Adding a side gate

[unseen]

Currently around our back garden we've 6ft concrete posts with gravel boards and large (read damn heavy!) gates. Been ok for a while but needs a spruce up so some of the gravel boards are coming out to make way for new fence panels and while I was out measuring Mrs Unseen was having a moan about the gates being too heavy and could we not put a side gate in?

I've had a quick search on the forum and "I think" this is a sane way forward but wanted to check with those more knowledgeable!

Along the longest run I had in mind to remove all the gravel boards, then fasten 4x3 to one post to hang the gate from, then on the other side a small in-fill frame out of 4x3 (overkill?) fastened to the post and in to concrete at the bottom. I know drilling the posts can be a nightmare but from reading on here slow and steady seems to be the message, drilling through then using sleeve nuts and some m8 threaded rod straight through post/timber?

Apologies for the godawful MSPaint picture but hopefully you get the idea!

The fixing idea was:

Does that sound/look about right? One thing I did find was finding external grade sleeve nuts from the usual suspects was impossible and I searching for the right thing?

Somehow doubt they're stainless steel going of the description further on!


Other than a sanity check, would anyone suggest putting a header across the whole thing or would it not be needed?

Thanks

 

[unseen]

That's what we have currently, goes back about 24'. Would what I suggested above work do you think?

Thanks.

 

[conny]

When you say, 'side gate', do mean where that narrow section is at the end?

 

[unseen]

Ah no.. Sorry should have been more specific!

Hopefully that makes more sense?

With the bottom gravel board being partially sunk, I was planning to "carefully" remove that trying not to disturb the paving and in fill the gap with concrete which would be then either be drilled/leave in threaded rod to fasten the bottom of the in-fill panel.

 

[Tigercubrider]

What about modifying one of the green gates?

You could cut one in half vertically and hinge it.
Then fit another bolt to secure the existing part that's connected to the post

Or cut one in half and screw the part that currently meets the uncut gate to that gate, using extra timber/ metal bars, probably with a wheel on the large gate. Then refit the half gate so it can be opened independently. Effectively a 3/4 vehicle gate and a 1/4 pedestrian one.

Or buy the gates ready made

 

[unseen]

What about modifying one of the green gates?

You could cut one in half vertically and hinge it.
Then fit another bolt to secure the existing part that's connected to the post

Or cut one in half and screw the part that currently meets the uncut gate to that gate, using extra timber/ metal bars, probably with a wheel on the large gate. Then refit the half gate so it can be opened independently. Effectively a 3/4 vehicle gate and a 1/4 pedestrian one.

Or buy the gates ready made

I hadn't actually thought about that one! Although that picture is from when they were first put in so how they'd fair at being modified err 15 years later! The other reasons I'm considering a side gate is out of convenience but there is also currently a discussion going on (read fight!) with the local council about putting alley gating in. So that gate could be made redundant/unsuitable for use as a car entry anyway (I could easily get a proper Mini in but anything else would be interesting or impossible!) depending on the outcome of that.

The side/pedestrian gate I've been looking at would be ready made from the local fencing firm to match the new panels. The only "panel" I'd need to build is the in-fill one.