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DIY: Driveway Gate Frames

A driveway gate can add an element of class to any yard, whether it is made of wood or metal. To install the gate, however, you'll need support posts on either side to hold it up. You can make your own frame to support a driveway gate very easily out of treated wood beams that are set in concrete bases. When painted or varnished in colors that complement the gate, your home-made gate posts will be indistinguishable from the more expensive commercial alternative.

Things You'll Need

  • Measuring tape
  • Level
  • String and stakes
  • Post-hole digger
  • Concrete
  • Plumb line
  • Four-by-four lumber
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Instructions

    • 1

      Find the ideal location for your gate along the length of your driveway. It should be far enough up the driveway that a car can park outside it without impeding traffic, yet far enough down that the gate will not hit any vehicles parked inside when it swings open.

    • 2

      Stake out a string across your driveway at this point to serve as a guideline. Stake two lines crossing the first line at right angles to it, one on either side of the driveway at the distance recommended by your gate's manufacturer.

    • 3

      Cut two four-by-four beams to a length equal to the height of your desired gate plus an additional three feet. Dig a hole beneath each intersection of the strings to a depth of three feet and 12 inches in diameter.

    • 4

      Mix concrete, following the directions on the packaging, and fill one hole six inches deep with it. Set one of the posts into the hole, flush with the two crossed strings. Use a plumb-line to ensure the post is perfectly vertical and fill in the rest of the hole with concrete until it is six inches below the surface of the ground.

    • 5

      Install the other post in the same way and wait two days for the concrete to set. Fill in the holes the rest of the way with turf and varnish the posts as desired. Secure your gate to the posts according to the manufacturer's instructions.