieces spanned the width of the two gates.

The 100×50 (4×2) was securely clamped to the gates locking the pair in position with one another.

Lifting the gates into position

The pair of gates, held together as one unit, were stood up and lifted into position between the gate posts.

Packers were put under each end until the gates were the right height, and wedges were placed between the gates and posts to hold and centralize them between the posts.

Fixing the hinges

Once the gates were positioned correctly, the hinges were clamped to the gate.

This held the gates in position.

The hinges were then fixed to the gate and the clamps were taken off.

Preparing for the gate fittings

The two pieces of 100×50 (2×4) that held the gate in alignment were then taken off and replaced with one shorter piece clamped to the top of the two gates, to hold the gates rigid while the gate fittings were being fixed in place.