A garden gate is the focal point of your home; therefore it’s important you pick a style that enhances your property as well as makes it secure. Buying the right one means balancing practicality, style and budget. Garden gates need to be of strong, solid design or they won’t last – but you don’t want to end up blowing your entire budget on one gate!
The answer is to visit a large home improvement store, like us at Wickes DIY. Here, you will find a wide range of wood and metal gates, in every style and size imaginable. Even the top-of-the–range metal gates, with key-locks and fittings, won’t break the bank. It is possible to buy a heavy-duty galvanised double driveway gate, complete with fittings, for less than £120.
For front gardens, the choice is enormous with everything from simple rustic pale-and-fencing kits, to imposing ornamental wrought-iron gates for driveway access. Check the gate you’ve chosen comes complete with fittings. If not, you’ll have to buy them separately, adding to the price.
Driveway gates increase privacy and security, and improve the look of any home. They can even be fitted with an automatic opening system. As well as double-gated metallic designs, you can buy wide farmyard-style gates, which are heavy but look very attractive.
Should you have wood or metal? Metal gates don’t offer the same privacy as wood, but then wood needs more upkeep. It does have the advantage that it can be painted or stained any colour, however. That being said, many metal garden gates are available primed and ready-to-paint, giving you similar choice.
If you’re worried a metal gate might be too heavy, modern alloy driveway and garden gates are available which have all the charm and detail of traditional wrought iron, but without the heavy weight and corrosion. At the lower end of the market, these can look a bit flimsy and cheap-looking. A heavyweight or galvanised iron gate, such as those we sell at Wickes DIY, give your garden an “up-market” look, and will last a lot longer for little extra outlay.
In general, the larger the house the higher the front gate can be. A large mansion-style building set in its own grounds will need a very different gate to a small Victorian terrace, so take the overall style of your property into account when choosing your design. Whatever the size of your property, if you have pets and/or children the gate should be lockable, climb-proof and ideally 1500 mm high or more.
For the rear garden, you need to ensure the gate is high enough to keep intruders out. Some people prefer the open, aesthetic quality of ornamental metal gates, while others prefer high, close-clad wooden gates for privacy. If you have a walled garden, the latter can look truly magical – especially if teamed with a brick or stone arch over the top. In any case, there’s nothing like a bit of mystery to enhance the pleasure of entering a well-kept garden and it keeps snoopers at bay. We at Wickes DIY have some beautiful lap and ledge-and-brace wooden garden gates, which are equally at home in a wire, wooden or walled enclosure.
Emma writes articles on Home Improvement, including tips on Garden Gates. and how to get the best out of your Wickes DIY
.