Privacy Fence Gates

You will find two main privacy fence gate styles. The first is a pedestrian gate, which is designed specifically for people to pass through.  The other style is a driveway gate or a vehicle gate, which is designed to allow cars and trucks to pass through.

Pedestrian Privacy Fence Gates

Privacy fence gates can be particularly difficult to build. They need to be designed in such a way that they are self supporting, since they will be swinging open and closed and will not have any support on the swinging end. A faulty design will cause the gate to sag and eventually miss the latch. Privacy fence gates also need to be carefully leveled so that they don't inadvertently swing open.

There are a number of options for securing your privacy fence gate closed. A simple latch will work, but will not prevent strangers from slipping into your yard.  Many latches are available with holes for a pad lock and some come with locks built into them. Gravity latches will automatically latch closed when the gate is shut. You can also get a latch with a bolt that will slide for locking. If you have young children playing in your yard, consider placing the latch up high, out of their reach.

To ensure that your privacy fence gate closes properly, your best bet is to get a spring hinge. These hinges feature a spring along the main bolt that will ensure the gate closes.  Combined with a self-locking latch, this ensure the best security for your privacy fence.

Privacy Fence Gates for a Driveway

A driveway gate is the only way to secure access across a driveway. Although you can get a manual gate (where you must leave the car in order to open and close the gate) you will likely quickly tire of this. Many gates come with automatic openers and closers that operate from either a keypad placed at the gate or from a controller that you keep in your car.

Keep in mind that when you secure your driveway with a privacy fence gate, you will need some means to allow deliveries to be made to your home. A mail box outside the gate might be fine, but for larger packages you might prefer that they not be left outside the gate. In that case, you will need a way for packages to be delivered through the fence, or you will need to open the gate to allow the delivery personnel access.

There are many great options for a privacy fence gate. It is not recommended that you try to build one yourself without significant research and planning. However, installation of a privacy fence gate can be fairly straightforward with the proper hardware and a friend to help level the gate.