Help determining square steel tubing size for a gate

harrisonm · Mar 31, 2024

I have a 6’ wood privacy fence around my back yard. It contains a gate that is about 5’ wide. I have had to rebuild that gate at least five times. I frame it with treated 2x4s, attach it to the 4x4 treated post with heavy hinges and then attach about ten 6’ x 5.5” x 5/8” treated pickets to it. It gets wet and warps and sags NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE TRIED. I am planning to build the frame with square steel tubes and weld the hinges on to the tubes. I will definitely brace the corners. Then I can attach new pickets. I was thinking 1.5” square tubes with either 1/16 or 1/8 inch wall thickness. That will be heavy, but so is 2x4 treated lumber. The 4x4 posts are solidly placed in 24” of wet poured concrete. What do you guys think about my metal choice ideas?

1WildRT · Mar 31, 2024

The steel solves the sagging problem... The next problem will be the post.... Just a 5' gate... The post will probably be fine... House I sold a few years back I'd built a 14' gate out of 1.5" x 095 tube hung off a 3.5" steel post that was connected to a second 3.5" steel post by a pair of 1.5 x .095 tubes.. I could stand on the outboard end of that gate & it wouldn't sag at all...

For a 5' gate .065 wall 1.5" tube would be fine....

Workingdog1 · Mar 31, 2024

I used a 5" diameter schedule 40 Galvanized post with caps available 4 plus feet in the hole, 12" scrap welded to post in a few places at 90°, 36" diameter hole and as much concrete as needed.
1 1/2" tubing horizontal, 2" vertical, redwood 2 x 4 's attached to the 1 1/2" tubing with galvanized 1/4" bolts. Dog-eared 8" redwood with all wood sanded and multiple coats of quality deck stain. Used stainless screws for fence board attachment level and 3/4" from sides.
A 2x4 for a stop with a sliding quality latch was securely screwed to the house with lags.

This was about 15 years ago. Sold the house in 2011 and house had sold again a year or so ago going through an addiction and major remodel, gate untouched.

BTW the gate a bit taller than 4 feet. Been through a lot of properties as a Surveyor over 40 years and cheap wooden or even wrought iron fences and gates are not the place to save money.

Workingdog1 · Mar 31, 2024

harrisonm said:
I have a 6’ wood privacy fence around my back yard. It contains a gate that is about 5’ wide. I have had to rebuild that gate at least five times. I frame it with treated 2x4s, attach it to the 4x4 treated post with heavy hinges and then attach about ten 6’ x 5.5” x 5/8” treated pickets to it. It gets wet and warps and sags NO MATTER WHAT I HAVE TRIED. I am planning to build the frame with square steel tubes and weld the hinges on to the tubes. I will definitely brace the corners. Then I can attach new pickets. I was thinking 1.5” square tubes with either 1/16 or 1/8 inch wall thickness. That will be heavy, but so is 2x4 treated lumber. The 4x4 posts are solidly placed in 24” of wet poured concrete. What do you guys think about my metal choice ideas?

^^^
I could should write a book about my old back fence.

Workingdog1 · Mar 31, 2024

Workingdog1 said:
^^^
I could should write a book about my old back fence.

^^^^

harrisonm · Mar 31, 2024

1WildRT said:
The steel solves the sagging problem... The next problem will be the post.... Just a 5' gate... The post will probably be fine... House I sold a few years back I'd built a 14' gate out of 1.5" x 095 tube hung off a 3.5" steel post that was connected to a second 3.5" steel post by a pair of 1.5 x .095 tubes.. I could stand on the outboard end of that gate & it wouldn't sag at all...

For a 5' gate .065 wall 1.5" tube would be fine....

Thanks for your reply. Although I think the single 4 x 4 post in concrete will be enough, I was planning on tying that post to the adjacent post which is about 6 feet away with a treated 2 x 4. I was thinking on attaching the 2 x 4 about 1 foot above the ground on the adjacent post, and attaching the other end, about 1 foot from the top of the supporting host. I was thinking that would help spread the weight of the gate over to posts. I am actually looking forward to this project. I love to weld.