Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Design A Wrought Iron Gate

Closeup, custom cane bolts


A wrought iron gate can add elegance and character to the entrance of your property, open entry, fenced area or doorway. Friends and family can easily identify your home by your unique and personalized gate. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions


design a wrought iron gate


1. Research local regulations to determine if any building codes apply or permits are needed.


2. Measure the area in which you wish to place a gate. Whether it is a driveway or walk gate, size is important to your design.


3. Determine your style and budget. Page through an ornamental metal catalog or look at gates online to find a style that you like. At this point you may consult with a gate fabricator, or continue to design the gate yourself. Most fabricators are well-versed in helping you with this part of the design process and can help determine a style that will work with your home's setting. While paging through the ornamental metal catalog, you may find specific elements you wish to use, or you may just get a general idea of style.


4. Decide if you wish to open the gate manually or if you want an automatic gate opener. An automatic gate opener needs a bracket attached to the gate.


5. Draw a basic outline shape of the gate.


6. Decide on the amount of ornamentation. For example, would you like straight simple pickets or intricate ornamental scrolls? Most wrought iron catalogs have collections of coordinated pickets---for example right-, left- and middle-oriented. If you have a style in mind but have not decided on specifics, your fabricator can suggest details that will work best with your gate style.


7. When you have determined a basic design, choose three or more fabricators to which to present a quote and a more detailed drawing. Some fabricators will hand sketch at this point, while others use computer programs (CAD) to draw their initial sketches.


Note: Some fabricators will visit the job site during the quote process, and some fabricators do rough quotes. Ask details about the quote versus how the final price is determined. The more thorough and detailed the quote is, the more likely that the job will finish on budget.


8. Once you have received quotes and accepted a bid, the fabricator should visit the job site and perform precise measurements. These measurements are used to calculate scale, to ensure your gate meets any applicable codes and to make sure the gate fits into the area for which it is intended.


9. Review the final drawing of the gate with the fabricator. This drawing should be proportionately spaced and have all elements of the finished gate drawn.


10. The gate is now ready to be fabricated, finished and installed.







Tags: that will, area which, automatic gate, automatic gate opener, fabricators will, gate opener, iron gate