A visually pleasing metal gate adds great beauty to almost any space.
Most garden and lawn spaces will look nice with a wrought iron gate. Keep in mind that true wrought iron has not been commercially available since the late 1960s. A steel product known as "mild steel" typically is used to craft products referred to as items made of "wrought iron." Even a simple garden looks more artistic and with an ornamental metal gate. A gate can be purchased new or bought at a flea market. Recycling a gate might call for resurfacing it, but it can look fine in a rustic state. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the space for a gate. Sketch a gate design for your project, using simple straight lines, flower patterns or an extremely ornate pattern. Look through websites, books and magazines to examine metal gates that are artistically crafted. Make notes about gate patterns available in the size you need. Write down the cost of each gate, as well.
2. Visit flea markets and antique stores for gates to recycle. Look for well-crafted gates in good shape. Make an offer on a desirable gate that is sturdy enough for resurfacing. Make sure the gate is structurally sound and competitive in price with new gates. Plan to remove all scaling paint and rust if a gate will be used near a home's curbside, for example. Leave the gate in its rustic state if this will enhance the look of a backyard garden.
3. Create the correct design for gate support posts. Install concrete footings to hold a brick support post on each side of the gate. Pour concrete footings to hold cinder blocks that will receive a stucco finish as another option for gate posts. Plan to secure metal gate posts in concrete several inches deep to support the weight of the "wrought iron" gate. Anchor support columns or posts with care, because wind quickly can dismantle a gate's support structure.
4. Paint the gate to harmonize with surroundings. Use black paint on a metal gate to match black trim on a house. Paint the gate pale green if this complements the home's green siding. Paint over angle-iron, bolts and hinges with two or three coats of metal primer paint. Add a final color that blends with the gate system in high-quality metal paint.
5. Plan a locking system for the gate near curbside. Plan a special locking system before the gate is put into place, because side posts must accommodate the lock system with special hardware. Design ample room for the gate to fit between selected support columns initially, because resizing the iron gate itself is usually not a plausible option.
Tags: metal gate, iron gate, wrought iron, concrete footings, concrete footings hold
