How to Measure for your Gates

When looking to purchase a gate, it is important to know what size you need. There have been many instances of customers buying a gate after incorrectly measuring the gap. To avoid confusion and hassle for our customers, we have put together this quick and simple guide on how to measure a gate for your property or home.

Not all types of gates are measured in the same way, so on this page, we look at how wooden gates and metal gates are measured.

How to Measure Gates Made from Wood

If you have picked this style of gate, all the width measurements you see are referring to the actual size of the gate. For example, if you are looking at wooden driveway gates and select the width as 8 feet, this length represents the actual width of the gates. This does mean that some allowances will have to be made to accommodate the fittings, posts, and clearance of the gate.

The height quoted on these gates also refers to the gate’s actual dimensions, when hanging them please allow for 2 inches/5cm of ground clearance.

Important Product Information:

  • The fittings and accessories can be purchased separately.
  • All gates are supplied as natural wood, with no additional finish applied.
  • Gates must be treated with a high-quality oil-based wood preservative or a type of exterior wood paint before attaching fittings or allowing the gate to be exposed to the outside elements.
  • All of the timber that is used is very high quality, smooth-planed Scandinavian redwood from managed forests. Laminated profiles may be used for some models.
  • Items are subject to carriage charge supplements where stated. UK Mainland delivery only.
  • Weights shown for a product are the approximate weight of the heaviest gate.
  • All sizes shown are nominal.

All gates that are made from timber are right-hand hanging (as viewed from the roadside), except for the Derbyshire 3′ (92cm) garden gate and Town and County field gates. These can be ordered as either left-hand hanging or right-hand hanging.

If you do not already have your posts or pillars, don’t forget to allow for them when measuring. If you have any questions or would like to have any of these points explained further, please get in touch with a member of our sales team on 01543 462500 who will be able to answer your questions.

How to Measure Gates Made from Metal

If you prefer the wrought iron styling of some of the items we offer, please be aware that these gates are measured in a different way from their wooden counterparts. Due to the differences in the gate installation process, unlike the timber, we measure the size of the gap or opening as oppose to the actual gate size. The opening space is measured from the inside of a post to the inside of the opposing post because we already account for the required hinge and latch gaps.

With metal gates, you do not need to make any additional gap allowances. If however, you require posts then you do need to add the post thickness to the selected gate gap which now forms your new overall gap to fit the gate and posts into. We include all metal gate hinges and latches free of charge.

Should you already have special wooden or steel pillars or posts (or walls) in place, simply take the measurements between them. If you have a gap or opening that is irregular or non-standard, you could try looking into wall fixing posts and packer posts to help solve the issue.

As with the wood mentioned above, these gates will also require 2 inches/5cm of ground clearance. This means if a metal side gate is listed as 6 feet high (or 1.83 metres) it will measure at 5 feet 10 inches when delivered (1.78 metres) and then stand at 6 feet high when hung with the mentioned ground clearance. Should your design of gate have any finials or top scrolls, this will be in addition to the height stated. This does vary across designs, however (the Royal Talisman range for example), to be sure please call our sales team on 01543 462500.

In some rare instances, the presence of an archtop can change the measurements. The 6 feet wrought iron arch gates are measured at 4 foot 6 inches (1.37 metres) high. This height is from the base of the gate up to the beginning of the arch (which is made to a true radius making the 3 foot/92 centimetres). But overall the gate (with the ground clearance) will stand at 6 feet.

Important Product Information:

  • Each of the gates (and railings) that are styled as wrought iron are supplied with a factory-standard black primed finish. We can also supply them with a harder wearing painted finish, please get in touch to find our more.
  • To ensure that you are able to have the maximum life of the gate, when supplied with a black primed finish, they must be treated with an exterior enamel paint before you are able to attach any fittings or allow the gate to be exposed to the outside elements.
  • All hinges that are included at no cost, are adjustable.
  • These gates (like the ones made from wood) are called right-handed or left-handed, this refers to the roadside view.
  • Items are subject to carriage charge supplements where stated. UK Mainland delivery only.
  • Weights shown for a product are the approximate weight of the heaviest gate.
  • Please ensure you have checked with what type of post you require.

Cannock Gates reserves the right to improve, alter or modify our designs without prior notification. All of the sizes mentioned are approximate and the colours shown are intended as a guide. All product descriptions are correct as of the time of publication.

If you would like more advice or if you have any questions, please contact our friendly sales team on 01543 462500 and they will be able to answer any concerns or queries you may have.