Your Ultimate Guide to Wooden Garden Gates 

Wooden gates suit any style of garden, whether you're looking to create a cosy cottage feel, a rustic farmhouse aesthetic, or a sleek modern finish. The best thing about wooden garden gates is that they can be customised, so you get exactly what you’re looking for.  

However, with so many different types of wooden gate on the market, it can be difficult to know where to begin. This ultimate guide will help you navigate the world of wooden garden gates - choose the best garden gate for your home and find out about proper care & maintenance. 

For tailored advice, please get in touch with a member of the Wooden Gate Makers team. 

Wooden gates can be easily customised to match your specific needs and preferences. For example, you can add decorative details such as carvings or cut-outs, or even incorporate a unique design or logo. 

Both softwoods and hardwoods are great materials for garden gates, but what’s the difference between the two materials and which should you choose? 

Hardwood Gates 

Deciduous trees, such as Oak, Ash, Elm, Birch, Beech, Maple, Mahogany, and Teak, produce hardwood. Hardwood gates have a naturally long lifespan and with proper care they can last for upwards of 30 years.  

Hardwood Benefits 

Generally, hardwoods require less maintenance than softwoods. Hardwood does not necessarily need to be treated, as it is naturally more resistant to decay and rot than softwoods. However, applying a protective finish, such as oil or stain, can help to enhance the wood's natural resistance to the elements and prolong its lifespan. 

Hardwoods are also less prone to swelling and shrinking, which means they’re less likely to jam and stick, no matter the weather. 

Softwood Gates 

Softwood comes from evergreen coniferous trees that have needles instead of leaves, such as Pine, Larch, Spruce, Douglas Fir, and Cedar. In order to withstand outdoor conditions, softwood gates require treating every couple of years. They can benefit from being coated with oils, paints, or varnishes to extend their longevity. When appropriately treated, softwoods can be expected to last for at least 15 years. 

Softwood Benefits 

The main advantage of softwood over hardwood is its affordability. Softwood is generally less expensive than hardwood due to its faster growth rate and wider availability. Softwood can also be easier to work with and mould into different shapes and designs. 

There are plenty of styles of garden gate available, no matter which part of your garden you’re looking to protect or frame.  

Driveway Gates 

Wooden driveway gates can be used to protect your home and driveway, giving a high level of privacy to your entire home. There’s no limit to how these gates can be styled, giving homeowners total freedom when it comes to the appearance of their driveway. 

At Wooden Gate Makers, our driveway gates are completely bespoke, meaning they can be tailored to fit any drive and style. Simply speak to a member of our talented team to discuss your requirements! 

Side Gates 

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to wooden garden side gates. Your garden might need an entrance from a side alley, a route onto the allotment or a simple gate into the front garden. Side gates can vary from low picket-fence gates to tall, secure entranceways.  

Maintenance and care can be divided into a few distinct categories. 

Wood Treatment 

Although hardwood gates are naturally resilient and don’t need a lot of maintenance, both softwood and hardwood gates can benefit from being treated annually with a wood preservative. An additional topcoat of oil, stain or varnish will also help to protect the wood. 

These products can help combat several environmental factors like UV damage, water damage and insect infestation. 

If you buy a softwood gate, check if it comes pre-treated or not. If it doesn't, you will need to treat it immediately after installation. 

Wood Oil Treatments 

Wood oils help to moisturise the wood, replacing natural oils that are lost over time. Oiling wood will help stop it from drying out, reducing cracking and damage. 

Wood Stain Treatments 

Wood stains offer a way to paint or colour the paint whilst still preserving the natural aesthetic appearance of the timber grain. Many wood stains offer additional protective properties, such as protection against water damage. 

You should also give any wooden gate a check every so often, to ensure that all structural components are strong and not showing signs of damage. If there are signs of rot, or broken sections, you should get these repaired before they affect the integrity of the gate. 

Hardware 

To make sure that your gate stays in good working order, you should periodically check the hardware including any locks, bolts, hinges and screws. 

Tighten any loose screws and oil the locks and hinges to ensure all hardware continues to work smoothly. 

No matter where you need a gate, whether it’s at the entry to your driveway or at the end of your back garden, our team at Wooden Gate Makers can help you protect your property whilst giving an aesthetic boost to your home. 

All our wooden gates are tailor made, created by hand by our team of skilled craftsmen. This means you can get the style of gate you want, in the exact size needed for your home, without having to trawl the market for hours. 

Send us a message via our contact form or call us on 01202 670770.